Biography

Member of the Hill Family DNA project Group 08

Robert Hill, son of Sion Hill and Elizabeth Smith, was born in Surry, Virginia about 1768^[1] He married Tabitha, surname unknown/unproven, but possibly Browne^[2].

Robert's parents apparently married in Surry, Virginia before 20 May 1677^[3]. his mother, Elizabeth Smith, being the widow of John Spiltimber) and had three children. Robert's mother Elizabeth may have been a daughter of Nicholas Smith, but has not been confirmed^[4].

Children of Robert Hill and Tabitha:

Named in his 1762 will (dated 18 June 1762, probated April 1765):^[5].

• wife Tabitha^[6]
• son William Hill^[6]
• son Green Hill
• son Sion Hill
• son Abner Hill
• son Thomas Hill
• daughter Tabitha Chapman
• daughter Agnes Harrington
• daughter Lewraina Chapman
• daughter Ann Steed
• daughter Mary Bryant
• daughter Milbry
  • grandson, John Chapman (of which daughter not stated in transcription)

Robert died between 18 Jun 1762, when he wrote his will, and April 1765, when his will was proven, at Halifax County, Virginia^[7].

Tithables

year? parish? - Sion Hill, Rob: Hill (2)^[8]

1698, 10 June: Southwarke Parish, Surry County, Tithables^[9]

• Sion HIll, Sr., Sion, Jr.
• Robert HIll

[1699], Surry County, Tithables^[10]

• Sion HIll, Sr., Sion, Jr., Richd. Hall [Hill?] later entry has Hill^[11]
  • much later...
• Robert HIll

1702: Tithables in Southwark Parish, Surry County, Virginia (June 10, 1702)

• Richard Hill
• John HIll
• Robert HIll
• Sion Hill, Sr.
• Sion Hill, Jr.

Will

Transcriptions of his will vary.

Transcription: "Robert Hill....to my Beloved wife Tabitha Hill the use of three Negroes to wit Sambo, Sarah and Bess...I also lend her six cows and calves and all the household goods...two horses...to my son William Hill a Negroe girl called Dealse...to my son Green Hill a Negroe called Simon that he is now possessed with....to my son Sion Hill the plantation ...also two Negroes one called Toney the other called Pompey...to son Abner Hill a Negroe called Peter and a girl called Bibby...to Daughter Tabetha Chapman a Negro fellow called Jammy that she is now possessed with...Daughter Agnes Arrington a negroe called Jack that she is now possessed with...Daughter Ann Steel a Negro girl called Tuggy...Daughter Mary Bryant a negro girl called Daffeny that she is now possess'd with and also I give her a negroe wench called Jenny...Daughter Milbry my plantation...two Negroes one Named Hannah the other named Barbey and all the cattle I have given her. 18 June 1762. signed. April Court 1766.^[6]

Transcription: 'He [Robert Hill] made his will in Halifax on 18 Jun 1762, probated Apr 1765 as follows: to son Green Hill a negro called Simon; to son Sion Hill the plantation we now live on south side of Blue March, after decease of my wife, to son Abner Hill a negro called Peter; to son Thomas Hill fifty pounds Virginia currency; to daughter Tabitha Chapman and daughter Agnes Harrington a negro each; to daughter Lewraina Chapman two pounds, 10 shillings; daughter Ann Steed a negro; daughter Mary Bryant land on both sides of Red Bud Creek below mouth of Crab Tree; and daughter Milbry all land above Crab Tree. Cattle to grandson, John Chapman. Sons Abner, Sion, and Green Hill Executors (Book 1, p.159).'

Abstract: 1765, Robert Hill: wife Tabitha; Green, Sion, Abner, Milory (Halifax County, NC)^[12]

• I believe that Tabitha "The Elder" was not mentioned in her father's will as her death proceeded his in 1762. [Boren-314] Note - If I recall, this comment was made when we had only this abstract to go on. Other transcriptions of his will provided more information, including daughter Tabitha Chapman and wife Tabitha. ~ Noland-165, 31 July 2018 (updated 18 December 2021)

Marriage year:

