TOM G. HILL.

[Also mentioned as a cattleman: Chas. Hill.]

Believe Tom G. Hill was the name of the cattleman who resided in Arkansas City, who evidently had a brother, Robert Hill, who assisted him.

There were three “Tom Hill” men in the Arkansas City area at this time.

FROM THE NEWSPAPERS.

Thomas Hill, on Bitter Creek...

Arkansas City Traveler, November 3, 1880.

Beyond doubt some parties are stealing cattle from the different herds in the Territory. Thomas Hill, on Bitter creek, has lost twenty-one head, ten of them branded 0 on the left hip, and eleven with a diamond brand on right hip, and we have heard of a number of others who have sustained losses.

Tom Hill...

Arkansas City Traveler, July 5, 1882.

R. A. Houghton and Tom Hill shipped five carloads of cattle from this place last week, for which they received the highest market price at Kansas City.

Arkansas City Traveler, Wednesday, February 21, 1883.

Wire Fence Again. Senator Roberts, of Pennsylvania, accompanied by Mr. Windsor, arrived at this place Tuesday of last week, and remained several days looking up their interests in the stock speculation they are about to engage in, in the Territory south of this place. It was the intention of these gentlemen to fence in all that country west of the Arkansas River, and north of the Ponca Reserve, as far west as the Shakaska River; but another Cherokee, Mr. Mills, laid claim to the range as far east as Bitter Creek, and that portion of it was abandoned. The original intention as suggested by Mr. Gore, superintendent of the company, was to run the fence on the divide between Deer Creek and Chilocco, leaving a strip about four miles wide on the State Line. After losing the Shakaska country, he was overruled in this and the posts were set about one mile below the line, cutting off the ranges of Mr. Chambers, Mr. Hill, Scott & Topliff, Mr. Fox, and Mr. Parvin along the State Line, who had paid the Cherokee tax, besides a number who hadn’t paid, and several in the Territory who had paid. This wanton overriding of the rights of these gentlemen naturally produced trouble and the Secretary of the Interior interfered and stopped it.

Mr. Roberts then came out to see what had been done, and returned with the conviction that the people had not been treated fairly, and with the determination that they should be, and the result is that the rights of all those who have paid the tax will be respected. C. M. Scott’s range will be left entirely out, as well as all of his neighbors, and the fence placed west of the Ponca road and south of Chilocco Creek.

There is a disposition with some to crush out the company entirely, which is wrong. These gentlemen have the same right to the unoccupied range as anyone when they have paid the tax imposed by the Cherokees, and as long as they hold themselves within the bounds of right, without infringing on others, we would rather have them there than not have them. That the Cherokees have a right to impose a tax is recognized by the Department of the Interior, and having that right, it is clearly a matter for them to decide the terms and the parties to whom the grazing permit is granted. Those having paid the Cherokee tax are protected, and we cannot well see what more could in justice be demanded.

Arkansas City Traveler, April 9, 1884.

Messrs. Burke and Martin, whose range is on the Cimarron, last week purchased of Thos. Hill 350 head of stock cattle.

Arkansas City Republican, Saturday, January 31, 1885.

Houghton, Hill & Thomas and Cowley County Cattle Company have already lost about 100 head of cattle. Mr. Houghton thinks they will come out handsomely if the loss does not exceed 300 head. The cattle of this company were what is known as through Arkansas and Mississippi cattle. Old range cattle, he reports doing very well, and the loss will be small.

Arkansas City Republican, February 7, 1885.

Last week we slandered the cattle of Houghton, Hill & Thomas by unintentionally saying they were Arkansas and Mississippi cattle. We meant to say those which had died were of this kind. The way the error occurred was that the horse editor jumped over into the cow pasture.

Arkansas City Republican, September 5, 1885.

Thos. G. Hill has purchased Frank Beall’s resident property in the second ward. Consideration, $3,100. Mr. Hill and family will occupy the house.

T. G. Hill...

Arkansas City Republican, October 17, 1885.

R. A. Houghton & Co., is the name of the new grocery firm. T. G. Hill and G. W. Herbert are members of the firm. Success, gentlemen.

Hill & Allen [Not certain that this was “Tom Hill,” cattleman]...

Arkansas City Traveler, December 9, 1885.

Destructive Prairie Fire.

The prairie fire in the Territory on Friday was terribly destructive, sweeping the entire region of country from Chilocco Creek southward to Stewart’s ranch, on the Salt Fork. Besides the destruction of thousands of acres of prairie, large stacks of hay were burnt, and we hear that some cattle were caught in the flames. Among the sufferers by this wanton act of incendiarism, are Winfield Cattle Co. (Formerly Tomlin & Webb’s), and Pettit, who pastured his herd on the above named ranch, is also a severe loser. The ranches of Hill & Allen, Beach & Pickens, H. J. Chinn, and M. P. Johnson are also burnt over. A furious gale blew at the time of the conflagration, and the flames were carried with railroad rapidity. This leaves a gloomy prospect for carrying the herds through the winter.

