George W. Hilliard, one of the leading business
citizens of Brighton, Macoupin County, resides on the homestead farm in
section 17, Brighton township, where he was born in 1840. He is a son of the
late Amos Avery and Charlotte (Towne) Hilliard.
Few citizens of
Macoupin County enjoyed more prominence than did Amos Avery Hilliard, who
for more than 40 years was identified with almost every public enterprise
and successful agricultural or educational movement in his section. He came
of honorable New England ancestry, was born in New Hampshire, was reared on
a farm and educated in the local schools. Rural environments did not satisfy
his ambition, and he soon made his way to Boston, thence to New York and in
1832 made his first trip to the great West. With his capital he formed a
partnership with a citizen of Boston in the infant industry of pork packing,
locating at Alton, a convenient point from which to ship to the South. The
conditions which exist at present were then wanting and the business was
unsuccessful and Mr. Hilliard returned to New Hampshire with little in his
possession but experience. However, in 1834, he returned to Illinois, this
time to engage in farming, and he settled in what is now Brighton township,
Macoupin County, where he resided until his death on February 28, 1878. On
November 30, 1837, he was married to Charlotte Towne, who was a daughter of
Joseph and Sarah Towne, early residents of Hopkinton, near Concord, New
Hampshire. She was born August 4, 1802, came to Macoupin County with her
brother in 1833, and died August 8, 1845. In 1846 Mr. Hilliard was married
to Mrs. Harriet Towne, who died in 1872, and in 1873 he married Mrs. A. S.
Everett.
Amos Avery Hilliard possessed at the time of his death 425
acres of valuable land. In addition to general farming, he was early
interested in fruit growing and as early as 1845 began a daily shipment of
peaches, during the season, by boat to St. Louis, an undertaking which met
with much discouragement from neighboring farmers of less enterprise, but
which proved remunerative on account of Mr. Hilliard's methods. In later
years he discontinued the growing of peaches, as transportation facilities
from other points made the business less profitable. He then turned his
attention to the making of cider and vinegar and produced these with so fine
a flavor that he became widely known in this industry. He was truly one of
the pioneer horticulturists of the county, and so excellent were his views
and so valuable his suggestions, that he became a regular contributor to the
New York Tribune, Colman's Rural World and the Prairie Farmer. In politics a
Whig, he later became a Republican. He is survived by one son, the subject
of this sketch.
George W. Hilliard has continued the industries
which his father founded and, under better conditions, has expanded and
improved his products. His plant is of modern construction and his mills
produce pure apple cider, cider vinegar, cornmeal, graham flour, ground
feed, and he also deals in hardwood lumber, owning a fine sawmill. Mr.
Milliard owns some 6op acres of land and is one of the county's substantial
citizens.
On April 13, 1864, Mr. Hilliard was married to Celia
Adelaide Chase, and they have seven children, namely: Charles A., who has
one daughter, Marion; Stella C, who married Allen A. Davison, auditor for
Swift & Company of Chicago, and has twin daughters, — Dorothy and Florence;
Norman Rae and Wenona Rose (twins); Frank Wyman and Fannie Leah (twins); and
Gladys. The family belong to the Baptist Church. Politically Mr. Hilliard is
a Republican and fraternally is a Mason.
Extracted 2018 May 07 by Norma Hass from Biographical Sketches of Leading Citizens of Macoupin County, Illinois, published in 1904, pages 246-248.
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