'Robert Hill is shown with a wife, Tabitha, on 15 Jan 1721 when he made a sale of land to Henry Browne. He patented 145 acres in Isle of Wight, Virginia, January 23, 1724, and deeded this land on the south side of Fountain Creek to Arthur Jordan the "plantation where I now live." He was styled "Junior" because his uncle Robert was residing nearby. Fountain Creek evidently ran into Northampton for on May 22, 1725, he was granted 160 acres on the south side of Fountain Creek in Northampton Co., North Carolina. This may be about the time that a 25 mile strip along the border of Virginia and North Carolina was found to be in North Carolina and ceded by Virginia. Robert Hill patented 700 acres at different times in Edgecombe County which became Halifax in 1758^[13]

Not Him

Robert Hill - the uncle referred to earlier. He was married to Elizabeth from 1693/4 to at least 1724. His estimated birth year is c1670 (considering he was married by 1693/4). He died in 1740.

• Robert Hill married Elizabeth Marriott, widow of Luke Missel, who was named Elizabeth Hill in her father's 1707 will.
• Jan1693/4 "Ordered that the Sheriff sumons Robert Hill and Eliza [Marriott] his wife to appeare at the next court and produce an inventory of the estate of Luke Mizle deced". [Surry Court Orders 1671-1713, p96]^[14]
• "Robert Hill and Elizabeth continued to live in Surry County for another two decades. In 1703 Robert Hill acquired 200 a. on the other side of the river, which he and his wife Elizabeth sold in 1724. They moved into what became Brunswick County where Robert Hill died in 1740, apparently a widower."^[14]

Marriage [of another Robert] to Elizabeth Marriott: Elizabeth was named administrator of her husband's will in 1691, after which she married Robert Hill: "Luke was perhaps 33 years old when he died, and his widow must have been still relatively young herself with two small children to support. At some point during the administration of his estate, between 28 September 1693 and 3 January 1694, Elizabeth Mizell remarried to Robert Hill, who was a neighbor of both the Mizells and Marriotts. Elizabeth Hill was still alive and living in Surry when Matthias Marriott made his will.

"On 12 June 1707, Mathias Marriott made a will which mentions three children, including a daughter named Elizabeth Hill. By elimination, she seems most likely to have been the same person who was married to Luke Mizell and then to Robert Hill. The only other possibility is the wife of Sion Hill Jr., Robert Hill’s nephew – but he was probably too young to have married any daughter of Mathias Marriott. (Sion Hill Jr. does not appear in the tithables until 1697, thus was not born until late 1680 or early 1681.)"^[15]

Note: Bob Baird (author of Bob's Genealogy Filing Cabinet) does not mention a wife other than Elizabeth, widow of Luke Mizell, who appears to be the daughter "Elizabeth Hill" mentioned in Mathias Marriott's 1707 will. One of the profiles representing the uncle of this Robert [Hill-49] - Hill-20180 - has an Elizabeth Halleman attached as wife, but the text does not offer compelling evidence that she is the wife of the Robert Hill portrayed (son of Robert Hill & Mary Webb, uncle of this Robert).

Location Notes

Both Isle of Wight and Surry counties were listed as where children of Sion and Elizabeth Hill were born. Both counties existed at the time, and are next to each other. (See Virginia County Formation Maps.)

Tithables

• May 7 , 1706 , William Brown of Surry " true heir of Colonel William Brown of said county , Gent , " deeded to Robert Hill 150 acres on south side Main Blackwater Swamp in the Lower Parish of said county on Mill Branch.
• 1721 , Robert Hill and Tabitha , his wife , deeded the same land to Henry

Browne , witnesses , Richard Hill , John Criffe , Edd Harris .

