Family Photo Album
The Watkins Men who traveled from ranch to ranch, farm to farm selling Watkins products and goods from their horse drawn wagon.
Taken at or near Gay Hill, Texas, between 1915 and 1925. Names of men unknown.
Senator Benjamin Harvey Hill
The illustrious statesman who served both the Confederacy and later, the United States, throughout and after the Civil War. He was known as the right hand man of Jefferson Davis and dubbed "Hill the faithful". Son of John Hill and Sara Parham.
Sarah Parham Hill
The mother of Senator B. H. Hill, wife of John Hill, who used some of her own side garden money to help finance Benjamin Harvey's higher education. Her elderly Aunt also contributed to the young man's education fund. He repaid them by graduating first in his class from the University of Georgia in Athens.
My profound thanks to John E. Thrasher III, who sent me the above two photographs found in an old trunk belonging to his ancestor, Susan Celestia Hill, daughter of James Madison Hill who was a brother of Senator B. H. Hill.
Caroline Holt Hill
Wife of Senator Benjamin Harvey Hill. Photograph taken in 1891 after the Senator's death. She was the daughter of Cicero Holt and Emily Dougherty Moore of Athens, GA.
John Pinckney Hill Family
John Pinckney Hill was the son of Allen Crawford Hill who was a brother to Sen. Benjamin Harvey Hill. John Pinckney, born in 1851 in LA, married Merah Kinnebrew abt. 1872 and had seven children. From left to right: William Allen Hill, his wife Mary Thurmond Hill, little girl Callie Hill, Merah Kinnebrew Hill seated holding baby Benjamin Harvey Hill, little boy Henry Floyd Hill, behind him is John Pinckney Hill, Clarence Eugene Hill, and possibly Marco B. Hill far right. One son, Edwin Hill, died in infancy.
A BIG thank you to descendant John Paul Hill of Ft. Worth, TX for sending this great old photograph.
Elizabeth Barksdale Hill
Elizabeth, born 1795 in GA, was the wife of Asa Hill born 1784 in NC, and mother of 13 children; Green Washington Hill, Jeffrey Barksdale Hill, William Carroll Andrew Jackson Hill, James Monroe Hill, Serena Pinckney Hill, Susanna Amanda Hill, Louisiana Elizabeth Hill, Asa Collinsworth Hill, John Christopher Columbus Hill, Mary Anne Rebecca Hill, & Sarah Anne Amelia Hill. (Two others died in infancy, Anson Hill and Martha Ann Eliza Hill.
(photo from book, "Those Valient Texans - A Breed Apart" by Robert M. Bartlett)
John Christopher Columbus Hill
As a young man in Mexico, having been "adopted" by the Mexican President, Santa Anna, after being captured at age 14 during the Mier Expedition, and educated at the prestigious school, "La Mineria." He was the son of Asa Hill and Elizabeth Barksdale, and younger brother of William C. J. Hill. Born in Columbus, GA, moved to TX with family, died in Monterray, Mexico.
John C. C. Hill and family
This picture was taken in later years of John and his grown daughter, Mrs. Dawes, and his two young granddaughters in Austin, Texas, where the young girls attended school to learn English, boarding with their uncle, James Monroe Hill.
Amelia Williams Hill
Second wife of William Carroll Andrew Jackson Hill, of Gay Hill, TX, known as "Mama Hill". This is a photocopy reduction of an original done in charcoal by blow method which was easily smeared.
Ella Rankin Hill
Daughter of Wm. Carroll Andrew Jackson Hill & Amelia Williams. Born in 1882, Gay Hill, TX on the family homestead. She married Phillip Jacob "Ike" McCabe. Died at age 30 in 1903 leaving two sons.
Laura Belle Hill
Daughter of Wm. Carroll Andrew Jackson Hill & Amelia Williams. Born in 1885, Gay Hill, TX at the old homestead pictured below. Photo taken about 1904 when she was 19 yrs. old. She married Camden Chavoin Brady.
