The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1890-09-01
SELF MADE MAN.
Sketch of the Career of Mr..
William C. Hill.
HIS SUCCESSES IN SEATTLE.
Born in Winchester. Indiana. He Spent
Most Of His Life in washing
ton City.

Mr.. w. G. Hill. whose sudden death from
apoplexy late Saturday night was an
nounced in YESTERDAYS Posr-IsrxILr-
eExcER, was born at Winchester. Ind. in
isi1- While be was yet boy his family
moved to Centerviiie, Ind. where his father.
Mr.. James NJ. Hill. farmer, is still living.
M. Hills early life was spent at Center
vile and at Richmond, Ind, where he at
tended school for number of years. At
the age OF . he went to Washington City.
where for three years he held q position
as clerk IN the land Office. During ali this
time he kept up the study OF Law in the
evenings, and by the end of the three years
ne was nearly ready for admission to the
bar. After leaving the land Office he CON-
pieted his studies, and in 1876 began prac-
tice before the Office in which q short
time before he had been employed.
His knowledge of land law en-
abied him to make great success in
that branch Of legal work and to lay the
foundation for the large fortune which he
afterward acquired. While he kept in the
Law he also went into the real estate BUSH
ness IN connection with it, dealing heavily
In some of the choicest residence property
- " ~cAAaAStSa Nitys Icd1
estate on Meridian hill About twelve
years ago he began to make speciality of
government scrip and at the time of his
death he held large part of all that had
been issued. In 1880 be filed with some OF
this scrip on the Nv. G. Hill" tract of
about 245 acres near the heart OF the city,
on both sides OF Jackson street The title
to this land was for long time in dispute,
IN ~ xxoa In1 -, E.
last year. Accordingly he came out here
from Washington City year ago last May
to improve IL and put IL on the market.
Since that time Mr.. Hill has been
largely identified with the business in
terests Of Seattle. He bought a small
brick yard that was on the tract
and enlarged il till 1t is now one of the
biggest and best equipped in the country.
he also secured very valuable tract of
several hundred acres in the south end of
Seattle. He has been heavily interested in
number of the financial institutions of
the city. He was a director in the Bank of
Commerce, and he was stakeholder in
savefal more of the banks. Mr. Hill has
been an attendant OF the Presbyterian
church all his life, though not member.
Eighteen years ago he was married TO
City, who has borne him eightchildren, six
girls and two boys. ranging in age from IL
to years. All the family are at Dresden,
Germany, where they went to secure edu-
caiional advantages.
Mr.. Hill was man whose fine character
made him everywhere not only respected,
but beloved. In business ability, energy,
keenness and frrn integrity he had few
Ia md -
cause positive loss TO Seattle.
Word has been sent 70 his wife 1t Dres-
den. and she has already replied that she
will leave for America on the first steamer.
The remains are being embalmed, and DR..
Sturgus viii probably start East with them
tomorrow to have them buried in Wash
ington City.
The following facts concerning Mr.. Hills
early career were furnished by man who
tor several years held confidential relations
with him:
About the year 1870. Congressman George
w. Julian, of Indiana, secured the ap-
pointmsnt of w. C. Hill, . young man
from Wayne county. in that state, to q
clerkship in the census Office. Hill was
subsequently, transferred to the land Office,
where he passed an excellent examination
and was promoted to the $1,000 grade.
This position he held for several years,
until at last he was dropped for some POI
litical reason. Later it was found that
mistake had been made, and he was
offered his position back again, but he said
that he had had enough OF the government
service and declined the reappointment.
Daring his term of Office he had occupied
his spare time in the study of law, and
after his dismissal he opened an office as a
land attorney, and in that connection es-
tablished newspaper which started the
crusade against the land grant railroads
which has since resulted in several land
forfeiture bills in congress. Mr.. Hill had
very little money when he started business
for himself but he saw that there was an
excellent opportunity to increase his bank
account by deals in real estate. There
were a number of old land attorneys who
had great de-l OF money tied up in land
scrip. They we're anxious to unload, and
were delighted when Mr.. Hill came into the
market as buyer. He was ready to take
everything that was offered at figures which
he thought gave him q chance to make a
turn. His associates, who had not his
nerve, thought that he was insane, hut they
took his money and his notes in exchange
IOI tuclr scrip II vi aDUut year ne naQ an
exceedingly hard time to meet his obliga-
iions, but at last his turn came, and money
began to roll in upon him. His hundreds
turned to thousands. and those who had
thought him fool began to look upon him
as genius. He had occasional reverses,
but throughout everything he showed won-
derful nerve and courage. Two or three
years ago, when the real estate mania first
broke out. he was among the first to see
that the northwest part OF Washington City
was the field for the Spectator. Mrs. Nc
Kee Dunn had purchased the Columbia
College property. on the heights above the
city. for $4,000. Hin gave her nearly as
much more for her bargain. Again his
friends thought he had lost his mind, but
he sold one-quarter of the property for
what he paid for the whole. He was then
thought genius of the FIRST magnitude
He secured ground floor place in the
Gogebic iron mines in Michigan, and his
Seattle operations have been big and well
known. In fact he has been phenomenally
successful in all his speculations.