historical documents

Hill Family Graves
Warren County, McMinnville, Tennessee

April of 1998 I was able to visit the small agricultural town of McMinnville, TN where Isaac Hill, Sr. and many of his descendents settled in the mid 1800's. Today, their mark is still evident in the history of the area. The earliest mill to be built in Warren Co., TN was Hill's Creek Mill owned and operated by various members of the Hill family over the years.
(Old photo from the book "McMinnville at a Milestone", by Walter Womack, pub. 1960)

Isaac Sr. is buried on his property on Cumberland Mountain amid the orchards he tended. The inscription, worn by time, reads: "To the memory of ISAAC HILL, Sr., Who was born 22nd July, 1748, And died 28th July, 1825"

My sincere thanks to descendant Lou Warren who sent me the above photographs.

The old downtown cemetery near the Courthouse holds several notable Hills. A short drive out of town is the Center Hill Cemetery, formerly known as Hill's Creek Cemetery, where at least 50+ Hills are laid to rest.

McMinnville Downtown Cemetery
Shown here is the family plot of the Smartt family where CSA Brigadier-General Benjamin Jefferson Hill is buried beside his wife, Mary V. Smartt.

General Benjamin Jefferson Hill was born June 13, 1825, and died January 5, 1880. As the head of the Thirty-Fifth Tennessee, he fought at Shiloh, Chicamauga, the KY campaign, the Richmond campaign, Missionary Ridge, the Atlanta campaign, and the siege of Murfreesboro.

For an excellent biography of Gen. B. J. Hill, visit the website for The Sons of Confederate Veterans, Gen. Benjamin J. Hill Camp 1615, in McMinnville, TN. Bio written by county historian, James Dillon. Meetings are held at 7 PM the third Monday of each month at the courthouse. Ron Neale, commander, advises me there are currently members who are descendants of Gen. B. J. Hill. Visitors welcome.

Mary V. Smartt Hill was born August 23, 1835, and died March 31, 1909. She was the daughter of George R. Smartt and Athelia Randolph. There are many Smartt descendents still living in McMinnville.

On the other side of this small cemetery is the monument for Dr. Melchesedek Hill, his wife Mary Ann, and their small daughter, Susan. "Dr. Dick," as he was called, was the town physician and surgeon and the son of Henry J. A. Hill and Susannah Swales.

Dr. Melchesedek Hill His inscription reads; "Sacred to the memory of Dr. M. Hill, born Nov. 22, 1804, died Aug. 3, 1861. He was an eminent surgeon and an honest man"

On one side of her husband's large monument is an inscription: "Sacred to the memory of Mary J. A., Consort of Dr. M. Hill, departed this life Sept. 8, 1835 aged 22 yrs., 7 mo., & 22 days. She made home happy"

On the other side of his monument is this: "Sacred to the memory of Susan, daughter of Dr. M & M. J. A. Hill. Departed this life Sept. 13, 1835 aged 10 mo & 12 days"

Winding through the countryside outside of McMinnville will take you to Hill's Creek where the Center Hill Cemetery is still in use. Here you will find Isaac's eldest son, Henry John Alexander Hill, his wife Susannah, and his long time paramour Polly Johnston. Although Polly's headstone, which appears to be a recent replacement, reads "Johnson" as her surname, she was entered into the family Bible of Henry John Alexander Hill as "Johnston". Little is known of Polly's background before she became involved with the Hill family and moved from GA to TN with them. You will also find the well known Tennessee legislator, Hugh Lawson White Hill, and scores of other Hill relations throughout the cemetery.

Henry John Alexander Hill

Susannah Swales Hill

Polly Johnson Bess

Enclosed plot for Hugh Lawson White Hill, his wife Virginia Dearing, and his wife's parents, Col. William Lynch Smith Dearing and Mary Terry Harrison.

His large marble monument reads: "Hugh L. W. Hill, born March 1, 1810, died Jan. 18, 1892. A member of the Tennessee Legislature, 1837-1839-1841. Elected to Congress 1842. A delegate to the Constitutional Conventionfor Tennessee 1870.
He was a kind husband, generous to a fault. Honorable and believed in an Omnipotent Eternal Living God."

Just outside the iron enclosure is the grave of Eliza Hill, wife of Isaac Hill (son of Henry J. A. Hill). Her maiden name was also Hill as she was the daughter of William Hill & Lydia White Jones, and married the grandson of her step-father, Isaac Hill, Sr.

Her headstone reads: "Sacred to the memory of Eliza, Consort of Isaac Hill, born Feb. 4, 1800, departed this life Nov. 8, 1859. Rest my love, Beneath the sod, Till you and I Shall with God."

Beside Eliza is the grave of Isaac Hill II (son of Isaac Sr. & Lucinda Wallace). His marker reads: "Sacred to the memory of Isaac Hill, Sr., born Sept. 20, 1797, died Oct. 16, 1871." He apparently became the "Sr." Isaac after his father died in 1825.

As you wander to the far side of the hillside, you find two brothers, the sons of Erven Hill and Elenor Morgan. Jesse and John were both killed in the War with Mexico while serving with the 1st Tennessee Infantry and are buried side by side.

Jesse J. Hill & John A. Hill
Jesse was lost in the Gulf of Mexico, and John was killed in Monterey, Mexico.

Off to one side is a heavy, rough-hewn stone with the simple initials "E. L." and the date 1869 scratched into the rock. This is the grave of Ervin Lafayette Hill, born Nov. 17, 1824 and died Oct. 26, 1869, another son of Erven and Elenor, and grandson of Henry J. A. and Susannah Hill.

Nearby is the grave of Francis S. Pickett, wife of Isaac Hill (son of Benjamin Hill, grandson of Isaac, Sr.) Her headstone is inscribed as follows; "Francis S., wife of Isaac Hill, born Dec. 15, 1804, died Dec. 24, 1834."

I could not find the grave of this Isaac. There were many headstones in this area no longer legible from the ravages of time, so perhaps he is there but not identifiable. He and Francis were the parents of Gen. Benjamin Jefferson Hill.

kinquest@hotmail.com

The Last Unicorn

This page hosted by

Get your own Free Home Page