Page 63 - Jefferson County AR 1889 History (Goodspeed)

*I jetta, Belle Lee, Henry Ames, John A. Scudder, went back to Louisiana, and after a residence there

rCarondelet, Mary Belle and Henry Frank, these of a number of years, made his home with his
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HISTORY O F ARKANSAS.

being the principal ones, and he virtually con- son, William I. Hilliard, at Little Rock, Ark., un-

trolled the traffic between Memphis and New Or- til his death, which occurred in 1884. He was a

leans. The advent of railroads ruined the river much respected citizen, and filled a number of

trade, and when fire destroyed his finest boat, the local offices where he msided. His wife died in

Captain became disheartened and determined to 1858. William I. Hilliard received excellent ad-

abandon steamboating forever, since which time vantages for an education in the schools of Cincin-

he has carried on his present business. He was nati and other schools, and began assisting his

first married in 1850, to Miss Sarah Carter, by father in the brickyard when a mere lad. This

whom he had seven children, of whom four are yet buninens he learned very thoroughly, and is now

living: Ralph M. (at Marshall, Tex.), Jeff, Nellie, one of the most experienced brick-makers of Ark-

and Mamie. The Captain's second marriage oc- ansas. He remained with his parents until grown,

curred, in 1878, to Miss Anna Tally, by whom he and commenced the brick business when about

bad one son, Frank. During his day Capt. Hicks eighteen years of age, at Floyd, La., but this

has been the largest steamboat owner in the coun- continued only one season, when he went to lay-

try. His finest boat alone cost $165,000, theMary ing brick in that State. After following this

1 Bell, and only carried $50,000 insurance when she for about five years, or up to the breaking out of
wan blxned Among other famous vessels he the late war, he went North (Indiana) and there
owned was the Kate Miller, the first boat he was remained for a short time. After that he worked

ever master of himself; the Pittsmiller, Bluff City, at laying brick until 1868, when he went West

Harry Eluff, Julia. John Swazy, Mart.in Walt, to Springfield, Mo., and there resumed laying

Excelsior and Sam Uloon. Outside of his ice and making brick for two and a half years. He

manufactory, which is one of the best paying in- moved to Little Rock, Ark., in 1872, manu-

dustries in Jefferson County, he handles about 200 factured brick for two seasons, and was also

car loads of coal annually, and is worth consider- engaged in contracting and laying brick. I n Sep-

able, although he has met with many reverses. tember, 1886, he located at Pine Bluff, commeneed

William I. Hilliard, contractor and builder, contracting and building that season, and has since

and manufacturer of brick, Pine Bluff, Ark. been actively occupied in that business, as the

Among all classes and in every condition of life 111any fine buildings in the city abundantly testify.

are those who excel in whatever they undertake, He lays all his own brick, and, from an average of

whether of a professional, agricultural or com- four kilns, manufactured about 1,200,000 this

mercial nature, and among those who have cleverly year. He was married in Washington County,

demonstrated this statement is he whose name ap- Ark., on March 27, 1872, to Miss Emma English,

pears above. Born in Madison Parish, Lonisiana, a native of Pennsylvania, and the daughter of

in November, 1840, he is the son of J. C . Hilliard, John and Elizabeth English. There are five chil-

a native of Virginia. The father passed his boy- dren living of this marriage: Birdie, Elizabeth,

hood days in his native State, but later went to Willie I., John and Abbie. Mr. Hilliard is a

Ohio, where he married Miss Abigail Yeoman, a member of the Ancient Order of Odd Fellows, and

native of New York. While in the Buckeye State his wife is a member of the Baptist Church.

Mr. Hilliard followed the brick-making trade, and William C. Hilliard, an enterprising farmer

there resided for a number of years. Later he re- of Talladega Township, was born in Fairfield

moved to Louisiana, where he carried on his former County, S. C., being the son of A. D. and Sa-

occupation for some time, and in 1847 returned to villa (Woodward) Hilliard, also natives of that

Ohio, locating in Cincinnati, where he still con- State. The father was born in 1819, and followed

tinned the brick-making business. I n 1854 he the general occupation of a merchant in the State

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