NANCY MCILRAVY HILL(1805-1866) Biographical Summary
Nancy McIlravy was born in Ireland about 1805, based on age listed in the 1850 and 1860 census records.
The will of Robert McIlravy includes a legacy to "my sister Nancy Hill" and the probate records for his estate include a payment to "Wm & Nancy Hill" in 1865.
Since we currently have no record of Nancy McIlravy's marriage to William Quigley Hill in Pennsylvania, the above probate court record is the only specific reference proving that she married William Hill. From the 1830 census record, it appears that they were married around 1830.
The William Q. Hill family is listed in the 1830 census for Nottingham Township, Washington County, Pennsylvania as follows:
William Q. Hill
Males: 2 20-30
Females: 1 20-30
Note: Robert and Nancy McIlravy were younger than their two brothers, Hugh and Daniel, and remained in Pennsylvania after the older brothers had moved to Ohio. They probably lived together. I suspect that the additional male living with William and Nancy Hill in 1830 was her brother Robert. He was not listed separately anywhere and was not with either of the older brothers in Ohio in the 1830 census. The first record of him in Ohio is in 1831.
The History of Western Pennsylvania article indicates that Nancy Hill went to Ohio. The U.S. Bureau of Land management database includes the following land patent:
Certificate # 8353, dated April 10, 1837
To William Quigley Hill of Washington County, Pennsylvania
40 acres - NW 1/4 of the NE 1/4 of Section 22, Township 6 North, Range 4 West
U.S. Military Survey. Land in Coshocton County, Ohio.
In the 1840 census for Adams Township, Coshocton County, Ohio, the listing for the family was:
William Hill
Males: 2 <5; 1 30-40
Females: 1 <5; 1 5-10; 1 30-40
There was also a listing for an older William Hill family - who may have been the father of William Q. Hill
Below are cemetery records for three children of Nancy and William Q. Hill from Adams Township, Coshocton County, Ohio. All three died within one month in 1844 and are buried in the Evanscreek Presbyterian Church Cemetery. This data is from the Adams Township cemetery books. Apparently the stones were difficult to read - so some data is incomplete.
HILL, John Mc. s/o Wm. Q. and ? Hill d. March 7, 1844 age ?
HILL, Margaret A. d/o Wm. Q. and N. Hill d. March 30, 1844 age 11y 7m 23d
HILL, ? s/o Wm. Q. and N. Hill d. April 7, 1844 age ?
A William Hill, possibly the father of William Q. Hill, sold 40 acres in section 19 of Adams Township on December 16, 1846, to Elisha Hinds. This was nearly adjacent to the William Q. Hill property. William Q. Hill sold his land in section 22 of Adams Township, Coshocton County on March 29, 1847, to Robert Corbett. The family apparently moved to Clay County Illinois shortly after that - then later to Effingham County Illinois in about 1851.
1850 Census - Richland District#14, Clay Co. IL - Page 294 - August 29, 1850
| William Q. Hill |
46 |
M |
Pennsylvania |
farmer |
| Nancy |
45 |
F |
Ireland |
|
| Hugh M. |
15 |
M |
Pennsylvania |
farmer |
| Nancy J. |
12 |
F |
OH |
|
| Daniel |
9 |
M |
Ohio |
|
| Wm. J. |
2 |
M |
Ohio |
|
From the Public Domain Land Sales database for IL, William Q. Hill bought two adjoining 80 acre parcels on May 21, 1850. These were in sections 26 and 35 of Mason Township in Effingham County, IL. (Township 6N; Range 5E of 3rd prime meridian).
The records below are from Effingham County, Illinois.
The William Q. Hill family is listed in Effingham County in the Illinois statewide census of 1855:
William Q. Hill
Males: 1 <10; 1 10-20; 1 50-60
Females: 1 10-20; 1 40-50; 1 50-60
From the Illinois Statewide Marriage Index:
TRAUBER, WILLIAM J / HILL, NANCY J 03/03/1859 EFFINGHAM
Note: This was William "Jack" Trober, who married Nancy J. Hill, daughter of William Q. and Nancy Hill. (Information from Rosalie Hill, whose husband, Gene, is a descendant of William Q. and Nancy McIlravy Hill through their son Hugh.)