• in1724 Robert Hill of Isle of Wight county was granted 145 acres in that county .
• Jan. 23 , 1724 , Robert Hill deeded to Arthur Jordan , 145 acres on south side Fountain's creek in Isle of Wight county , plantation " on which the said Hill is now living
• Tabitha , his wife , relinquishes dower , witnesses , Thomas Halleman , Sr. and Jr. In *1725 , Robert Hill , Jr. , was granted now land in Isle of Wight county , 233 acres on north side Fountain's creck at Robert Hill's lino .
• May 22 , 1725 , Robert Hill was granted 160 acres on south side of Fountain's crook , Northampton Co. , N. C ;
• Oct. 14 , 1737 ,Robert Hill deeded to Thomas Deloach , Jr. , 80 acres of this grant , and on the same day Deloach deeded the same property to Thomas Tarver .
• In 1738 , Robert Hill was granted 200 acres on south side Blue Marsh , Edgecombe Co. , . C. N.
• on Aug. 1 1740 , he conveyed 75 acres of this land to William Hickman , witnesses , Abner Green and Thomas Hill .
• The will of Robert Hill is in the records of the North Carolina Historical Commission , Raleigh , and is dated , June 10 ,1762 , and was proved at the April court , 1765 , Halifax Co. , N. C. , in it he mentions the children named below and also grandson , John Chapman ; the executors were sons , Abner , Sion and Green ; witnesses , Jesse Lec , Thomas Thrower and Wilson Williams . To son , Sion , he left the plantation "whercon we now live " on south side of Blue Marsh , Etc ..

[1]

Research Notes

Note on merge - "A child's birth and death date (Hill-620 born 1670 died 1762) should not be before a parent was 13 years old (mother Smith-10287 born 1658)."

Deeds

• Seventeenth Century Isle of Wight County, Virginia, Chapter XXX. Will and Deed Book I, 1662-1686, page 584

• SION HILL of Surry County; whereas George Archer by writing, 30 Jan.,1653, did assign to my father ROBERT HILL, decd, a plantation in Isle ofWight described as a sale from George Bressy to Geo. Archer 7 Dec 1653,now in possession of Edward Wickers and for 4390 lbs tbco paid by EdmundWickers sell all right in the same.

Wife Elizabeth signs dower.

Will for Robert Hill

link title

• Robert Hill....to my Beloved wife Tabitha Hill the use of three Negroes to wit Sambo, Sarah and Bess...I also lend her six cows and calves and all the household goods...two horses...to my son William Hill a Negroe girl called Dealse...to my son Green Hill a Negroe called Simon that he is now possessed with....to my son Sion Hill the plantation ...also two Negroes one called Toney the other called Pompey...to son Abner Hill a Negroe called Peter and a girl called Bibby...to Daughter Tabetha Chapman a Negro fellow called Jammy that she is now possessed with...Daughter Agnes Arrington a negroe called Jack that she is now possessed with...Daughter Ann Steel a Negro girl called Tuggy...Daughter Mary Bryant a negro girl called Daffeny that she is now possess'd with and also I give her a negroe wench called Jenny...Daughter Milbry my plantation...two Negroes one Named Hannah the other named Barbey and all the cattle I have given her. 18 June 1762. signed. April Court 1766.

Children and Grand Children Robert Hill and Tabitha

• Children: William Hill, Green Hill, Sion Hill, Abner Hill, Thomas Hill, Tabitha Chapman, Agnes Arrington, Lewraina Arrington, Ann Steed, Mary Bryant, Milbry Hill.

Grandson, John Chapman.

Slaves owned by Robert Hill

• Sambo, Sarah, Ben, Dealse, Simon, Loney, Pompey, Peter, Bibby, Jemmy, Jack, Tuggy, Daffeny, Jenny, Hannah, Barbery.

Hill m Mizell - From Mizell-72:

There is, however, an actual link to the family of Sion Hill. Elizabeth, wife of Luke Mizell II, was proably the daughter of Mathias Marriot. She was widowed in 1693 and remarried to Robert Hill III by 3 January 1694. This Robert Hill was the son of Robert Hill and the brother of Sion Hill. So the widow of Luke Mizell II became the sister-in-law, not wife, of Sion Hill.^[16][17]

From Wills and Administration of Surry County, page 94:^[18]

MEAZEL, Luke: Est.- On back of the Inventory was written that Elizabeth, wife to Robert Hill, appeared in Court and swore to Inventory. 6 Oct., 1694. Signed Robert Hill, Eliza. Hill. Book 5, p. 7.

MEAZEL, Luke: Nuncupative Will. Bequest to daughter Elizabeth, after death of wife. Mentions daughter Sarah. 4 July, 1693. Wit: Thos. Smith, John Greene, Eliza. Binam. Book 4, p. 308.

Elizabeth Marriott - Elizabeth Marriott (1687-aft.1711): The June 1707 will of Mathias Marriott names his daughters, among them "Elizabeth Hill".^[19]

• See Research Notes for a discussion of why the Robert Hill who married Elizabeth Marriott is the son of Robert Hill, not Sion.

