Newspaper Article, "Golan Goin's"

". . . Mr. and Mrs. W. C. Hill and Mr. and Mrs. D. M. Winters and children were in Lefore the first of the week visiting Mr. and Mrs. A. J. Hill.  The Winters party have recently returned from California where he worked in a defense plant . . ."

Delilah Ann Oxford Hill, Gelatin Silver Photographic Print, ca 1920

My mother, Sylvia, has written on the reverse of this gelatin silver photographic print from Elsie's collection, "Elsie's grandmother."  I see so many aspects of my grandmother Elsie's face in this particular portrait of Delilah, her paternal grandmother.  I love Deliah's beads and wonder what kind (trade beads?) and what color they are.  I wonder about her dress, too--it might not be black!

Marilyn, who descends from Delilah's only daughter, Eldora Hill, also has a copy of this studio portrait of Delilah Ann Oxford Hill.  Both Marilyn and Patsy confirm her identity--thank you!

Delilah looks like she might be about 75 years old.  If that estimate is correct, we might date this photo to circa 1920, which corresponds with her style of dress.  Delilah's dress is most likely her "Sunday-best" and, judging by the lace trim, is possibly a mass-produced "catalog" dress.  

The dress is definitely post-WWI and reflects the looser, more practical style of dress that women adopted after almost a decade of the women's suffrage movement, which culminated in 1920 with the passage of the Nineteenth Amendment to the U. S. Constitution.  

See http://char.txa.cornell.edu/art/dress/historic/earlyart/earlyart.htm for a good website on "Historic Dress:  Early Art Deco (1911-1929)."

circa 1890s Cabinet Card Photo of Delilah Ann Oxford Hill

Sylvia Smith Roberts has written "Elsie's grandmother" on the cabinet card's reverse side.  Patsy has verified that this is their great-grandmother, Delilah Hill, W. C. Hill's mother.  Again, she is wearing a Victorian era bar pin.

The photographer's studio was in Abilene, but--other than finding more of his cabinet cards online--I have not been able to find any information on the Studio of G. E. Ward, Artist.  

According to the "Mrs. Delilah Ann Oxford Hill Interview and Original Printing 1935," at the age of 45, Delilah moved with her family from Erath County, Texas to Merkel (near Abilene), Taylor County, Texas in 1890, so the photograph most likely would not have been taken prior to that.

The cabinet card can help date the photo.  The artist claims "One Gold Medal, Texas State Fair, Dallas."  The first Texas State Fair was held in Dallas in 1887.  http://www.bigtex.com/sft/AboutUs/StateFair.asp  

I have found references online to the "Aristo finish" noted underneath the photo from newspaper  advertisements and magazine articles from 1893, 1894, and 1898, so I believe this photo can safely be dated to that decade. 

Andrew Jackson Hill (?) Tintype ca 1880s

Although no one has confirmed the identity of the man in this tintype, to me he looks like the same man Patsy identified as Andrew Jackson Hill (below), father of William Claborn Hill.  He appears to have more whiskers above.   A. J. Hill was born 5 Jun 1840 in Camden, Union County Arkansas.  I'd estimate the tintype date to be ca 1880s.  

As an interesting side bar, A. J.'s nose tip deviates to the left in these tintype images.  However, since tintype images are reverse images, in later photographs his nose tip deviates to the viewer's right.   

Andrew Jackson Hill, Delilah & Son(?), Tintype, ca 1885

This is a tintype, also from the "Brown Period" (1870-1885), of William Claborn Hill's parents, Delilah Ann Oxford Hill and Andrew Jackson Hill with, presumably, one of their sons.  Their cheeks have been colored or tinted.  Thank you, Patsy, for the I.D.  

 Although Delilah looks older than in the previous tintype I posted of her, she appears to be wearing the same two-piece dress (ca 1870s) she wore in the earlier tintype.  She is wearing a different collar this time, fastened with a Victorian bar pin, which she may have been wearing in the earlier tintype.  She might be 35-to-45 years old.  Delilah was born 30 Dec 1845; her age estimate dates this photo ca 1880--1890.

Andrew Jackson Hill is a handsome man who looks to be 35-to-45 years old.  He was born 5 Jun 1840 in Camden, Union County, Arkansas; his age estimate dates this photo to ca 1875--1885.   Since Delilah's age estimate dates this photo to ca 1880--1890, I will narrow down the date to the overlapping years of ca 1880--1885.