1860 Census - Mason Township, Effingham Co. IL p. 953
| Wm. Q. Hill |
56 |
M |
Penn. |
farmer |
| Nancy |
55 |
F |
Ireland |
domestic |
| Hugh |
22 |
M |
OH |
farm labor [Note: All other census records list him born PA] |
| Daniel |
20 |
M |
Ohio |
farm labor |
| Wm |
15 |
M |
Ohio |
|
| Elizabeth Pugh |
14 |
F |
Illinois |
|
Also, 1860 Census - Mason Township, Effingham Co. IL p. 951
| Wm. J. Traber |
21 |
M |
Ky |
farmer |
| Nancy J. |
21 |
F |
Ohio |
domestic |
In the Civil War both Hugh and Daniel enlisted in the 38th IL Infantry in August 1861 - and Daniel was killed in 1863.
From the Illinois Civil War Regimental Rosters:
Company B., 38th Illinois Infantry (Effingham County)
HILL, Daniel M Private, Mason, Aug 19, 1861, Killed at Chickamauga Sep 19, 1863
HILL, Hugh M Private, Mason, Aug 19, 1861, Mustered out Sep 15, 1864
In January, 1859, Nancy's brother Robert had died in Tuscarawas County Ohio. In his will, after some specific sums to be paid to his widow and to others, he left 1/6th of his remaining estate to "My sister Nancy Hill." There were three payments made to Nancy Hill through April 1865. The probate records for the estate indicate that the payment on 15 April, 1865, was made to "Wm & Nancy Hill." All other references in the will were just to Nancy Hill.
Nancy died in January, 1866, and is buried in the Wright Cemetery, Section 26, Mason Township, Effingham County, IL. The tombstone inscription, according to the Effingham County cemetery books, is:
Nancy, wife of W. Q. Hill d. Jan. 6, 1866 age 66(?) yr
The age appears to be inexact and is not consistent with the age in the 1860 census. It may have been misread from the tombstone as 66 rather than 60. I've not seen the tombstone and don't know whether it is still readable. To date, we have no other death record for her.
After the Civil War, Hugh M. Hill married in 1866 and was listed as a farmer in Mason Township in the 1870 census.
From the Illinois Statewide Marriage Index:
HILL, HUGH M / LEONARD, CELECTUS M 09/27/1866 EFFINGHAM
1870 Census - Mason Township, Effingham Co. IL (July 9, 1870)
Page 43
| Hill, William |
69 |
M |
Penn. |
farmer |
| Willie |
22 |
M |
OH |
works on farm |
| F.M. |
20 |
M |
Ill. |
works on farm |
1870 Census - Mason Township, Effingham Co. IL (July 9, 1870)
Page 12
| Hill, Hugh M. |
37 |
M |
Ohio |
farmer |
| Celestia |
27 |
F |
IN |
|
| Loretta (or Soretta) |
2 |
M |
Ill |
|
| Wm |
21 |
M |
Ill |
works on farm |
Also on page 43, the family of P.C. Leonard, 53, farmer, b. KY is listed.
This is Hugh M. Hill's father-in-law
1870 Census - Larkinsburg Township, Clay County IL
| Jackson Trober |
27 |
M |
Ky |
farmer |
| Nancy J. |
23 |
F |
OH |
|
| Hugh |
9 |
M |
Ill |
|
| John |
4 |
M |
Ill |
|
| William |
2 |
M |
Ill |
|
In 1870, William Hill remarried.
From the Illinois Statewide Marriage Index:
HILL, WILLIAM Q, SR. / CATHARINE BLUNT (MRS) 08/11/1870 EFFINGHAM
Catherine was the widow of Jonathan Blount, a neighbor of the Hills in Mason Township. In the 1880 census, William and Catherine were listed along with two young men, Stephen and Thompson Hill. They were listed as "sons" - but were stepsons of William and the two youngest sons of Jonathan and Catherine Blount.
1880 Census - Mason Township, Effingham Co. IL
| William Hill |
76 |
M |
Penn. |
farmer |
| Cathern N |
52 |
F |
KY |
|
| Stephen |
27 |
M |
Ill |
works on farm |
| Thompson |
20 |
M |
Ill |
works on farm |
William Q. Hill's second wife, Catharine died in 1882 and is buried at the Wright Cemetery, Section 26, Mason Township, Effingham County, IL. The tombstone inscription is:
Hill, Catherine R. wife of Wm. Q. d. May 4, 1882 age 54yr 10mo 23da
William Q. Hill apparently went to Kansas to join his children after his second wife died - and he died in Labette County, KS in 1884. His tombstone in the Pleasant Hill Cemetery lists his birthdate as April 11, 1804 and his death date as July 14, 1884.
