Sunday, April 26, 2009

Thomas Hill -- Wife and Children





This narrative covers the births, marriages and deaths of Thomas Hill, his wife Sarah and three children and Thomas’ biography.

Thomas HILL was born on 13 August 1858 in Tyrone County, Ireland the fifth son of William HILL and Margaret MCCLINTOCK. He died on 19 May 1942 in Orange County, California and was buried on 22 May 1942 in Anaheim, Orange, California. Thomas immigrated to the United States in 1882 and was naturalized in Los Angeles, California on 21 August 1913 based on Vol 50, Page 190.

Thomas married Sarah TAIT, daughter of George TAIT and Matilda MATHEWSON, on 10 January 1889 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Sarah was born on 27 January 1859 in Ireland. She died on 11 July 1948 in Orange County, California and was buried 14 July 1948 in Anaheim, Orange, California. They had the following children:

i. Matilda HILL was born on 19 December 1889 in Westminster, Orange, California. She died on 28 June 1976 in Riverside, California and was buried on 2 July 1976 in Anaheim, Orange, California.

ii. William G. HILL was born on 8 March 1894 in Westminster, Orange, California. He died on 21 August 1974 in Riverside, California and was buried on 23 August 1974 in Anaheim, Orange, California.

iii. Margaret Elizabeth HILL was born on 18 September 1898 in Westminster, Orange, California. She died on 11 April 1950 in Orange, California and was buried on 14 April 1950 in Anaheim, Orange, California.


An article from the November 28, 1912 edition of the Anaheim Gazette stated, “Councilman Tom Hill, of Stanton, was in town Tuesday morning bringing in a number of the finest turkeys seen here this season. Tom makes a specialty of making fine birds and the present year’s crop maintains the usual high standard of excellence characterizing the Hill ranch.


The biography of Thomas Hill is also provided in this blog entry.

THOMAS HILL -- One of the most highly esteemed citizens of Stanton, Orange County, is Thomas Hill, who has been a resident of that section of the county for thirty years. Mr. Hill is a native of Ireland, born in 1858, the son of William and Margaret Hill, whose family consisted of seven sons and one daughter, five of whom emigrated to the United States.

Thomas Hill came to Orange County in 1883 and since that time has witnessed many marvelous changes and developments. He is the owner of sixty acres of fine land which he devotes to general farming. This land was in its primitive state when Mr. Hill purchased it, but after years of hard work and close attention to its special needs he has brought it up to a high state of development, and has installed many modern improvements for the operation of his ranch as well as for the comfort and convenience of his cozy home. He is regarded as one of the most progressive ranchers of his community, a man of strict integrity and probity of character, well known for his patriotism. It is a recognized fact that many of the natives of the Emerald Isle are counted among the best and most loyal citizens of the United States, being friends of education and enlightenment.

In 1888 Mr. Hill was united in marriage with Miss Sarah Tait, also a native of Ireland, and the daughter of George and Matilda Tait. Of this union three children were born: Matilda, who is a graduate of the State Normal School; William and Margaret E. The family is members of the Episcopal Church and Mr. Hill is a Mason, a member of the Buena Park Lodge No. 537, F. & A. M. For six years he has held the office of trustee of the city of Stanton and has been an efficient member of the school board for eight years.

History of Orange County California with Biographical Sketches, Page 481, 1921.


The photo of Thomas was taken by E.W. Pierce whose studio was on Temple Block in Los Angeles, California, and the photo of Sarah was taken at the Dunshee studio located at 1330 Chestnut St (opposite the U.S. Mint) in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

A special thanks to our cousins Diane and Cathy for contributing the photos and marriage certificate for this entry.

Friday, April 10, 2009

Combine and Wagons Photograph by R. H. Gardiner


Here is another photograph taken by Roswell Harry Gardiner. During a recent visit to the Sacramento area, Diane Dolley, a great-granddaughter of Samuel Hill, gave me this photo of a push combine and three receiving wagons. We do not know who owned these outfits but they would have been used to support William Hill's treshing machine operation.

Sunday, March 29, 2009

Harry & Mary (Smith) Spielman & Daughters


This photo of Harry & Mary Spielman and their daughters, Ann born in 1912 and Marjorie born in 1914, was probably taken in late 1916. The photo is signed by Tudson.

Sunday, March 15, 2009

Lawson Wolf Spielman Family


This narrative covers the births, marriages and deaths of Lawson Wolf Spielman, his wife and seven of his nine children. The above drawing is believed to be from their wedding photo.

