?o6 HILL. HILL. his occupation was teaming, farming and clerking in his father's store. He was apt ami ready, more fond of adventure than of study. Soon after his majority he pur- chased a store in Spencer, where he carried on the business of general trade. He was soon appointed postmaster, which position he held eight years. He was also deputy sheriff under Col. James Esta- LUTHER HILL. brook, then Democratic sheriff of Worces- ter county. Mr. Hill was a Jeffersonian Democrat in those days, and a leader in that political faith up to the breaking out of the civil war, and for some time thereafter was classed as a "War Democrat." He was appointed a trial justice, and has tried more than six thousand criminal cases, there being no district court established in Spencer. Mr. Hill's law came to him by intuition, his decisions reaching to the justice of the case, trimmed of technicali- ties and quibbles. In i S 5 1 he sought the gold-fields of California, going by way of the Isthmus. h'.n route he made the acquaintance of a gentleman with whom he formed a part- nership in the hotel business. In a few months he returned East, for the purpose of settling his affairs, expecting to return to the Pacific slope for a permanent resi- dence. Circumstances, however, did not favor his return. His business in San Francisco was sold, and he remained in Massachusetts, retaining his former offices. Mr. Hill has always been distinguished for his public spirit, and is among the fore- most to advocate liberal appropriations for public schools, and the furnishing of suit- able buildings. It was largely through his influence that Spencer has a paying rail- road connecting the village with the Bos- ton & Albany. The town is also indebted to him for its excellent water and sewage systems. They are literally the work of his hands. The Spencer gas works are also the result of his public spirit. Mr. Hill is emphatically a self-made man, and his sympathies are with the labor- ing classes. He is a natural leader of men, prompt and fearless in following his convictions — never shirking a responsi- bility. His business life, successful as it has been, experienced a reverse in 1862 that left him without a dollar. This was brought about by the rebel Quantrell's raid into Kansas, burning the town of Lawrence, where Mr. Hill was so heavily involved that he was obliged to turn over all of his eastern property to his creditors. To a man of his energy this was, however, only a matter incident to chances in busi- ness life. Mr. Hill has represented his district in the Legislature for six times, five in the House, and once in the Senate. He has been selectman of Spencer thirteen years, and was the leading spirit in town affairs during the war, both before and after he left the ranks of the Democrats. He is the president and general manager of the Spencer Gas Company, and the Spencer Railroad Company. Mr. Hill was married in Spencer, March 2, 1856, to Louise A., daughter of Daniel and Fannie (Mead) Granger. They have no children. Mr. Hill is a staunch Republican. His attitude on the temperance question is most satisfactory to the friends of law and order. They rely upon him with implicit confidence to execute the law. He wor- ships with those " who live to help one another." This is his religion, but his con- tributions are liberal to the support of all church organizations in town, of whatever creed. HILL, William Henry (Jr.), only son of William H. and Abby F. (Remich) Hill, was born in Boston, July 14, 1838. His early education was obtained in the private and public schools of Boston and
