Alexander Hill
Alexander Hill, the son of Daniel and Mary Campbell Hill, was a Scotchman, born at Skipnish, Argylshire, Scotland in Oct 1779 and lived in a small town called Johnston, about ten miles from Glasgow.
At age ten years he was apprenticed as a sailor boy, in later years he was first mate. He was over six feet tall and very slender; Alexander sailed many times around the world. On one of his trips from India he brought his wife a pound of tea, the first she had ever seen. She prepared it by stewing for greens. He had a very good memory and often told very interesting stories of his sea-faring life.
He fought in a number of battles, the battle of the Nile August 1, 1798 under Lord Admiral Nelson, Battle at Bay of Abukir off the coast of Egypt, also the battle of Trafalgar, fought Oct 21, 1805 off the coast of Spain, with combined fleets of France and Spain numbering thirty-three warships. Alexander was wounded in the leg by cannon shot just above his knee. His Commanding Admiral Lord Nelson was wounded and died three hours later.
Alexander married Elizabeth Currie, presumably at Johnston, Renfrewshire, Abbey Parish, Scotland, in the spring of 1806 at age 27. Her seven children were born to them: Daniel, on 2 April 1807; Agnes 6 June 1809; Alexander 1 March 1811; Mary 16 Aug 1812; John 26 Jan 1814; Archibald Newel 20 Aug 1816 and Elizabeth 17 N 1818.
In the meantime, Alexander gave up his sea-faring life. In the year 1821 he and entire family immigrated to North America, settling in Bathurst District Township of Lanark, Canada. Here he engaged in clearing the land of trees, making maple sugar and farming. Here he lived for twelve years.
In 1833 they moved to Township of Tosoronto, Upper Canada. In this section of country his children married, all but Agnes and Elizabeth. He joined the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints 12 April 1840. A branch was formed and called the Essex Branch and his son Alexander Hill Jr. was Presiding Priest, his son-in-law John Richards was clerk of the branch.
The family of Alexander, sons and daughters, and families sold all they had and crossed the border into the United States and to Nauvoo, Illinois, Hancock County. The winter was extremely cold and he and wife and two sons and families and his sister all lived in a board shanty.
In Nauvoo he helped haul bricks and stones for the Nauvoo House and the Nauvoo Temple. They all were persecuted by non-members of the church. The mobs and ruffians began to enter Nauvoo and were so destructive the saints decided to leave. Many were sick and without ample food and supplies. They hurried over the Mississippi river into Lee County, Iowa. Upon the day of their arrival near Montrose, Iowa Agnes Hill Richards gave birth to a baby girl who they called Rachel. She had the baby out in the open under the sun at noon day. Agnes was the daughter of Alexander and Elizabeth Hill. Many saints died and were buried by the wayside, many wives gave birth to premature babies, but the majority of them were delivered from death, starvation in the exodus.
All members of the Hill family had left Nauvoo and into Winter Quarters. Alexander and wife made the journey with one of their sons, Archie and his wife Isabella. Alexander was sick during the journey and Archie was also afflicted with ague. They built a log cabin 10 feet by 12 feet and managed to survive during the winter, but through exposure Archie’s wife Isabella got sick and died, leaving three small children. Elizabeth and Alexander took and raised the eldest boy, Samuel, who was six years of age. Others were taken by sisters of Archie.
Archie and family left Winter Quarters in June 1847 in the Abraham O. Smoot Company for the west bound journey, arriving Sept 27, 1847 in the Salt Lake Valley, but Alexander and Elizabeth and grandson were traveling with ox-team in Captain Abraham Day’s Company. They arrived in Salt Lake City Sept 22, 1851, after a very strenuous journey with troubles from Indians, and sickness. They moved to Mill Creek to make their home as farmers.
Alexander Hill’s wife Elizabeth passed away in Salt Lake City, Utah. He lived here several years after her death, then went to Wellsville, Cache County, Utah and stayed with his son John until John’s tragic death August 30, 1863. He then passed his time with his son Daniel at Wellsville and with his daughter Agnes Richards at Mendon, about six days at one home then six days at the other.
Alexander was a little lame and walked with a cane most of the time, almost all his life. His lameness was the result of exposure and an attack of the ague while crossing the Iowa frontiers from the Mississippi River to Winter Quarters on the Missouri River in the summer and autumn of 1845, also from his affliction with cholera and scurvy or blackleg in crossing the tactless plains from Missouri river to Salt Lake Valley in 1851, from which afflictions he never fully recovered. Some of the family thought his lameness was the result of the grape-shot, which he received at the Battle of Trafalgar in the year 1805, when he was wounded in the leg.
In character he possessed considerable of the Scotch independence; he was a devout Christian and faithful Latter-day Saint. Alexander passed away peacefully, at the home of a son, Daniel in Wellsville on 16 May 1857 in his 90th year. He was buried in Salt Lake City, Utah where he wanted to be buried by his wife.
The following are the names of his children and their spouses: Daniel married Elizabeth Brice; Agnes married John Richards; Alexander Jr. married Agnes Hood; Mary married James Bullock, John married Margaret Brice; Archibald Newell married Isabella Hood and Elizabeth married William Swapp.