Lawson Wolf SPIELMAN was born on 12 August 1837 in Washington, Maryland the oldest son of John SPIELMAN Jr and Sophia WOLF. He died on 22 June 1903 in Anaheim, Orange, California from heart failure and was buried on 24 June 1903 in Anaheim, Orange, California. Lawson married Sarah A.B. (Annie Rose) HATHAWAY, the only child of Joshua Thomas HATHAWAY and Lucinda BETERBENNER, on 26 July 1860 in the Evangelical Lutheran Congregation of Zion Church at Frederick, Maryland. Sarah was born on 10 April 1841 in Washington, Maryland and died on 28 October 1905 in Anaheim, Orange, California of heart disease. She was buried 29 October 1905 in Anaheim, Orange, California.

The 1900 Census California, Orange, Anaheim, District 140, Sheet 12, states that Sarah had 9 children and that 7 were still living. Here are the names of their living children:

i. Anna Rosa SPIELMAN was born in May 1861 in Hagerstown, Washington, Maryland and died on 20 November 1909 in Los Angeles, Los Angeles, California. She married John Nicholas HACK on 20 October 1879 in Monticello, Napa, California. John was born in October 1839 in Germany.

ii. Jennie L. SPIELMAN was born January 1867 in Hagerstown, Washington, Maryland. She married Alfred W. VON SCHMIDT on 3 September 1884 in the Berryessa Valley, Napa, California. Alfred was born in August 1858 in California and was the son of Alexey Waldemer VON SCHMIDT and Frances MOTT.

iii. John Edward or Frank SPIELMAN was born in February 1869 in Hagerstown, Washington, Maryland. He died in May 1901 in Orange, California and was buried on 11 May 1901 in Anaheim, Orange, California. He married Frances STANLEY on 11 July 1894 in Lower Lake, Lake, California. Frances was born on 28 December 1874 in Missouri and died on 19 November 1937 in Lakeport, Lake, California.

iv. Blanche Lucinda SPIELMAN was born 12 March 1870 in Hagerstown, Washington, Maryland. She died 22 March 1913 in Anaheim, Orange, California and was buried 24 March 1913 in Anaheim, Orange, California. She married William John HILL on 11 March 1891 in Los Angeles, Los Angeles, California. William John HILL, the oldest son of son of William HILL and Margaret MCCLINTOCK, was born on 30 May 1848 in Tyrone County, Ireland. He died on 30 July 1912 in Anaheim, Orange, California and was buried on 31 July 1912 in Anaheim, Orange, California.

v. Bessie S. or Bird SPIELMAN was born on 30 January 1872 in Napa, California and died on 20 September 1941 in Riverside, California. She married James R. SHEARER on 11 August 1890 in Napa, Napa, California. James, the son of Harry SHEARER and Mary MORRIS, was born 3 April 1858 in San Francisco, San Francisco, California.

vi. Ella SPIELMAN was born in January 1877 in Napa, California. She married Mr. CRADDOCK in 1895 in California. After Craddock’s death, she married Charles TAYLOR in 1914 in California who was born in 1861 in Michigan. Her married surname is spelled CRADDICK on 1900 Census California, Orange, Anaheim.

vii. Harry Garfield SPIELMAN was born on 19 February 1881 in Lakeport, Napa, California. He died 17 March 1944 in Anaheim, Orange, California and was buried 22 March 1944 in Anaheim, Orange, California. He was married to and divorced from Mary Grace SMITH. Mary was born 15 July 1882 in Clinton, Iowa and died 21 July 1982 in Anaheim, Orange, California. She was buried 24 July 1982 in Anaheim, Orange, California.

Other Family Surnames

Between William Hill’s large family and the families of his four brothers, there are numerous other surnames associated with our Orange County family history. Below are some of the other surnames that may be included in future blog entries along with news clippings, biographies, obituaries and photos that I have found or received from other family members. More surnames will be added as generations of ancestors and descendants are found.

William Hill – McClintock, Rankin, Spielman, Wolf, Hathaway, Hack, Stanley, Shearer, Craddock, Von Schmidt, Aldrich, Carlson, Pierangel, McLeod, Harmon, Glines, Helms, Clark, Schilling and Romack

Samuel Hill – Sydnam, June, Underwood, Teets, Chaffee, Force and Musser

Oliver Hill – Smalley

Thomas Hill – Tait and Mathewson

Joseph Hill

Sunday, March 8, 2009

Hill Fine Dining

Great Grandma Blanche Hill was known as an exceptional cook and hostess. The Anaheim Gazette of January 23, 1913 contained the following article.