Old Hill homestead near Gay Hill, TX
Log homestead of William C.A.J. Hill, built by him in 1835 in Old Washington on the Brazos near Gay Hill, Washingon Co., TX. This is a copy of a copy and is poor quality, but in this 1915 (aprox.) photo are: Old Blutcher, dog; Aunt Hannah, the mammy-housekeeper-cook, Eugene B. Hill, Farringdon Graham Hill (children of Benjamin Harvey Hill and Susie Hill), Amelia Williams Hill (wife of Wm. C. J. Hill), Susie Mae Graham Hill holding baby daughter, Marguerite Hill, and Susie's sister, Sallie Graham.
Alice Barker Graham Server
Alice was born Feb. 1867 in TN, the eldest daughter of Rev. James T. Barker and Louise Gibson Jordan of Flintville, TN. She was first married to James Robert Graham of TN on March 5, 1884, with whom she had two daughters, Susie Graham b. April 1890, Sallie Graham b. Feb. 1894, and a son, Robert Graham b. May 9, 1891. They moved to Milam Co., TX in 1890. She was widowed when James Graham became ill with influenza and died in 1894. Alice married James Server, 26 years her senior, in Milam Co., TX on July 20, 1898. She helped raise two of James Server's ten children by his first wife, a son Carol b. Feb. 1873, and a daughter, Mattie b. June 1884. Alice and James later had one son together, Eugene Farol Server, born July 21, 1908, killed in WWII January 10, 1945. James left a widow, Virginia Jewel (maiden name unknown) but no known children. Alice died Aug. 9, 1926 and is interred in Davilla, TX.
Alice and five of her seven siblings
Back Row: Alice Barker Graham Server, William Tell Barker, Edward Donald Barker, Emely Beatrice Barker Whittington
Front Row Seated: Jennie Barker Bryant, Bettie Barker Bryant
Note: Jennie and Bettie married the Bryant brothers. Missing are Laura Barker who died in 1885 at age 17, and James Van Buren Barker.
James Server
James, second husband of Alice, was born in Arkansas August 1840.
His father was from Iowa and his mother from TN. He served in the Confederate Army during the Civil War. He had ten children with his first wife, Martha Jane Ross "Mattie" b. Sept. 1844 MS, d. July 1895 TX. Their children were George, Andrew Jackson, Leannah, Mary Agnes, Margaret Ann, John Wesley, Henry Carroll, Peter David, Edward Martin, and Martha Jane "Mattie" Server. It is said James Server kept a horse named "Rutledge" who was saddled for him daily.
James married Alice Barker Graham in 1897 in TX and they had one son, Eugene Ferol Server b. July 21, 1908 TX. Eugene was killed January 10, 1945 during WWII while serving on the USS War Hawk off the Philippines after a Japanese suicide boat hit the vessel broadside killing 61 men and disabling the troop transport. Eugene is buried in an Army cemetery on the island of Luzon in the Philippines.
Susie Mae Graham Hill
Susie Mae as a young woman. Born in TN April 26, 1890. She married Benjamin Harvey Hill, in Brenham, Washington Co., TX on December 10, 1910 and had two sons, Farringdon Graham and Eugene Benjamin, and a daughter, Marguerite, while living in Gay Hill, TX. In the 1920's Susie and B.H. moved to CA with their children where they lived until their deaths. Susie May died May 16, 1977 in San Bernadino, CA and is interred at Mt. View Cemetery.
Susie at about age 16
Drawing by Susie, Oct. 5, 1897, at age 8
Other side of drawing done by Susie
My heartfelt thanks to Ernest Bryant, a recently found "cousin" who sent me the original drawing by my grandmother, Susie Graham Hill. He found this drawing in the trunk of his grandmother, Jennie Barker, who was the younger sister of my great-grandmother, Alice Barker Graham Server, mother of Susie Graham Hill.
Benjamin Harvey Hill
Photo of my paternal grandfather about age 8 in Gay Hill, TX. The youngest child of Wm. Carroll Andrew Jackson Hill and Amelia Williams, he was born on the old family homestead in Gay Hill in 1892, and married Susie Mae Graham in 1910 in Brenham, TX. He worked as a farmer, for the Railroad, and later had his own produce trucking business with his son, Gene, in California. "B.H." died January 4, 1983 in Pomona, CA.
Sallie Graham
Sister of Susie Mae as a young woman circa 1915-1925. Born February 1894, Sallie became a school teacher and never married. It was said by family that she had been engaged to a young man who was killed in World War I. She taught school her whole life in and around the area of Davilla, Texas.
