John Henley Hill House

Duane's take

Here's my take on what the official marker has to say about the John Henley Hill House in Trinity County. Now settle in, because this story covers a lot of ground before it ever gets to Texas. John Henley Hill was born on November 30, 1839, in Richmond, Indiana.

And from Indiana, this man's life is going to take some turns. His first wife, Phoebe E. Branson, the mother of his two children, passed away in 1870.

Then, in 1871, John married her sister, Susanna Branson. Now the marker doesn't editorialize on that arrangement, and neither will I, but it does set the stage for what comes next. John and Susanna Hill, as a couple, were out in the world, doing things, going places.

In 1876, they found themselves at the Centennial International Exposition, watching a knitting machine demonstration, of all things. And it was there that they met a man named Colonel George W. Grant.

The Colonel apparently made quite an impression, because he encouraged the Hills to pull up stakes and relocate to Grant's Colony in Walker County, Texas. They did it. After one year managing that settlement, the Hill family moved on to Trinity County.

Where exactly they landed first, the marker says plainly, is unknown. But in 1880, John Hill purchased two hundred acres from a man named S.T. Robb, and construction on the house began.

It took two years, from 1880 to 1882, to build it right. And they did build it right. Two stories tall, sitting on one of the earliest plantation sites within the Elisha Roberts Survey, surrounded by giant southern magnolia, oak, cedar, and crepe myrtle trees, the house reflects what's called carpenter gothic architectural style.

Double hung windows, narrow boxcar siding, curved arches, carved decorative sawn brackets. Multiple porches giving the family outdoor space and some shelter from whatever Trinity County weather had to throw at them. Inside, white limestone fireplaces accent the first floor, alongside arched entries and natural wood elements.

A man born in Indiana took a strange road through grief, remarriage, a world's fair, a colony in Walker County, and a purchase of two hundred acres from S.T. Robb, and what he left standing on that hill is still there today, proud as the day it was built.

What the marker says

Sitting proudly on a hill surrounded by giant southern magnolia, oak, cedar and crepe myrtle trees, the John Henley Hill house is situated on one of the earliest plantation sites located within the Elisha Roberts Survey. John Henley Hill was born on November 30, 1839, in Richmond, Indiana. Following the death of his first wife and the mother of his two children, Phoebe E. Branson, in 1870, John married her sister, Susanna Branson, in 1871. in 1876, John and Susanna met Col. George W. Grant while participating in a knitting machine demonstration at the Centennial International Exposition. He encouraged them to relocate to Grant’s Colony in Walker County, Texas. After one year of managing the settlement, the Hill family moved to Trinity County. It is unknown where the Hills lived when they first arrived but in 1880, John Hill purchased 200 acres from S.T. Robb and began construction on this house for his family. Built from 1880 to 1882, the two-story hill house reflects elements of carpenter gothic architectural style, typical of rural architecture of the period. Features include double hung windows, narrow boxcar siding, curved arches and carved decorative sawn brackets. Multiple porches and entries to the house provide outdoor space and cover from the elements. White limestone fireplaces accent the first floor along with arched entries and natural wood elements. The John Henley Hill house stands as a representation of early Trinity County history and rural architecture. RECORDED TEXAS HISTORIC LANDMARK – 2016