Family of James Matthew HILL and Laura Emaline SMITH

Husband: James Matthew HILL

Wife: Laura Emaline SMITH

Child 1: Jane HILL

Child 2: Elizabeth HILL

Child 3: Emma Lee HILL

Child 4: Rachel HILL

	Spouse: John Alexander SPENCER, at home.

Additional Information

Child 5: Carrie Bell HILL

Child 6: Rosa Mae HILL

Child 7: Matthew HILL

Note on Husband: James Matthew HILL

According to Aunt Fanny Moorefield, as told to John Wesley Wall, Jim Hill was found by the Hill family in a briar patch near their home. The Hills raised him and gave him their name but never knew who his parents were.

James "Jim" Matthew Hill remained single until his mother and grandfather passed away. His first marriage produced one daughter (I do not have the name) Jim was a blacksmith and farmer. He was sixty years old when he died, leaving his young wife and seven children, oldest being 10, youngest was 2 months.

The Hill family were among the early settlers in Stokes, North Carolina . James Matthew Hill owned a farm of over five hundred acres, and at one time he owned slaves. In 1990 the homeplace was still standing over 150 years old, a log structure having a one half upper story. The chimney made of native rock was still in use in 1990. The large front door made of oak shows marks of abuse put there by the Yankee soldiers as they entered the house during the Civil War.

The family cemetey is located on Snow Hill Church road about a mile east of the church, and on the left it containes the graves of James and Laura Emaline Hill, Matthew and Pauline Hill Spencer, John and Rachel Spencer and Emma Lee Fulcher.

Note on Wife: Laura Emaline SMITH

Records show that on July 31 1894, Emaline Hill, known as Granny Hill, deeded one acre of land to the Presbyterians who built the first church, located between Big Snow Creek and Little Snow Creek. Taking Snow from the creeks and Hill from the lady who donated the land the church was named Snow Hill. After several years, the Methodist, through the interest of Charlie Wall, a son-in-law, bought the church for $250 and began to use it. Emaline continued to live on the farm raising the seven children. Times were hard and she had to sell off land in order to pay the taxes and supply money for the family. Years passed and the girls began to marry and leave home. Matt, the only son and youngest child, brought his bride to the homeplace. To this union was born a daughter. Matt died when the child was young and she and her mother continued to live at the home place with Carrie and Granny Hill. Trudie Fulcher, daughter of Emma Lee who died with Trudie was born, also came to live with her grandmother.

Granny Hill gave land to each of her children, the homeplace went to Lelia Hill Mabe.