Robert Graham
Brother of Susie Mae as a young man. Born June 14, 1891 in TX. He was killed in 1916. Interred at Davilla, TX.
Marguerite Hill
Daughter of Susie Mae Graham Hill and Benjamin Harvey Hill as a baby. Born March 19, 1915 in Gay Hill, TX. She died at the age of about 7 or 8 years of mastoiditis as her parents rushed her to the town doctor in a horse and buckboard. Buried in Ft. Worth, Texas.
John Arnold Slaton & Friend
John, born December 25, 1891 to Willis Sams Slaton & Mary Elizabeth Bingham in Bennington, OK, shown here as a young man (on left) about 16 yr. old with an unknown friend of about the same age, all dressed up in chaps, cowboy hat and gun. It is also possible the other young man is a cousin but which one is not known. John when he was about 9 years old and in the fourth grade.
Annie D. Roe Slaton
Taken shortly after her marriage to John Arnold Slaton, July 7, 1913 in Longview, Texas. Her parents, Luther and Fannie Roe, were both born in Texas. Annie was born August 23, 1893. She and John had five children together; four daughters, Dorothy, Lorene, Dorris Cleo, Johnnie Mae, and a son, J.D. Annie died at the age of 37 from "consumption" or possibly lung cancer.
Annie Roe Slaton and her five children
Taken in 1930 just before her death. Left back row, Annie, eldest daughter Dorothy to her right about age 15, far right daughter Lorene about age 13, left front row son J. D. age 5, to his left is daughter Cleo age 9 and to her left is daughter Johnnie Mae age 7.
Dorothy Estene Slaton and Willie Lorene Slaton
The two eldest daughters of John Arnold Slaton and Annie D. Roe, taken circa 1919 when the sisters were small children in east Texas. "Dottie", on the left, died May 1993. Lorene died March 19, 1999.
Horace C. Roe
Brother of Annie D. Roe. Horace died at age 22 in Harrison Co., TX. He was a member of the Woodmen of the World. Photo taken circa 1910-12.
Willie Roe
Sister of Annie D. Roe, picture taken when she was 19 yr old and shortly before her death. Born March 18, 1896, died June 29, 1917, Harrison Co., TX.
Garland Lane Huffman and Jane Weaver Huffman
These are the great-grandparents of Annie and Willie Roe. Their grandmother was Elizabeth Huffman, daughter of Garland and Jane. Elizabeth married their grandfather Andrew Judge Roe in the 1860's. Garland was born in 1825 and died in 1903. His wife Jane was born in 1827 and died in 1927. They came to Harrison Co., Texas from Bedford Co., TN in 1849.
Rue Burt
Second wife of John Arnold Slaton. Shown at about the age of 17 reading a letter from her beau who was later killed in WW I. She married John A. Slaton in TX. They had four children, daughters LaNeva and Terri, sons John A., Jr. and Willis Lee. They moved from Texas in the 1940's to Paso Robles, California. John Arnold died in Paso Robles in 1966; Rue died in Auberry, CA February 24, 1998.
Rue Burt and friends 1920, in Booneville, AR, when she was about 16 yr. old. Rue is second from right. Rue, even as a young girl, enjoyed teaching children and often helped the other children with their studies at her school.
John Arnold Slaton & Rue Burt Slaton about 1965 in Lancaster, CA. Photo taken not long after his stroke. He died in March of 1966.
Farringdon Graham Hill
Born October 25, 1911, son of Ben and Susie Hill, brother of Euguene B. Hill. Taken around 1920 in Gay Hill, TX at a Fourth of July celebration. "Don" (as he was called) died in CA January 28, 1944 at the age of 31. This second picture was taken shortly before his death.
Eugene "Gene" Benjamin Hill
Taken on his first wedding anniversary with Cleo Slaton Hill in 1941. He was 28 yr. old. He died at the age of 76 of leukemia. Interred at Northern Lights Cemetery in Fairbanks, Alaska.
Dorris Cleo "Klee" Slaton Hill
Taken on her first wedding anniversary with Eugene B. Hill in 1941. She was 19 yr. old. She died at the age of 72 of congestive heart failure. Interred at Northern Lights Cemetery, Fairbanks, Alaska.
Gene and Klee in the 1940's with their new coupe.
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