This handsome young man looks to be in his late teens to early twenties.  In 1885, A.J.'s and Delilah's oldest son, John Wesley "J. W." Hill, b. 18 Feb 1866, is 19 years old.  Their next oldest son, Andrew Jackson Jr., b. 9 Feb. 1872, is only 13 years old in 1885.

If my "powers of deduction" are worth a hoot, I'd say this photo is from around 1885.  Delilah is around 40 years old, A. J. is around 45 years old, and this is their oldest grown son, John Wesley, who is around 19 years old.  The 1880 U.S. Census shows the Hills living in Erath County, Texas; A. J. is a farmer.  The Hills lived there from after the war until 1890, when they moved to Merkel, Taylor County, Texas.

Three-Day Reunion of Barbee Children Held at Buffalo Gap

". . . Among others present were Mr. and Mrs. W. C. Hill, the latter a sister of Mrs. Barbee's, of Sylvester, and Mr. and Mrs. D. M. Winter and family, also of Sylvester . . . "

The Mrs. Barbee of the article is Frankie's sister Joanna Coggin Barbee.

1870s Tintype of Delilah Ann Oxford Hill

This is a tintype from Elsie's collection.  Thank you, Patsy, for identifying this beautiful young woman as your great-grandmother Delilah Ann Oxford Hill, Andrew Jackson Hill's wife and mother of William Claborn Hill.

Delilah was born 30 Dec 1845 near a little town called Tarrent in Hopkins County, Texas to William Claborn Oxford, a farmer born in Buncombe County, North Carolina 6 Aug 1808, and his wife, Louisa Ramsey, born in Tennessee Mar 1810.

The website "Dating Old Photos," at http://www.billblanton.com/date.htm, is a nice reference on tintypes and other early photography.  This image seems to be from the "Brown Period" of tintypes produced from 1870 to 1885, which is also consistent with the use of the painted rural background. The tintype has been colored or tinted on Delilah's cheeks.

The shape of Delilah's long bodice fitted to the hips (by 1877) and flounces and ruffles on her skirt look to be from the 1870s, so perhaps she is 25 to 35 years old--married, with children--and most likely is living in Erath County, Texas.

This site is helpful for dating historic images:  http://www.uvm.edu/landscape/dating/index.php.

Summer 1987 Visit to the Farm

Sometime during the summer of 1987, our family took Elsie on a day trip to the farm.  What a wonderful day we had!  Our older children, Matt, Tina & Tesa, brought their butterfly nets that day and enjoyed catching insects and butterflies.  I haven't yet found the photos we took at Orvel and Edna's house, but will post them when I do!

Here, Alma, Elsie and Darwin rest on the back porch of Alma & Darwin's home.  Alma is holding our son David Roberts Hinkley, who must be somewhere between 6 and 9 months old.

Alma Martha Bralley Hill, b. 9 Jun 1909, is 78 years old.

Elsie Lou Hill Smith, b. 11 Apr 1911 is 76 years old.

Andrew Darwin Hill, b. 6 Jan 1902, is 85 years old.

This is a poignant photo for me; this is Elsie's last trip to the farm to visit her loved ones there.  Alma marveled to us how Darwin really perked up while we were there.  He told stories all afternoon and showed us the photo catalogs of his amazing collection of arrowheads that he donated to one of the library collections at the University of Texas in Austin.

My father says that Darwin collected all kinds of fascinating things and kept these items in a barn or out-building.

Can someone please tell me--because I've forgotten--which U.T. entity houses Darwin's Native American artifacts?  I haven't had luck with online searching...

Red Hill in Team Uniform

This is one of two identical "real photo postcards" (RPPC) from Elsie's collection of a very handsome and athletic Red Hill.  Does anyone know what kind of uniform this is, i.e., basketball, track, etc.?  Would this photo have been taken during his playing or coaching years?  It's too bad such great-looking team logos are no longer politically correct...  

William Wallace "Red" Hill was b. 12 Sep 1903.  This particular RPPC photographic paper was manufactured by AZO between 1910 and 1930, according to Playle's Online Auction site, which has a great identification key for old photo postcards (see a previous post for the link).   

Mama Smith, Mrs. Hill & Judy

Developed in October, 1947, this is a photo of Judy (middle) with her two grandmothers.  Elsie's daughter Judith Terrie Smith, b. 1 Dec 1944 is between 2 and 3 years old.  Judy's paternal grandmother, Nora Lee Scudday Smith, is on the left.  Born 16 Jul 1884, she is 63.  Frances Myrtle Coggin Hill, Elsie's mother, is on the right.  Born 26 March, 1880, Mama Hill is 67.

