Robert H. Hill, one of the many highly esteemed farmer citizens of East Bethlehem township, is a grandson of Stephen Hill, an early settler of that township, who married a Miss Welsh, and had by her the following named children: George, John W., William, Robert, Stephen, Elenor, Mary, Margaret and Nancy. Of this family, William and Robert are living, the former in the borough of Washington, the latter in the West Bethlehem township. John W. Hill, father of Robert H., was born in 1800 in West Bethlehem township, Washington Co., Penn., and was reared to agricultural pursuits, his education being received at the subscription school of the vicinity, held in an old log cabin, and the copy book used by him is now in the possession of our subject. In 1825 he married Susan Hawkins, who was born in 1808, a daughter of William and Nancy Hawkins, and for a few years the young couple continued to reside in West Bethlehem township. In 1832 Mr. Hill bought a farm in East Bethlehem (where his son, Robert H., now resides), and here successfully carried on farming the rest of his life; he died April 21, 1857, thirty-one years after his marriage, and his widow survived him thirty-one years, dying in Beallsville, Penn., October 6, 1887. The children born to them were: William, in East Bethlehem township; Robert H.; George; John, deceased; Joseph, in Beallsville; Stephen, living with Robert H.; Mary Ann, married to Mr. Bishop, of Claysville, Penn.; Sarah Ellen, wife of Christopher Horton, in Centreville, Penn.; Eliza Jane, Mrs. Thomas Sargent, in Beallsville; Margaret E. (Mrs. Enloe), in Claysville, Penn., and two that died in infancy. The father was a Republican during the later years of his life, in former years a Whig; socially he was a F. & A. M., in church matters a Methodist. Robert H. Hill was born July 12, 1832, on the farm now owned by him in East Bethlehem township, and was there reared to the occupation of his forefathers, his school training being restricted to a few months' attendance, in winter time, at the subscription schools of the vicinity. In 1867 he married Caroline Keys, who was born in 1836, a daughter of Abram keys, of East Bethlehem township, and by this union there has been born one child, Cora May. Like his father before him, Mr. Hill is Republican in politics, and in church connection a Methodist. His fertile and well-kept farm comprises 100 acres of prime land, devoted to general farming inclusive of stock raising, the breeding of sheep being a specialty with him. His comfortable and elegant residence is well situated, and provided with all modern conveniences.

Text taken from page 742 of: Beers, J. H. and Co., Commemorative Biographical Record of Washington County, Pennsylvania (Chicago: J. H. Beers & Co., 1893). Transcribed April 1997 by Tom Lum Forest of Somerville, MA as part of the Beers Project. Published April 1997 on the Washington County, PA USGenWeb pages at http://www.chartiers.com/.

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