Butler citizen. [volume] (Butler, Pa.) 1877-1922, 1882-08-30
THE LATE SENATOR HILL.

of all the Senators from the Southern
States. He died at his home, Atlanta
Georgia, on the 10Th inst. OF that terribi
disease cancer, which was seated II
his mouth. The following is tn
simple story of his lie as given b.
himself and which we find in tn
Philadelphia Press:
HILLS AUTOBIOGRAPHY.
Three years ago Senator Ben Hill
sent the following terse autobiography
to his friend ". H. White, of Atlanta
| was born in Jasper county, Georgia
September IA, 1928. | was the
seventh of nine children and the fifth
of six brothers. My father was 6
small farmer, owning few slaves
only. All his sons, therefore did al
the farm work and all his daughters
did all the household work. My
mother cut and made the clothes
we wore, and most of them were spun
and wove on the plantation: | work
ed on the farm from the time | was
eight wears old, and black and white
came and wenthlike in all work. My
father was a man of common educa-
ton, but was extensively read, and of
great influence in the neighborhood.
When was ten years old (1S33) my
father moved to the county of Troup,
new county, and his lands were all
in the woods, and helped clear them.
| walked the entire distance from the
old to the new home, over one
hundred miles, helping to drive the
cattle. My father would always have
a school house, church and tenn
perance society near his house. He
| was ALWAYS trustee of the school, class
! leader and steward in the church and
President of the temperance soclet y.
Some of nv earliest and sweetestrecol-
| lections are connected with these in
stitutions and my fathers yea in
them. The black people always at
tended church with the whites; and all
of US. black and white, were encour-
aged to become members at very
early ages. The rule was to work on
the farm until the crop was made, and
then go to school until it was gathered.
After the the crop was gathered, go to
school again until planting time for
another crop.
This was my life till / was sixteen
years old. | was then continued at
school all the time with view TO a
collegiate education My father was
not able to send all his children to
college; only one besides myself de-
sired college course, and | aione
graduated. After | was pronounced
prepared to enter college, my father de-
cided he was not able to send me. A
family consultation was held. My
mother insisted on my going. She
bad always had what we called her
"patch," which was near the house,
and was cultivated by her house
hands when not needed at housework.
This patch had always been my
mothers pin money, amounting from
$500 to 800. My mother said she
would contribute this to my col
lege expenses and would make my
clothes at home, besides. An old aunt
of my mothers, who lived in a small
house in my fathers yard, and had
some means (small1 and no children,
agreed to contribute as much more.
My father agreed to contribute the
balance, and | promised that all my
college expenses of any kind should
not exceed $500 per annum. prom
ised my mother would take the first
honor in my class. ! redeemed this
promise. The proudest day of my
life was when | wrote to my parents
that / had taken the first honor in
nv class and all the honors of the liter
ary society of which l was member.
HOW BECAME A SLAVE HOLDER.
The cook, Mariah came by mother,
and was near her age She also raised
nine children, just the number my
mother raised. One of the cooks
children from birth 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 alliance offensive and
defensive.
married in 1S45. Ny wife had
seven slaves, large and small, left her
by her father, who died when she was
an infant. We thus 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 go with
no other child, and paid for them. My
wife had one other brother left an
orphan With her He married several
years after oil, and determined not to
keep his slaves They were not will
ling to go out of the family, and |
bought them | now had fourteen
slaves. | was professional 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 moyed on it with
the slaves, and told them to support
themselves under nay protection. The
slaves increased and married wives
and husbands, and raised children
and to keep them together | bough
them ALL | also bought several Others
who had to be sold, and selected me as
their owner In few years my smal
place was insufficient for them, anc
tather than part with them | bought {
= larger plantation in the country ant
placed them on it, and removed witt
! my family back to town. | was thu
: q slave holder from lS45 to 1865, Jus
f twenty years My slaves increased
e from eight to sixty seven and durlnt
q q all that time there were bat two death
t among them. | realized my prof
!, from them, and all of them will testif.
= that | cared better for them than they
!, have been able to care for themselve
:. since freedom came"