Does anyone know where this photo was taken?  I can't tell what Judy's holding, but it looks furry!

Papa Hill with Janice on "Minnie"

This photo was developed in April, 1951.  There is no damage to the surface of the photo, but some damage during the development process or reproduction process has occurred.  (At first I thought the horse had a malady of the coat...)  I don't know if this is likely a copy or if it is original.  

Patsy and Jan agree the baby is most likely Papa Hill's granddaughter Janice Hill, b. 1949.  That makes Papa Hill right at 76 years old--I don't know about Minnie!

Road Stop Picnic

A smiling Mama Hill appears to be cutting a cake at a roadside stop picnic.  I cannot say where this was taken, but the landscape is consistent with areas of the Davis Mountains.  This large auto has appeared in other photos in this blog, I believe.  Can any car buffs I.D. the year/make/model/?

Patsy has responded (see "Comments" below) that she believes this is the 1937 Hudson Terraplane that she remembers riding in.  (It's not likely I could ever have come up with that on my own!)  Here's a photo of an ad for the 1937 Hudson Terraplane Sedan:

1937 Hudson Terraplane Sedan Classic Vintage Print Ad

W. C. Hill Family Portrait, ca. 1912

This is not an original photo, but is a photo copy.  Elsie looks to be about 18 months old and A. J. about 4 years old, so I'm estimating the date to be from late 1912.  From left:  

Orvel Francis Hill, b. 10 Aug 1905, is around 7 years old.

"Papa Hill" (William Claborn "W. C." Hill) b. 28 Feb 1874, is around 38 years old.

Alton Jackson "A. J." Hill, b. 17 Sep 1908, is around 4 years old.

Elsie Lou Hill, b. 11 Apr 1911, is around 18 months old.

"Mama Hill" (Frances Myrtle "Frankie" Coggin Hill), b. 26 Mar 1880, is around 32 years old.

William Wallace "Red" Hill, b. 12 Sep 1903, is around 9 years old. 

Andrew Darwin Hill, b. 6 Jan 1902, is around 10 years old--almost 11. 

Sisters, 1941

 

By 1941, Elsie (age 30) is married to Lee Matt Smith and has two children, Sylvia (age 8) and Lee Matt Jr. "Bud" (age 5).  Jewell (age 26) is married to Doris "Joe" Mitchell Winter and also has two children, Willie Joe "W. J." (age 6) and Sheila (age 5).  

They didn't weigh much!

A. J. & Sylvia

My mother has written on the reverse, "A. J. & Sylvia."  Mom was born in 1933 and I'd say she is around 4 years old in this photo.  If this were indeed shot in 1937, A. J. (b. 17 Sep 1908) would be around 29.

The faint mountains in the background look like Alpine, TX to me, where the Smiths lived.

Elsie's Sunday School Class, July 12, 1921

(Click on photo to enlarge.)  I wish I could tell which girl is my grandmother in this photo of her July 12, 1921 Sunday School Class.  Elsie was 10 years old in 1921.  I'd say that this young lady could be Elsie:

Patsy's comment on this post is below (click "comments").  She suggests this might be A. J. and Elsie, and it sure does look like A. J.:

Does anyone know where the family went to church in 1921?  [Again, please see Patsy's comment about this post.]  Here's a photo by Barclay Gibson of a closed church in Sylvester, but I can't find out anything else about it:

(Click on the following link to see more Barclay Gibson photos of Sylvester.)
Sylvester, Texas (today)

"Real Photo Postcard" of A. J. & Elsie

On the left is Alton Jackson (A. J.) Hill Sr. (b. 17 Sep 1908); Elsie Lou Hill (b. 11 Apr 1911) is on the right.  Elsie looks to be about a year old, so I'd say this was taken in 1912.  A. J. turns 4 in 1912.  

Here's the reverse side of the RPPC (real photo postcard):

Playle's Online Auction site has a great identification key for old photo postcards (see previous post for the link).  Their guide identifies AZO of the manufacturer of the photographic paper, which was manufactured between 1910 and 1930.

"Real Photo Postcard" of Jewell Faye & Elsie

I love this "real photo postcard" image of sisters.  On the left is Jewell Faye Hill (b. 25 Oct 1913); Elsie Lou Hill (b. 11 Apr 1911) is on the right.  I'd estimate Jewell Faye to be about 3 years old and Elsie around 6, so I'd date this photo to 1917, give or take a year.  

