The Bridgeport evening farmer. [volume] (Bridgeport, Conn.) 1866-1917, 1917-09-27
{. J. HILL, CONGRESSMAN FROM
FOURTH DISTRICT, SUCCUMBS TO
ILLNESS LASTING MANY MONTHS
Dies Early in Morning, At
ter Reverse That Occurred
During Evening Before
Had Long and Interesting
Career at Washington.

at 2:15' o'clock this morning after an
illness of many weeks.
News of his death today was
shock to his friends. because recent
reports from his bedside led them to
expect a recovery. He had been in
dying condition, but frequently rallied
until during the last few days he ap-
peared to be regaining his strength
Last evening, however, he had sink
ing spell and early in the morning sue
oumbed.
His final illness followed prostration
by the sun early this year when he
went to Washington to vote on an i'm
portant measure.
CONGRESSMAN Hills physical decline
began five years ago when ne was
defeated for congress by Jeremiah
Donovan at the time when the Demo-
Gratis swept the country and elected
woodrow Wilson. Donovan made
81 years of age and already showing
the effects of the strenuous efforts
for his election suffered a collapse.
He received the returns of his de-
feat over private wire at the Norwalk
club quarters and said to friends at
the time that he didn't expect to be
a candidate again. During the two
years that he was out of office, how
ever, he paid considerable attention
to his health and was his party's
choice,
He made another hard campaign
fight and 1t again had it's effect, but
the successful results buoyed him up
and he attended to his duties during
the long session Of the Gath congress.
In 1915 Mr.. Hill was again broken
l. 17f hn1
he could make the campaign, but he
did, visiting every town of the dis
trict, many times despite the contrary
advice of physicians. Although there
was an Improvement over his condt-
ton as it was after the 1912 election,
the effects were not all gone and he
was forced to give up often after per-
iods of combining work. The summer
of 1915 was a notable occasion and
Mr.. Hill was laid up for some time.
Again during the last winter he be-
came i'll and went south for two
months. He returned to Washington
in April and remained there until
about a month ago when he was
forced to give up. For time he was
able to be about but two weeks ago
was taken to bed and has declined
rapidly since then.
EDeuGXST JOHu I'LL was OOA Ii IA
Redding August 4, 1S45. He was the
son OF Rev. Moses and Charlotte lis
ley fMcClellan) Hill AS a boy Mr..
Hill was educated in the public
schools of Norwalk to which place his
parents moved when he was still very
young. After his course in school and
while engaged in preparation for col
lege, he was in business with his IA
Their. In 1868 he entered the army OF
the union, and according to his owr
approved biography in the Congress
sional Directory, served as civilian
until the end of the war"
In 1865 Mr.. Hill entered Yale col.
| lege and remained there for two
years, when he gaveup his studies tt
return to his fathers business in Nor
walk This he conducted for many
years, when he gave UP his studies tc
Amherst, Mass, to Mary e. Mosman
who survives him.
Mr.. Hill was a member Of the Con
necticut senate during the year 1881
and 1887, having received his first pc
Iitical recognition two years befor,
his election when he was chosen dele
gate to the Republican national con
vention. His next recognition wa
in 1888 when he was nominated 70
congress in the old fourth district
then including part Of what is noN
the fifth congressional district. II
was elected that year and successive
\ ly until the card congress which wa
lchosen in 1912, when re was defeat
ed by State Senator jeremiah Done
van, a townsman of his. He returne
to the 64th congress in 1915 and t
the 65th which was called as the wa
congress by President Wilson la'
: April.
In Norwalk Mr.. Hill had served
, burgess for two terms and as chat
: man of the board of. education fl
two terms. He was president of tt
: old Norwalk Street Railway Co., tt
Norwalk, Gaslight Co., the Norwa
Wooden Mills Co., ana secretary al
. treasurer of the Norwalk Iron Worl
fCo., of which his cousin the late Ebt
e Hill was president, Congressman H
succeeded his cousin as president
the National Bank of Norwa1k, ha
ing served many years as vice pre-!
dent.
He was member of the Oud F.
lows being associated with o
Brothers of Lodge in Norwa1k a.
had been Grand Master of the 1od
in the State of Connecticut. He W
/ Mason and a member of the NJ
Walk CluD anu NOTWdlh MelHOu
church.
While in Congress his study W
devoted almost exclusively to tar
and all of his campaigns were ma
on that issue. He was an extrel
protectionist and as a member of t
ways and means committee of t
majority party had much to do W
the framing of the Payne-Aldri
schedules, which marked. the zen
of the protection principles. Havi
Travelled through. all of the civiliz
countries of the world and being
student of conditions and customs,
was his delight to draw pictures
United States factories and labor 81
ply decadent under any but the hig
est tariff c1oaks. Perhaps in
whole tenure of office his most
table accomplishment was in getti
legislation supplying cheaply der
tured alcohol now used largely in I
hating industry throughout
country.
Mr.. Hik was ever a partisan re
resentative and the times which
voted with the opposition could
counted on the fingers During I
preceding term he attracted ate
ton by voting for the McLemore r
olution to warn Americans from Sc
ing on ships passing through the s,