Alexander Hill, the son of Daniel and Mary Campbell Hill, was a Scotchman, born at Skipnish, Argylshire, Scotland in Oct 1779 and lived in a small town called Johnston, about ten miles from Glasgow.
At age ten years he was apprenticed as a sailor boy, in later years he was first mate. He was over six feet tall and very slender; Alexander sailed many times around the world. On one of his trips from India he brought his wife a pound of tea, the first she had ever seen. She prepared it by stewing for greens. He had a very good memory and often told very interesting stories of his sea-faring life.
He fought in a number of battles, the battle of the Nile August 1, 1798 under Lord Admiral Nelson, Battle at Bay of Abukir off the coast of Egypt, also the battle of Trafalgar, fought Oct 21, 1805 off the coast of Spain, with combined fleets of France and Spain numbering thirty-three warships. Alexander was wounded in the leg by cannon shot just above his knee. His Commanding Admiral Lord Nelson was wounded and died three hours later.
Alexander married Elizabeth Currie, presumably at Johnston, Renfrewshire, Abbey Parish, Scotland, in the spring of 1806 at age 27. Her seven children were born to them: Daniel, on 2 April 1807; Agnes 6 June 1809; Alexander 1 March 1811; Mary 16 Aug 1812; John 26 Jan 1814; Archibald Newel 20 Aug 1816 and Elizabeth 17 N 1818.
In the meantime, Alexander gave up his sea-faring life. In the year 1821 he and entire family immigrated to North America, settling in Bathurst District Township of Lanark, Canada. Here he engaged in clearing the land of trees, making maple sugar and farming. Here he lived for twelve years.
In 1833 they moved to Township of Tosoronto, Upper Canada. In this section of country his children married, all but Agnes and Elizabeth. He joined the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints 12 April 1840. A branch was formed and called the Essex Branch and his son Alexander Hill Jr. was Presiding Priest, his son-in-law John Richards was clerk of the branch.
The family of Alexander, sons and daughters, and families sold all they had and crossed the border into the United States and to Nauvoo, Illinois, Hancock County. The winter was extremely cold and he and wife and two sons and families and his sister all lived in a board shanty.
In Nauvoo he helped haul bricks and stones for the Nauvoo House and the Nauvoo Temple. They all were persecuted by non-members of the church. The mobs and ruffians began to enter Nauvoo and were so destructive the saints decided to leave. Many were sick and without ample food and supplies. They hurried over the Mississippi river into Lee County, Iowa. Upon the day of their arrival near Montrose, Iowa Agnes Hill Richards gave birth to a baby girl who they called Rachel. She had the baby out in the open under the sun at noon day. Agnes was the daughter of Alexander and Elizabeth Hill. Many saints died and were buried by the wayside, many wives gave birth to premature babies, but the majority of them were delivered from death, starvation in the exodus.
All members of the Hill family had left Nauvoo and into Winter Quarters. Alexander and wife made the journey with one of their sons, Archie and his wife Isabella. Alexander was sick during the journey and Archie was also afflicted with ague. They built a log cabin 10 feet by 12 feet and managed to survive during the winter, but through exposure Archie’s wife Isabella got sick and died, leaving three small children. Elizabeth and Alexander took and raised the eldest boy, Samuel, who was six years of age. Others were taken by sisters of Archie.
Archie and family left Winter Quarters in June 1847 in the Abraham O. Smoot Company for the west bound journey, arriving Sept 27, 1847 in the Salt Lake Valley, but Alexander and Elizabeth and grandson were traveling with ox-team in Captain Abraham Day’s Company. They arrived in Salt Lake City Sept 22, 1851, after a very strenuous journey with troubles from Indians, and sickness. They moved to Mill Creek to make their home as farmers.
Alexander Hill’s wife Elizabeth passed away in Salt Lake City, Utah. He lived here several years after her death, then went to Wellsville, Cache County, Utah and stayed with his son John until John’s tragic death August 30, 1863. He then passed his time with his son Daniel at Wellsville and with his daughter Agnes Richards at Mendon, about six days at one home then six days at the other.
Alexander was a little lame and walked with a cane most of the time, almost all his life. His lameness was the result of exposure and an attack of the ague while crossing the Iowa frontiers from the Mississippi River to Winter Quarters on the Missouri River in the summer and autumn of 1845, also from his affliction with cholera and scurvy or blackleg in crossing the tactless plains from Missouri river to Salt Lake Valley in 1851, from which afflictions he never fully recovered. Some of the family thought his lameness was the result of the grape-shot, which he received at the Battle of Trafalgar in the year 1805, when he was wounded in the leg.
In character he possessed considerable of the Scotch independence; he was a devout Christian and faithful Latter-day Saint. Alexander passed away peacefully, at the home of a son, Daniel in Wellsville on 16 May 1857 in his 90th year. He was buried in Salt Lake City, Utah where he wanted to be buried by his wife.
The following are the names of his children and their spouses: Daniel married Elizabeth Brice; Agnes married John Richards; Alexander Jr. married Agnes Hood; Mary married James Bullock, John married Margaret Brice; Archibald Newell married Isabella Hood and Elizabeth married William Swapp.