(You may click on the image to enlarge it.)  They both have flowers pinned to their dresses.  What was the occasion, I wonder?  I see a house in the background between the girls and what looks like plowed dirt in the distance.  There are a lot of poles on the horizon--did they hold up lines for electricity or telephones... or both?  Behind the closest tree, a dirt road or driveway seems to curve to the right.

I adjusted the color on the photo side of the card quite a bit; you can see on the card's reverse how yellowed it has become:  

Playle's Online Auction site has a great identification key for old photo postcards:  

(You may click on this link to go to their web page.)

Playles: Real Photo Postcards- How to Identify and Date Real Photo Vintage Postcards

Most Real Photo Postcards, abbreviated RPPC, have information on their backs to help in identifying the manufacturer of the photographic paper that was used by the postcard publisher. If you can identify the paper manufacturer, you can approximate the age of the old postcard. If the postcard has a stamp box, click on one of stamp box links below...

CYKO was the photographic paper used to print this photograph on, as shown by the stamp box.  This particular stamp box was used on their cards manufactured from 1904-1920s, which isn't a big help for dating this photograph.  

Claborn / Clayburn / Claiborn / Claiborine / Claibourne / Clayborn / Cleborn

My uncle Bud sent an email when I first asked his help in reviewing this site:

I question the spelling on Papa Hill's middle name.  I thought it had a Y or an I in Cla_born?  Clayborn, I think, and a great name for a professional farmer.  

He’s right.  Different people seem to spell it different ways.  This is a problem common to pre-19th century genealogy research.  The 1999 Hill Family Reunion Booklet written by Janice  & Aimee Watson consistently uses “Claborn” throughout, so that’s why I’ve gone with that spelling on this site. 

I’d love to hear from Papa Hill’s other grandchildren which spelling is preferred… and why.  Most records I’ve seen have “William C.” or “W. C.”  I’ll probably run across some more documents that include the spelling of Papa Hill’s middle name, but for now, here’s what I have at my fingertips. 

Amazon.com has an image of the WWI Draft Registration Card for "William Claborn Hill":  

(You may click on the photos to enlarge them, save them to your computer, or print them.  If you have trouble with the process, click and drag the image to your desktop.)

Alfred L. “Fritz” Hill provided a copy of “Early History of the Andrew Jackson Hill Family,” by Eva Mae Cole, June 1, 1956.  She uses the “William Claborn Hill” spelling.

The Hill Family Tree Fritz sent reads:  “William Claborn.”

The Texas Death Index, 1903-2000 Record image is also at Ancestry.com and shows “William Clayburn Hill”:

Papa Hill’s obituary from the 7 Aug 1953 The Merkel Mail has “William Claborn Hill.” 

I have a copy of my grandmother Elsie’s handwritten family tree where she has written “William Cleborn Hill.”  It appears that something was erased and the “e” written over it. 

This middle name came from the OXFORD family; Papa Hill’s maternal grandfather’s name was “William Claborn H. Oxford,” b. 6 Aug 1898 in Buncombe Co, NC, d. 20 Feb 1864 in Morgan Mill, Erath Co, TX.  

The 1850 U. S. Census Record for Hopkins Co, TX shows another variant of the spelling, “Claiborine” or “Claibourne”: 

The 1860 U. S. Census Record for Erath Co, TX shows another spelling, “Clayborn”:

A record from Texas Land Title Abstracts, 1700-2008 shows “Claiborn Oxford”:

Here we see it in a rather definitive way from Ken Jones, a volunteer for “Find A Grave”:

(You may click on the following link to go to the web site, which will open in a new window.)

Find A Grave- Claborn H. Oxford Sr.

Ken Jones notes: “Marker has been re-engraved; original inscription is on other end of slab.”  I wish I could see the original engraving; maybe one of you has visited the site. 

Orvel Sr. and Edna named their son “David Clayborn Hill,” according to the Texas Birth Index, 1903-1997:

Janice & Aimee Watson’s 1999 Hill Family Reunion Booklet reads, “David Claborn Hill.”  Some online white pages searches yield a “David Claborn Hill” associated with Orvel Hill. 

I have a copy of Elsie’s typed list of family birthdays and anniversaries, where she has written, “David Cleborn” for Orvel and Edna’s son. 

Hence some confusion for those of us “not in the know!”