NOT SO BAD.

Winfield Courier, Thursday, December 10, 1885.

W. J. Hodges came up from Ponca yesterday. He says the big Territory fire was not so bad as reported, though fearfully destructive. Only eight head of cattle, mostly calves, have yet been found burned to death. Tomlin and Webb have 200 tons of hay left, but all their buildings, fences, etc., were swept away. The ranches of Hill & Allen, Beach & Pickens, Dick Best, Botts, and others lost about all their feed, fences, etc. The range is all burned off and the cattle will have to be brought to the State. The loss of cattle was badly exaggerated. Lacey Tomlin and Ed McMullen went down to Tomlin & Webb’s ranch yesterday, but have not yet returned. T. & W. have 2,500 head of cattle.

Arkansas City Republican, Saturday, December 12, 1885.

A big fire occurred in the Territory Friday night, caused by the high wind. It burned Tomlin and Webb’s ranch, and all the buildings except the dwelling house; also all the hay, and is thought from four to six hundred head of cattle. Hill and Allen, Dick Best, Beach, and Pickens, and the ranch known as Botts Ranch lost everything.

T. G. Hill and brother, Robert Hill...

Arkansas City Traveler, December 30, 1885.

Dangerous Adventure.

Our fellow townsman, T. G. Hill, and his brother, Robert, had a narrow escape from drowning last week. Coming in from their cattle ranch on Wednesday, to spend Christmas at home, they attempted the ford across the Chikaskia, notwithstanding the stream was booming. The ford runs upstream, coming from the south, and when the team took to swimming, the current carried them down until the animals became entangled in the boughs of a cottonwood tree. The two men took out their cheap knives to cut the harness in order to liberate the struggling animals. One was cut loose in time to save him, and he swam back and finally made his way to camp. The other was held fast by the polestrap, which could not be reached, and was dragged under and killed. The Hill Bros. were an hour in the water, which was freezing cold, and when they reached shore they made for Richmond’s camp, two miles distant, where they warmed and dried their clothes. Tom came home and spent Christmas with his family, but Robert stayed by the stream till the current fell, then he recovered the buggy, which was not much damaged, and borrowing a team and harness, drove back to the ranch. This was quite a dangerous adventure, and will perhaps teach them greater caution when a booming river forbids passage.

T. G. Hill and brother...

Arkansas City Republican, Saturday, January 2, 1886.

T. G. Hill relates to us a thrilling story how he and his brother came near being drowned in the raging Chicaskie down in the Territory one day last week. They were coming to Arkansas City in a buggy from the ranch and in attempting to cross the swollen stream, the team, buggy, and men were washed down the stream a considerable distance. One horse was drowned; the other was finally gotten out after a hard struggle onto the shore. The Messrs. Hill repaired to a camp some two miles distant and thawed out.

Arkansas City Republican, Saturday, January 16, 1886.

T. G. Hill came up from his ranch down in the Territory Wednesday. He reports the storm as being much severer in the Territory than here. He says snow was one-third deeper there. He found his cattle all alive. The Rainwater Cattle Co., lost pretty heavily of their through cattle. The Wyeth cattle company lost 30 head in one bunch. Cattlemen owning through cattle lost heavily. The ice in Salt Fork was almost 13 inches thick. The storm was the most terrible known to cattlemen and another one of similar caliber will work fearful damage to cattle owners.

[In 1886 there was also reference to Chas. Hill, a cattleman, from Milwaukee, passing through Arkansas City on his way to his cattle ranch in the Territory.]

[Chas. Hill also mentioned later. Not certain it was the same Chas. Hill.]...

Charles Hill...

Arkansas City Republican, March 20, 1886.

Bitter Creek.

Charles Hill has moved to a farm near the city.

Charles H. Hill...

Arkansas City Republican, Saturday, May 29, 1886. From Tuesday’s Daily.

Chas. H. Hill, a cattleman from Milwaukee, passed through the city Monday en route for his ranch in the Territory.

Houghton, Hill & Co. [Believe this Hill was “T. G. Hill.”]

Arkansas City Republican, Saturday, July 31, 1886. From Monday’s Daily.

Houghton, Hill & Co., shipped 23 carloads of cattle Saturday night from Cale to St. Louis. They also shipped 13 loads yesterday.

T. G. Hill, cattleman, has daughter...

Arkansas City Republican, Saturday, March 5, 1887. From Friday’s Daily.

BIRTH. Born to Mr. and Mrs. T. G. Hill, of this city, yesterday, a daughter.