We are very fortunate to have two photos available of this dinner party; one inside and one outside. In the inside photo from left to right are Blanche Spielman Hill (wife of William Hill), Harry Spielman (brother of Blanche), John Harry Hill (oldest son of William and Blanche Hill), William “Billy” Young (hired help and friend of William Hill), Bessie “Bird” Spielman Shearer (younger sister of Blanche), Mrs. Mary Orilla Kellogg (early Anaheim pioneer), Edith Ella Hill (second oldest daughter of William and Blanche Hill), Marguerite Jessie Hill (fourth and youngest daughter of William and Blanche Hill), Mr. and Mrs. W.L. Gray and daughter Geraldine, Mary Grace Smith Spielman (wife of Harry Spielman) and daughter Annie Grace.



In the outside photo are (back row, left to right) Edith Ella Hill (second oldest daughter of William and Blanche Hill), Harry Shearer (second oldest son of James and Bird Shearer), George Oliver Hill (second oldest son of William and Blanche Hill), Mr. and Mrs. W.L. Gray, Bessie “Bird” Spielman Shearer (younger sister of Blanche), Blanche Spielman Hill (wife of William Hill), Mrs. Mary Orilla Kellogg (early Anaheim pioneer), Mary Grace Smith Spielman (wife of Harry) and Harry Spielman (brother of Blanche); (front row standing, left to right) Fred Shearer (third oldest son of James and Bird Shearer), Theodore Charter Hill (fifth and youngest son of William and Blanche Hill), Geraldine Gray (daughter of W.L.) and Marguerite Jessie Hill (fourth and youngest daughter of William and Blanche Hill); (front sitting) William J. Hill Jr. (fourth oldest son of William and Blanche Hill).



Below are three items that have survived over the years by being passed down from generation to generation. The first two items are a serving platter and dinner plate from Grandma Hill’s dinner table. The third item is the original lithograph and frame that hangs on the wall behind the dinner party. The picture is called Nature's Beauties and was painted by Paul de Longpré, a noted painter of the day who became well known for his renditions of flowers, especially roses. Born in 1855 near Lyon, France he came to Los Angeles in 1898 and died in Hollywood in 1911.







Tuesday, January 20, 2009

Hill Family Photographs by R. H. Gardiner

William and Blanche Hill were not shy about having photos taken of them, their family and their surroundings. The following set of three photos was taken by Roswell Harry Gardiner who was born in Maine in the mid-1850s and became an itinerant photographer on the west coast. Early in his career, Roswell was the Manager of the Great Eastern Photographic & Advertising Company in Portland, Oregon and about 1885 he moved to Southern California. He and his family, second wife Lenora Newby of Jonesboro, Indiana and son George Daniel born in Oregon are listed in the 1900 U.S. Census as living on Comstock Street in Whittier, California. While Roswell took many photos of various subjects at numerous Orange and Los Angeles locations, very few have actually been posted on the Internet with his credits. Based on the people in the first photograph, I believe that Roswell took these pictures in late 1896 or early 1897.

Photo 1 is of the Hill Ranch house was located on what is now Hill Road about 500 feet east of Brookhurst Street in Garden Grove. After studying this photograph, comparing it to family group sheets for William Hill's two families and guessing about when this photo was taken, I believe that from left to right is Annie Hill (age 8), William Hill (48), Blanche Hill (26), Edith Ella Hill (2), John Harry Hill (5), Elizabeth Mary Hill (11), Laura Rebecca Hill (1), Blanche Hill (3), William Robert Hill (15), and another family of an unknown man, boy, girl and woman whose ages don't look like they match any other Hill or Spielman families. Missing from this picture is Jane Hill (12) and Samuel Hill who died in 1890. The girl identified as Elizabeth could possibly be Jane who was a year older.

William Hill's 1911 bio said, "He put out eucalyptus and forest trees, also pines and evergreens." From this picture and the next, he definitely loved trees.

Photo 2 is of the Hill Ranch barn and outbuildings. Blanche Hill is in this photograph along with William Robert right of her and possibly Elizabeth left of her. The other woman, a child and William Hill on a wagon are in front of the white building and the other man is behind the black horses to William's left. William Hill had plenty of horses and mules for his business and directly in front of Blanche are her turkeys and further left are her ducks. One can only guess what it took to direct this photo and get everyone and everything in right place.

Photo 3 is of the Hill threshing machine with William Hill in his buckboard and his crew in position. The location of this picture with hills in the background could possibly be on forty acres of property that he owned in La Habra, north of Anaheim.