The Evening statesman. [volume] (Walla Walla, Wash.) 1903-1910, 1903-07-22
PASSED FROM LIFE
J. N. Hill, a Prominent
Citizen Dies
WALLA WALLA RESIDENT 80 YEARS
Conductor of First Railroad in Wash :
ington and Prominent in Bank
Ing for Years.

1
Walla's most highly honored and best
known citizens, passed from life this
| morning at his home, after a lingering
| illness extending over many months.
| The immediate cause of death was
gangrene, which had attacked one of
his feet The latter days of the strug-
| gle were heroic, but the disease had
gotten so firmly fixed that nothing
could be done to stop its ravages.
| Surrounded by the members of his
| family and few intimate friends the
end come at l o'clock.
| Tomorrow afternoon at 2 o'clock
brief funeral services will be held at
| the home on Park street, Rev. NJ. H.
Marvin officiating Then the services
will be passed to Washington lodge,
| No. 10, Independent Order of Odd Fell
! lows, and assisted by the other lodges
of the order, will take charge Of the
! nterment in Odd Fellows cemetery.
The funeral will in all probability be
one of the largest ever seen in this
city.
J. NJ. Hill, who has been a familiar
character in business, social, church
and secret society circles for over
quarter of a century, was born at
Lafayette, Yamhill county. Oregon.
December "a, 1S49, making his age
nearly "a years Both of his parents,
Henry c. Hill and his wife May A,
crossed the plains with the immigra-
ton of 1S43. Until Is years of age
John NJ. Hill resided near Lafayette,
then removing with his parents to
Portland For a time he attended the
u Ia
the Portland academy.
Early in the spring of 1872 Mr.. Hill
came to Walla Walla with Dr.. D. S.
Baker, and entered the employ Of Ba
ker, Green & Co., caring for cattle IN
the Pataha and TukanOn country. In
the autumn of that year he entered
the mercantile business with f. f.
Baker at Weston. Or, the venture
proving unsuccessful. The next year
he entered the employ of the Walla
Walla & Colum hia River Railroad
company, of which Dr.. D. S. Baker was
president VIZ hus enaged he was
made conductCt . the first train on
the road, and G. completion Of the
road was made & cnt at TOuchet and
Dry creek. In 1915 he was given the
agency at Walluia. remaining there |
two years. The position of superin-
tendent was given him at this time
and he retained the place until the |
road passed from DR.. Bakers control. |
During the years 1882 Mr.. Hill |
built the narrow guage railroad from
this city to Dixie for the Mill Creek |
Flume and Manufacturing Co., acting |
as superintendent of operations for |
several years. In 1SS9-90 he built the |
street railway, the trackage footing |
four miles, and managed the enter |
prise for the Walla Walla Street Rail |
way Co., for three years.
Since the fall of 1898 Mr.. Hill has |
been in the employ Of the Baker Boyer |
National bank and the Baker Loan e |
Investment Co., until his health failed |
few months ago. For a number of |
years he was assistant cashier of the
bank. At the time of his death he |
was a director Of the bank, and treas !
urer of the Baker Loan & Investment |
Co.
In March, 1876, Mr.. Hill was mar
ried to Miss Lucinda H. Berry, of |
Walla Walla, five children resulting |
from the union, as follows Dorsey |
NJ, an employee Of Blackman Bros;
Harry B., who superintends the Hill |
farm, and Bertha, wife of R. F. |
Bracket. of the Walla Walla Gas &
Electric Light company, all living, and
Harvey and Florence, deceased.
Mr.. Hill had been a resilient of Wal |
la Walla for 81 years and was one of
it's honored citizens. He has been
prominent in the affairs and develop
ment of the city and county since he
first arrived in 1872. He was a promi-
nent lodge man, belonging TO two of
the best known orders, Walla Walla
lodge No. 7, F. and A. NJ, and Wash
ington lodge No. 10, |. O. o. F. Mr..
Hill was member of the First Meth
odist Episcopal church for 20 years.
Twice did Mr.. Hill fill the position
of Commissioner of Walla Walla
county, and he was similarly honored
in the city council. In business at
fairs Mr.. Hill was alert, reliable and
trustworthy to fault, and he leaves
a small fortune to his family. He
had large holdings of farm lands and
>,n,~4yr