Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1882-08-30
Senator HIPS Autobiography.

Senator HIPS Autobiography.
The following brief but interesting auto
biography Of the late Senator Hill was
written and given BY him to his friend,
the late DIR. w. ii. White, in 1879, and
it was found among his papers:
II was born in Jasper county. Georgia,
September 18th, 1928. l was the seventh
of nine children. and the fifth of six
brothers. My father was small farmer,
owning a few slaves only. All his sons,
therefore, did all farm work, and all his
daughters did all household work My
mother cut and made the clothes we wore,
and most of them were spun and wove on
the plantation. / worked on the farm
from the time / was eight years old, and
black and white came and went alike in
all work. My father was a man of
common education, but was extensively
read and of great influence in his neigh
borhood. When l was ten years old Tin
1880 my father moved to the county OF
Troup, new county, and his lands we're
well in the woods, and l helped clear
them, l walked the entire distance from
luO Olu " tilC utW OfCl wv lhliCep
helping to drive the cattle.
My father would always have school
house, a church, and temperance society
near his house. He was always trustee
of the school, class leader and stewart in
the church, and president Of the temper
ance society. Some of my earliest and
sweetest recollections are connected with
these institutions and my fathers zeal in
them The black people always attended
church with the whites: and all of US,
black and white, were encouraged to be-
come members at very early ages. The
rule for the children was to work on the
farm until the crop was made and then
go to school until it was gathered. After
the crop was gathered. go to school again
until planting time for another crop.
This was my life until l was sixteen
years old. was then continued at school
at the time with view to a collegiate
education. My father was not able to
send all his children to college; only one
besides myself desired college course.
and l alone graduated. After was pro-
nounced prepared to enter college my
father decided he was not able to send
me. A family consultation was held.
My mother insisted on my going. She
had always had what she called her
patch" which was near the house, and
was cultivated by her house hands when
not needed at homework, This patch
had always been my mothers pin money,
amounting from $50 10 800. My mother
said she would contribute this to my
college expenses, and would make my
clothes at home besides.
An aunt of my mothers who lived in
small house in my fathers yard, and had
some means (smalD and no children,
agreed to contribute as much more: my
father agreed to add the balance, and
promised that all my college expenses
should not exceed $500 per annum. prom
ised my mother that would take the
first houor in my class. redeemed this
promise. The proudest day of all my life
was when wrote 10 my parents that |
had taken the first honor in my class and
all the honors of the literary society Of
which | was member.
The cook, Maria, came by my mother,
and was near her age. She also raised
nine children-just the number my moth
er raised One of the cooks children
was assigned to one of my mothers
children. From our childhood we played
together, worked together. and would
fight for each other against all the world
Stronger ties than these were never
formed. 1t was an alliance offensive and
defensive. married in 1915. My wife
had seven slaves large and small, left her
by her father, who died when she was an
infant. Thus we began life with eight
slaves. When my father and mother
died the slaves selected their owner
among the children, and | had to take
two more, who would 60 with no other
child, and paid for them.
My wife had one other brother left an
orphan with her. He married several
years after we did, and determined not to
keep bis slaves. They were not willing
to 90 out of the family and bought them.
| now had fourteen slaves. was q pro-
fessional man living in town and did not
need them. was not willing to hire
them out. The result was bought some
land near the town and moved on it with
the slaves and told them to support them
selves under my protection. The slaves
increased and married wives and husbands,
and raised children, and to keep them
ogether bought them all. also bought
several others who had to be sold, and
who selected me as their owner. In few
years my small place was insufficient for
them, and rather than part with them
| bought larger plantation in the county
and placed them on it, and removed with
my family back to town. was thus
a STAKEHOLDER from l845 to 1868 justtwen-
ty years. Ny slaves increased from eight
to sixty.seven, and during all that time
there were but two deaths among them,
and all of them will testify that cared
better for them than they have been able
to care for themselves since freedom
came"