Robert was born about 1678. He passed away in 1766.

Sources

1. ↑ Boddie, John Bennett, Southside Virginia Families, Volume II, Pacific Coast Publishers, Redwood City, CA, 1958
2. ↑ Virginia, Surry, Will and Deed Book 7, page 391, FHL #007645823, Image 421 of 1075, familysearch.org
3. ↑ Virginia, Surry, Will and Deed Book 2, page 139, FHL #007645828, Image 411 of 746, familysearch.org
4. ↑ Brayton, John Anderson, Colonial Families of Surry and Isle of Wight Counties, Virginia, Volume 2
5. ↑ North Carolina, Halifax, Will Book 1, pages 169-160, FHL #004755346, Images 172-173 of 485, familysearch.org
6. ↑ ^{6.0 6.1 6.2} Will of Robert Hill, 18 June 1762; proved in the April 1766 session of the Court of Halifax County, North Carolina. Source: Halifax County Will Book Volume 1, 1758-1774, pages 159-60, as cited by http://www.freeafricanamericans.com/halifax.htm (accessed 18 December 2021).
7. ↑ North Carolina, Halifax, Will Book 1, pages 169-160, FHL #004755346, Images 172-173 of 485, familysearch.org
8. ↑ Edgar E. MacDonald, Richard Slatten. Surry County Virginia Tithables, 1668-1703, page 87 (not available in snippit view). Page 93 has a Sion Hill and Robert Hill with taxes apparently paid by Joshua Proctor? (Joshua's name does not follow a number, so someone else may have been listed as head.) Other pages not available in snippit view mentioning Sion &/or Robert: 98 (together), 102 (just the 2), 111 (maybe 1691... just Joshua Proctor & Robert Hill and later just Sion), 116 & 118 (just Sion; p 116 has Robert in household of Geo: Blow), 126 maybe a census? (just Sion), 131 (1696, Sion & Robert, but not with numbers - perhaps Wm: Rogers Junr is head?)
9. ↑ Edgar E. MacDonald, Richard Slatten. Surry County Virginia Tithables, 1668-1703, page 143 (Google Books, accessed 19 December 2021).
10. ↑ Edgar E. MacDonald, Richard Slatten. Surry County Virginia Tithables, 1668-1703, page 157.
11. ↑ MacDonald & Slatten, Surry County Virginia Tithables, page 167; Robert may be on p 168, but that page is not available in snippit view - page 176 has Robt Hill (1).
12. ↑ USGenWeb, Halifax County will Abstracts, file contributed by Connie Ardrey
13. ↑ Virginia, Surry, Will and Deed Book 7, page 391, FHL #007645823, Image 421 of 1075, familysearch.org
14. ↑ ^{14.0 14.1} "Mizell Citations in Surry County, Virginia" (pdf), posted in Bob's Genealogy Filing Cabinet (accessed 19 May 2020)
15. ↑ "Did Luke Mizell Jr. Marry Elizabeth Marriott?", Bob's Genealogy Filing Cabinet (accessed 19 May 2020).
16. ↑ Mizell Family of Surry County, Virginia
17. ↑ Surry Records, Mizell Family of Surry County, Virginia (accessed 14 December 2021).
18. ↑ Eliza Timberlake Davis, Wills and Administrations of Surry County, Virginia, 1671-1750 (accessed 13 December 2021).
19. ↑ See the image of the 1707 will attached to the profile of Matthias Marriott (abt.1642-1707).

See also:

• Behind the Name: SIÔN (Welsh for John)
• Hatcher, Patricia Law. Abstract of Graves of Revolutionary Patriots Dallas, TX, USA: Pioneer Heritage Press, 1987. (Ancestry Online Publication, 1999)
• Ancestry Family Trees (Family Tree files submitted by Ancestry members): http://trees.ancestry.com/pt/AMTCitationRedir.aspx?tid=12132211&pid=1399

Please edit, add, or delete anything in this text, including this note. Be bold and experiment! If you make a mistake you can always see the previous version of the text on the Changes page.

This profile is a collaborative work-in-progress. Can you contribute information or sources?