By 1880, Hugh M. Hill and his family had moved to Kansas and they were living with Celestes' parents and family. Hugh's brother William was living with them. Also, the family of William Jackson Trober and Nancy J. Hill Trober had moved to Kansas.
1880 Census - Lincoln Township, Neosha Co. KS
Family of P. Lenord includes:
| Hugh M. Hill |
45 |
M |
PA |
PA |
IRE |
son-in-law |
| Celestes |
37 |
F |
IN |
KY |
IN |
daughter |
| Charles Hill |
4 |
M |
IL |
PA |
IN |
grandson |
| William Hill |
31 |
M |
OH |
PA |
IRE |
other |
1880 Census - Lincoln Township, Neosha Co. KS
Family of Jackson Trober:
| Jackson Trober |
38 |
M |
TN |
TN |
TN |
Farmer |
| Nancy Trober |
39 |
F |
OH |
PA |
Ireland |
keeping house |
| Hugh Trober |
20 |
M |
IL |
TN |
OH |
son |
| William Trober |
12 |
M |
IL |
TN |
OH |
son |
| Mary Trober |
9 |
F |
IL |
TN |
OH |
daughter |
| Jefferson Trober |
7 |
M |
IL |
TN |
OH |
son |
| Nancy Trober |
7 |
F |
IL |
TN |
OH |
daughter |
| Celestus Trober |
3 |
F |
IL |
TN |
OH |
daughter |
Before 1900, these families had moved to Meade County, Kansas.
In 1900, Nancy Trober and one of her unmarried daughters, Nancy C. (27), were living with her daughter and son-in-law's family, Mary E. (29) and Samuel (43) Kinnison, in Logan Township, Meade County, Kansas. Nancy J. Trober was listed as age 53, married, born in Ohio, father born in PA, mother born in Ireland.
In 1901 the Trober family joined several other families in a move to Oregon. However, while the group was traveling on the Overland Trail through Carbon County, Wyoming, Jackson Trober died on July 3.. According to a short letter sent to the Meade County Globe by J.W. Brock, Jackson was buried in a local cemetery, probably the old cemetery at what is now the ghost town of Carbon Wyoming, from which the letter was mailed on July 4, 1901. Carbon had been a coaling station on the Union Pacific Railroad but was abandoned after the railroad was re-routed farther north in 1902. The Trober family only remained in Oregon for a year and then returned to Kansas.
Nancy died July 29, 1912, and is buried in the Graceland Cemetery in Meade Co. KS.
In 1900, Hugh, Celestus, his brother William Q. Hill, Jr., and a son William M. Hill, born 1881, were in Meade County. The older son, Charles was married and living in Appleton Township, Clark County, KS (adjoining Fowler Twp. Meade Co.)
1900 U.S. Census - Fowler Township, Meade Co. KS
| Hugh M. Hill |
57 - (b. April 1833) |
M |
PA |
PA |
IRE |
farmer |
| Celestus |
52 - (b. April 1848) |
F |
IN |
KY |
IN |
wife |
| William M. Hill |
18 - (b. Sept. 1883) |
M |
KS |
PA |
IN |
son |
| William Q. Hill |
49 - (b. Oct 1850) |
M |
OH |
PA |
Ireland |
brother |
1900 U.S. Census - Appleton Township, Clark Co. KS
| Charles Hill |
26 |
M |
IL |
IN |
IN |
farmer |
| Jessie S. |
19 |
F |
KS |
PA |
PA |
wife |
Note: (The following information is from Gene and Rosalie Hill):
Charles Hill and Jessie Best were married 25 May 1900. Jessie was born in Clarendon, Donley County, TX in 1880 and was the adopted daughter of William J. and Matilda (Heivly) H. Best. (Wm. J. Best, 1822-1902 - born in Lycoming County PA, and Matilda Heivly were married in Williamsport, Pennsylvania on 8 May 1851.)
