Hillsboro, Georgia
Birthplace of Senator Benjamin Harvey Hill
March of 2000 I took a short trip to Hillsboro, Jasper County, GA, the small community in North Georgia where John Hill first settled his family and where many of his children were born before he later moved his family to LaGrange in Northwest Georgia. I was told by locals that the old John Hill house, birthplace of Sen. B. H. Hill, was still standing into the 1940's. I found this photograph of the old homeplace in the 1891 book written by Sen. Hill's son, B. H. Hill, Jr. There are several historic markers along the road which tell of Senator Hill's life and accomplishments.
The old Ben Hill Academy still stands by the side of the road, established in 1910 and named for the illustrious Senator. For many years it served as the local school and is still used as a community center today. Inside the academy are old pictures and clippings that tell of its history and the history of Hillsboro. One of the old classrooms is still very much as it was in the early 1900's, with its wooden desks and old iron stove in the corner.
The historic Methodist Church is across from Ben Hill School. Established in 1908, it was originally next to the school but later relocated across the road. Both the School and the Methodist Church are being restored and are considered historic buildings.
My thanks to the local townspeople of Hillsboro for their warm hospitality. The buildings were locked when I arrived late in the day, but several local folks quickly rounded up keys and took us on a tour, including the site where the original John Hill house used to stand. The old structure was still standing up until the 1940's I was told. Now a beautiful new home stands on the original property of John Hill and I can't help wondering if there aren't some family graves lost somewhere in the wooded land. John Hill's brother, Isaac Hill, Jr., died in Hillsboro in 1809 at the age of 27 while visiting his brother. Isaac had at one time owned much of three counties in Georgia but was residing in Alabama at the time of his death. We were unable to find his grave in Hillsboro and nobody locally knew anything about it. I hope to return and continue the search at a future date.
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HILL LINEAGE | SLATON LINEAGE | GRAHAM LINEAGE | ROE LINEAGE
OLD FAMILY PHOTOS |
HISTORIC OAKLAND CEMETERY | HISTORICAL HILL DOCUMENTS
HILL GRAVES IN MCMINNVILLE, TN | HILL GRAVESITES IN TX | HILLS IN AUBURN, AL
SLATON/ROE/HUFFMAN GRAVES IN TX/OK
SELECTED SHORT BIOGRAPHIES | CONFEDERATE REGIMENTS
THE ROMANCE OF JOHN C.C. HILL & MARY ANN
BELLEVUE PLANTATION | CIVIL WAR LETTERS
IN LOVING MEMORY
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