Isaac Hill

Born 28 September 1806 in Brighton, Pennsylvania to John Hill and Nancy Warrick
Married Mary Jane Miller 27 October 1852 in Salt Lake City
Isaac-Elizabeth-William Alonzo-Dixie
Died 25 June 1879 in Fish Haven
Buried in St. Charles

1850 Census
1860 Census 
1870 Census

I found the drawing shown here on this website.  It's the only picture I've ever seen that's supposed to be of Isaac. If you can confirm that this is (or is not) Isaac, I'd love to hear from you. 

This history of Isaac was written by William Preston Cook. You can see another copy of Isaac's journal here which is worth looking at because the formatting here is not all correct. There is also a good history of Isaac posted here. And a brief biography here- this is interesting because it links to places where Isaac is mentioned in the JS papers.

A few years ago Andrew Jensen, L.D.S. Church Historian, having learned of the existence of a personal diary kept by Isaac Hill, inquired of its whereabouts through his descendants at Huntington, Emery, Utah.

The family knew nothing of the diary at the time, but finally located it in Idaho, in the possession of Isaac Hill, son of Isaac Hill. It was sent to Elizabeth Hill Cook Johnson, a daughter of Isaac Hill, who ask her daughter-in-law Mary Ann Mackelprang Cook to make a copy of it before turning it over to the LDS Church.

In about 1959 Pearl Cook Day, a great-granddaughter of Isaac Hill, went to the Church Historian’s office in Salt Lake City and made a rough draft copy of his diary. This draft together with Mary Ann Cook’s copy is the basis of the following history. By comparing the two copies I have tried to use the exact wording, spelling, etc. as used by Isaac Hill. The only change in the format is that the dates are all in columnar form on the left side, and the first word of each line is capitalized. These two rules were apparently not always followed in the original diary. [The formatting is a little different here that in the original because I can't indent properly.]

Mary Ann Cook said that the diary was “written on 6x8 inch sheets of thin blue paper in a very condensed form. The mice had fringed the edges and many words were demared by age....It is a great joy to all relatives to that in passing through all the hardships and trials of the gospel being restored in these last days that this man proved faithful to the end.”

The original diary in his own hand writing is in the Daughters of Pioneer Building in Salt Lake City, Utah.


RECORD OF ISAAC HILL FROM THE TIME HE JOINED THE CHURCH AND SOME EVENTS BEFORE

1805 Sept. 20 Isaac Hill was born.

1810 March John Hill, father to Isaac Hill died. In April Mother moved to my grandfather’s.
Oct. My brother John was born.

1818 My Mother married William Moon and moved to East Liverpool, Ohio.

1822 Feb. 4 I was bound in apprentis o A. Hays to learn the Blacksmithing.

1825 Dec. 1 Left Hayes

1826 Feb. 22 Set out to hunt work
28 Stopped in Pittsburg
March 26 Set in to work in steam bote yard at J. Grahams in Penn., Bever, Co.
Dec. Set up shop in Est. Liverpool, Ohio

1827 June 7 Married to Mary Bell

1828 April 4 My daughter Nancy was born.
Aug. 2 I joined the Medithes Church.

1830 Feb. 14 My daughter Elizabeth was born.

1832 July 13 My daughter Lusinda was born.

1833 Aug. I joined the saints in Oct. bot a part of city plot at Kirtland Stars fell
Nov. 13 Church driven from Jackson Co.

1834 Apr. 5 Moved to Kirtland with family.
May 8 The temple in Kirtland commenced.
Camp started to Mo. With Joseph at the head.
1834 June 9 I commendd to work on Temple.
Sept. Book of covenants compiled.
Oct. Took 1st mission with Evan Green
Dec. 21 Daughter Mary was born.
Chopping wood all winter

1835 Feb 15 Twelve apostles chosen
Mar. Wife Mary fel sick.
May Commenced to make brick for tempel COM
16 Seventy chosen.
1835 July 16 Wife very sick. Joseph Smith performs a great miracle on her.
Aug. Wife very sick.
Sept. 1 Wife dies.
Sept. 8 Mother visits Kirtland.
Dec. Work on temple bond at bumps.

1836 Jan. Works on tempel. Heebrue taut
March 14 Elders received their endowments.
Tempel dedicated.
April 26 Married to Eliza Rite
April 28 Started to Mosury with ox team and family
June 28 Landed in Mosury, Ray Co.
Mobing in Mo. At this time.
July Camped in woods to hide from mob.
Aug. 3 Started to Colwell Co. 4_______ilous for tempel
Camped in woods thunder storm
Aug. 14 Started 40 miles to mills to grind on ox mill grate.
Thunder and lightening rain.
Aug. 15 Fishing river hie have to swim 5 times to get over with things.
Sept. Built cabin on log crick to winter in.
First hous in Far West.
Oct. 20 Bot land on steer crick had to hunt wild gaim to live on this winter.
Dec. 25 Cot two long Rakoon.

1837 Feb. 22 Wife confined–child died, waid 14 lbs.
March Built house on steer crick 4 miels S. E. (or N.E.) Of Far West. First settlement by
Mormons in Davis Co. Mo.
April 14 Moved to ad hous and fenced 10 akers of ground this spring.
Aug. 4 Dug foundation for tempel in Far West.
Rold wheel barer 36 miles to my work.
July 10 Started to for Levenworth to make brick for government - 2 months.
Sept. Maid brick on grand river for _______________ at mil port.
Very wet season this winter hunt wild game and maid nails for Bucanon,
Percusion at Kirtland O. Many saints left the church. Joseph S. com to Mo.

