| Show GEORGE W HILL A HALO of heroism surrounds the memory of the men and women who braved the dangers and hardships connected with the opening of the rocky bocky mountain fountain region to settlement and civilization they were strong characters most of whose careers have been illuminated by deeds of daring among this class was the late george W hill who died on tuesday february and whose funeral was conducted on thursday february in the meeting house of the twenty second ward george W hill was born on march ath 1822 at ames athens county ohio in his youth the family moved into illinois in 1845 the deceased went to missouri and while in that state met with a family named stewart Bt ewart who had received the gospel in another part of the co country and were on their way to join the saints he became attached to this family and a believer in the gospel and remained with them he married miss cynthia stewart on Sv september 1846 1845 A A halt was made for a time at mount pisgah and the winter of was spent at winter quarters brother hill beut his bis team with his big brother in law james W stewart steward along with the advance pioneer company under president young which crossed the plains and first entered this valley while he himself remained a short time to bring along the stewart family shortly before this his father inlaw in law died he made the journey with the family the same year 1847 knifing here on september on this trip he acted as hunter for the company a position for which his bis physical strength coolness and courage admirably adapted him an incident in this connection is IB worthy of mention when the company reached the platte river a bear and two cubs cube were observed in a bunch of willow it was decided to kill the grizzly A number of men approached the place where she was located president A 0 smoot who had charge of the company was the only one on horseback being in an elevated position he saw the willows part pad and shouted run bun boys ashes a fifteen hundred and is coming at you all the footmen took to their heels except brother hill who simply retired a couple of rods to give himself a clear field and as the brute emerged he sent a bullet into her body and dis abbed her she was not as large however as was imagined before she came into full view for some time after reaching here brother hill occupied his time in splitting rails mile and doing any other work he be could find to enable him to support the family in 1849 be was a member of the company which in that year left this valley in charge of jede diah diab M grant accompanying apostles john taylor lorenzo snow know erastus snow and franklin D richards on the overland portion of their journey to europe on missions to that part of the world he was also hunter for that party and on the plains did constant guard duty for one third part of each night besides respond sp ing to other requirements in the same line on account of other brethren being occasionally too ill III to take part paa in the work while in the east on this same trip he visited the place where the stewart family had bad resided for the purpose of obtain obtaining log some means belonging to the estate he also went to we see hip bip fathers father 9 family none of whom had bad embraced the gospel when he be reached the old homestead he found his father on his deathbed the venerable man received his ons onla f testimony believed the gospel and rejoiced he called the other members of the family around him and although george was the third son he be exhorted them to receive his teachings and placed them in his charge he then peacefully died george had the satisfaction of bringing the family over the plains lin if 1860 1850 it was then a perilous time because of the prevalence of cholera he promised them bow ever that if they would be led by him not one of them would be attacked by the disease which was completely verified on this trip george was placed in close quarters at south paw pass he be left the little company and came along ahead on horseback he lost his horse hone on the way and wandered about in the mountains three days and three nights without food he arrived at the place where ogden now stands worn out with fatigue and almost famished on the of july 1860 1850 during the next few years indian raids were frequent and george was mostly engaged at the points of danger siding aiding in the protection of the subject to the greatest exposure to attacks he was among those who went to salmon river in 1866 to establish settlements tle in that region he took great greal interest in the welfare of the Ind indians lano this caused him to acquire not only the shoshone language but that of the bannocks Ban nocks plat flat heads and nez nes perces in this way he obtained much influence among the red men med who also esteemed him because of the fair and truthful character of all his dealings with them the salmon river settlers usually came into utah in winter returning in the spring in these intervals george occupied his bis time in ogden in teaching the indian languages he was engaged in this part of the country in 1857 68 58 in the latter year however the In indians disna made an attack upon the salmon river settlement and brother hill was sent from this city as one of ten who were an advance relief company the party was in charge of brother B F cummings they made the distance on horseback in an incredibly short time when they reached their destination they found the settlers sate safe and had to return in post haste to inform the relatives and friends of the salmon river people that the latter where not in danger at bannock creek the indians indiana attacked the little party of ten tell and a hot fight ensued one of the ten brother bailey lake was killed several indians were blain and others wounded returning to 1857 it should be said that in that year george was engaged to in performing duty as express courier under general chancey westal command part of the time while attend ing to this labor he was ill III with mountain fever but never left his post in the general move from northern utah in 1858 he went to fillmore with his family and on his bis way back was at payson prostrated with an attack of cholera which he barely survived prom from then till 1864 nothing of special note occurred in his career in that year he made the round trip across the plains to and from the missouri river to bring along the emigrating saints in captain cantal n william B preston Pres tons pa company doing duty as night herder having entire charge of the stock in 1866 the indians were on the war path and george occupied nearly the whole season doing scout duty patrolling the mountains north and east to prevent surprises the courageous character of the man was exemplified in 1878 while he was employed as for the central pacific railroad at ogden A gang of three card monte men had made that town their headquarters and engaged systematically in robbing the passengers they were desperate characters and for some time were having matters pretty much their own way to the great annoyance of division bupt B R H pratt brother hill said he be would break up the gang if mr pratt would stand by him so he would not have to do two jobs at the same time he entered upon the work he dogged the cappers when they caught a greenhorn george followed them right up to the door of their den and as each dupe was about to enter he called him on one side and told him what kind of characters had him in tow the monte men sent word to him that if he be did not desist they would shoot him he replied tell them when they undertake that they had better be quick about it and that welcome to all the advantage they can get over me the gang got to shooting among themselves broke up and left the town the railroad company thought so much of him on account of this affair that for ten years afterwards ho he had only to make a request to be pawed passed over the road to any point he desired for it to be granted in 1874 george was engaged in nol col indians on the malad this caused a great hubbub among the resi dents of corinne who asserted that an indian attack upon them was intended they demanded that the red men be dislodged their request was granted troops being sent to the spot for the purpose however the colony was removed to a new location further up the malad river and now exists there a peaceful community engaged in supporting themselves by agricultural pursuits for some years subsequently brother hill acted as indian interpreter his life has been one of devotion to the benefit of others his own per bonal interests being a matter of sub ordinate consideration he was a humble and unobtrusive man of deep religious convictions and his memory will not only be cherished by his wife and six children but by all who knew him and appreciated his worth |