In 1905, Jessie and Charles were living next door to the Best family in Logan Township, Meade Co. The Bests were also in Logan Township in the 1900 census - listed as born in PA.
An obituary for William Q. Hill, Jr. was published in the Meade Globe, February 5, 1904. It states that he was born October 25, 1847, in Coshocton County, Ohio and died on February 4, 1904, - burial in the Minneola Cemetery.
In the 1905 Kansas census the Charles Hill family is listed in Logan Township, Meade County, KS, as follows: Chas. - 30; Jessie - 23; O. (Olive) - 4; H.W. (Holmes William) - 2.
Also, in the 1905 census, the Hugh Hill family is listed in Fowler Township, Meade County, as follows: Hugh - 76; Celestus - 56; W.M. - 31(?); Olive - 3. (Note: The latter was their granddaughter who apparently was at their home at the time of the Fowler Twp. census and at her parents home at the time of the Logan Twp. census.) William M. Hill's age should be about 28 rather than 31 (born 23 Sept 1883). Their nephew, Hugh Trober was also living with them.
By the time of the 1910 U.S. census, William M. Hill was also married - and living in the same household as Hugh and Celestes. The three families were listed as follows:
1910 U.S. Census - Fowler Township, Meade Co. KS
| Hugh M. Hill |
78 |
M |
PA |
PA |
IRE |
farmer |
| Celestis |
68 |
F |
IN |
OH |
IN |
wife |
| William M. Hill |
26 |
M |
KS |
PA |
IN |
farmer |
| Mary E. |
17 |
F |
KS |
IN |
IN |
wife |
1910 U.S. Census - Logan Township, Meade Co. KS
| Charles O. Hill |
36 |
M |
IL |
PA |
IN |
farmer |
| Jessie |
28 |
F |
KS |
U.S. |
U.S. |
wife |
| Zella O. |
9 |
F |
KS |
IL |
KS |
daughter |
| Holmes W. |
7 |
M |
KS |
IL |
KS |
son |
| Fena K. |
5 |
F |
KS |
IL |
KS |
daughter |
| Etta G. |
3 |
F |
KS |
IL |
KS |
daughter |
Note: Additional data from Gene and Rosalie Hill:
Charles O. Hill - b. 9-13-1874
Jessie - b. 5-6-1880
Olive Zella - b. 4-14-1901
Holmes Wm. "Budd" - b. 3-1-1903
Fena Katherine - b. 10-28-1904
Etta Gladys - b. 6-17-1906
Hugh and Celestes Hill died 8 February 1911 and 25 July 1913, respectively. They are buried at the Minneola Cemetery (about 3 miles south of Minneola, KS).
The families of both of their sons, William M. and Charles O. Hill were listed in the Meade County census in 1920 as follows:
1920 U.S. Census - Fowler Township, Meade Co. KS
| Charles O. Hill |
44 |
M |
IL |
PA |
IN |
farmer |
| Jessie |
39 |
F |
KS |
U.S. |
U.S. |
wife |
| Olive Z. |
18 |
F |
KS |
IL |
KS |
daughter |
| Holmes W. |
16 |
M |
KS |
IL |
KS |
son |
| Fena K. |
15 |
F |
KS |
IL |
KS |
daughter |
| Gladys E. |
13 |
F |
KS |
IL |
KS |
daughter |
| Hazel R. - (Ruby) |
6 |
F |
KS |
IL |
KS |
daughter |
| Virgil L. |
2yr 7mo |
M |
KS |
IL |
KS |
son |
1920 U.S. Census - Logan Township, Meade Co. KS
| W. M. Hill |
36 |
M |
KS |
OH |
IL |
farmer |
| Dora |
27 |
F |
KS |
OH |
IA |
wife |
| Melvin |
8 |
M |
KS |
KS |
KS |
son |
| Velma |
7 |
F |
KS |
U.S. |
U.S. |
daughter |
| Raford |
5 |
M |
KS |
U.S. |
U.S. |
son |
| Loren |
1 mo. |
M |
KS |
U.S. |
U.S. |
son |
Also, the family of Hugh Trober, son of Nancy J. (Hill) Trober, was living in Fowler Township, Meade County, KS, listed as follows: Hugh Trober - 59; Hortense - 32; Raymond - 11; Ruby - 5.