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John S. Hill Family Papers, 1860-1901, inclusive; bulk 1861-1863

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Arrangement

The arrangement scheme for the collection was imposed during processing in the absence of a usable original order.

Arranged in three series:

Series 1, Correspondence

Series 2, Ledgers

Series 3, Certificates

Scope and Contents

The John S. Hill Family Papers consist of correspondence, ledgers, certificates and ephemera. The Civil War correspondence is between members of the Hill family of S.C., the majority written between 1861 to 1863, and includes recipient copies to Henry and Elizabeth Hill from their sons and nephews while they are serving in the Confederate Army. The death of their son, W[illiam] A[ron] Hill of illness is described in the June 10, 1862 letter from his brother H[enry] M[arion] Hill. William “Billy” Simpson is mentioned once in the correspondence. There are two folders of correspondence mostly to or from John S. Hill for 1867 to 1873.

Folder 12 in Correspondence contains six recommendation letters to Governor Benjamin R. Tillman on behalf of John S. Hill for the position of liquor dispenser in Greenville. Hill was appointed one of the first dispensers [1893-1901, East End Dispensary] of liquor in Greenville after the South Carolina Dispensary system began in 1893. The only document from this period is a 1901 Certificate of Election to the Office of County Dispenser.

There is one folder of miscellaneous documents (Folder 13). Of interest is a list of names titled “Roll of the Enoree mosquitoes of the upper Battalion, the 41st Regiment S.C. Militia, Laurens District, South Carolina” on the reverse side of what appears to be page 2 of a letter. The list of names dated May 2, 1862, includes H.M. Hill, J.S. Hill, and J.B. Hill.

There are nine ledgers dated 1871 – 1893. A majority of the ledgers list individuals followed by purchases by date, with some detail of the types of materials purchased. There is one folder of ephemera found in the ledgers including a receipt dated January 20, 1876 from Furman University for payment for a bond.