The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1882-09-03
AN AUTOBIOGRAPHY.
OF A GREAT NAN.

The following brief but INTEREST," ng
autobiography of the late Senator
Hill was written and given by him to
bic friend, the late DR.. W. 81. White,
in 1879. and it was found among bis
fathers papers by Mr.. W. Woods
White, who has kindly consented TO
it's publica ion, 1t Is as follows:
| was born in Jasper county,
Geo. gia. september IA, 1923. was
the seventh OF nine children and the
fifth of six brothers.
My father was a small farmer
owning a few slaves only. ALI his
sons. therefore, did all farm work
and all his daughters did all house
hold work. My mother cut aud made
the clothes We wore, and MOST OF
them we're spun Asd wove on the
plantation.
l worked in the farm from the
time | was eight years old, and
black and white came and went
alike in all work.
My lathe: was q man of common
education, but was extensively read
and of great influence in his neigh
borhood.
When I vas 10 years old lin 1881
my father moved to the county OF
Troup, q pew county, and his lands
were all in the woods, and / helped
clear them.
l 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
schoolhouse, church and Q temper.
ance society near his house. He Was
always trustee of the school, class
leader and steward in the church
and president of the temperance go
ciety.
Some OF the 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, we're encouraged to
become members at very early ages.
The rule was for the children to work
in the farm until the crop was made
and then go to school until it was
gathered. After the crop was gath
cred, go to school agsin until plant
ing time for another crop.
This was my life until was sixteen
years old, l was then continued III
school all the time With a view t. q
collegiate education.
Ny father was not able to send all
bis children 10 college. only one be-
side myself desired college course
and alone graduated.
Afttr l was pronounced prepare ed
to enter college, my father decided be
was not able to send me.
& family consultation was held.
My mother insis.ed on my going.
She had always had what was called
her "paIch," which was near the
house, and was cultivated by he:
houee hands when not needed st
house work. This patch had always
been my mothers pin money
amounting from $50 to $100
My mother said she would conrI
butte this to my college expenses and
would make my clothes at bone be-
sides.
An old aunt of my mothers, who
lived in small house in my fathers
yard, and had some means (smsll)
and no childreB, agreed TO contribute
as much more. My father agreed to
add the balance, and l promised
that all my college expenses OF any
kind should not exceed $500 per
snnum. promised my mother ]
would take the fret honor in my
class. I redeemed the promise.
The pIoudess day of my life was
when / wrote to my parents that !
bad taken the first honor in my
class and all the honoTs Of the liter
AIRY society OF which I was q member
HOW I BEoAME A SLAVE HOLDER.
The cook, Marian, came to mp
mother, and WAS near her age. She
also raised in' children, just the
number my u osheF raised. One OF
the cooks children from birth wss
assigned to one of my mothers chill
dren. From our childhood Ne played
together, worked together and would
fight Tor each other against all the
world. Stronger ties than these we're
never formed. Il was an alliance
offensive and defensive.
I married in 1845. My wife bad
seven slaves, large and small. left
her by her father, who died whe D
she was an infant. We thus began
life with eight slaves.
When my father and mother died,
the slaves selected their owner smoDR
the children and had to take two
more, who would 60 with no other
child, and paid for them,
Ny wife had one other brother left
an orphan vito her. He married
several years after We did, and de-
sermined not to keep his slaves
They were not wiling to 60 out OF
the family and I bought them. !
now had fourteen slaves.
/ was professional man living in
town sid cd not need them. I was
not willing 70 hire them out. The
result vas / bought some land near
4 L =