1838 April 6 Conference in Far West. Word on Bensons mill on shol crick at Rockford. At this
month I engage to make brick on fishing river for ges.
June 7 Starts to fish river. Rols a wheel barer 30 mil in les than a day with brick mols and clos on bad rode.
July 3 Com hom to visit family on forth, tended selebration in Far West. Rigdon makes a speech inflames the minds of our enimy and purcusion emmences from this date.
Com to make brick for Led Co. in clay Co. Mo.
Aug. Riot at galiton at election. John Butlar nooks down 20 men. Mobing in Davis County.
Sept. 7 Com hom started to fite mob in Davis Co. Had a hard time, traveled 3 days to East Fork of Grand River. Milesha ordered out to stop the trouble tha join mob and I got hom.
1838 Oct. Grate excitement in Mosury.
Oct. 16 Started to go to Diamen Davis County to fite mob. Snow storm.
17 Galiton sacked and burnt.
19 Comes home. William McCleon, Oliver Cowdry, John Whitmore left the church.
26 Crossed river batel. David Pator kild and Carter and others.
28 Bogs army apeers before Far West. Cary kild by Dunihue.
29 Joseph Smith given up to his enemy.
29 Hans Mill Masicree. 17 men and 2 boys murdered in a brutal maner and many wounded. David Whitmer left the Church.
31 Far West given up. 60 mormons carried to jail and the mormons in general forst to sine away their real estate at the pint of the bainet and leave the state in 6y months.
Thomas Marsh apostised.
Nov. 10 Diainon taken and the inhabtenc forst to leave in 10 days or bee shot. The peepel genarly had to leeve thar property and flee to save thar livs. I tok John Smith hom to my hou. This winter I kild som deer and went 14 trips to Davis County for provisions for the poor mostly in the nite to avoid beeing shot. I went to the plat river to help to build a mill

1839 Feb. Sold out my farm for a hors.
Mar. 9 Left for Ill. With 1 hors and wigon wife 4 children. Left property behind.
Apr. 2 Landed in Ill. At Quinsy. 5 stoped in big ncek ______ and bilt a hous to liv in. First Mormons in Iowa.
May Joseph Smith got away from prison.
June 19 Comenced to make brick at wodvill.
July 30 My son Wm. M. Hill born, very siklyl in Nauvoo.
Sept. 10 Fell sick of Ague and wife also sufferd rit unto deth for the want of care.
Oct. 6 First conferenc in Navoo. First batising for the ded mother Nimon by Cl unsted.

1840 Moved neer Comerc and stoped til spring.
Mar. 12 Moved to Comerce Nauvoo.
June Had a felon on finger.
July Had a sick spell - Bishop Patrig died Aug. or Sept.
Oct. 12 Commended to work for tempel in Nauvoo.

1841 Jan. Comenced to work on Nauvoo hous first Mormons from England.
Feb. 22 Broke ground for tempel foundation.
Mar. 12 James Millar died.
April 6 Laid corner stons, orgnised Nauvoo Leegon. Joseph and Signey re babtised.
April 28 Comenced to make brick for Law.
This sumner had good helth and prosparity, maid 500,000 brick for Law.

1842 Maid brick for Laws this sumer, maid 900,000
Mar. 9 Ordained priest.
Mar. 9 I receved the folowing patriarchal blessing.
The patriarchal blesing of Isaac Hill son of John and Nancy Hill. Born 28 Sept.
1806 in Bever County Penn. Brother Isaac I lay my hands on your hed in the naim
of Jesus Christ to bles you and ordain you a Priest in this Church of Christ to preach
repentanc and remison of sins thru Jesus Christ and the encuranc of faith on his naim
to the end and the day shall com when you shall hav the priesthood after the order
of Malchisdec and you shall preech to the peepel having faith in God even him who
is your Father hoe will preserv you up and set you to pruning his vinyard and he will
seet you free that you may bee free wha in you have been bound and make you free
in spirit where you hav been bound in spirit with a desier to preech to the peepel
and expound and expostule and to reason out of the scripturs and dto loos your
tung and bles you with prudenc as you will bee very prudant and pruve yourself to
bee wise and prudant before the Lord and hee will bles you that you may bles your
hous and bee a blessing unto them to cultavate thare minds and adorn them with
inteligants and buty to prepare them as a blesing from the hand of the allmity and
hee will polish them after the fimiltude of a palis and it shal come to pass when you
shal receve a knolage of thees things perfectly and know of a shurity conserning
your inheratanc and the promist blesings for you and your children and your Fathers
hous and your linage and the time shal com when you shal know of a shrity the
desins of God conserning you and the puposes and the blesings conserning you that
is promist you tuching your linage both spirituly and temperly but suffice it to say that
you shal bee preserved till you hav them reveel to you and if faithfull your years shal
bee many you shal have and your postarity after you and you shall hav a crown of
etarnel lives in the mansions of your Fathers. Thes blessings I seel upon your hed in
the naim of Jesus even so amain. Given under the hands of Hyrum Smith at
Nauvoo, Ill. March 9, 1842. Recorded in Book, Page 33, blesing 365.
Apr. 8 Ordained Elder
Oct. 30 First meeting on tempel flor
Nov. 17 Started on mishon to Penn
28 On steem bote when it sunk at mouth Ohio river
On steem bote on Ohio. Landed at Est Liverpool and comenced to preech.

1843 Jan. In Penn. Beyer Co. preaching baptised first converts in this month.
Mar. 14 Started for hom by steam bote. Ice bound at St. Luis 2 weeks.
Apr. 12 Landed at hom Nauvoo maid brick this sumer at the old place in pardnership with
Laws. My brother works with me. Maid well out bilt addishon to my hous giv to the poor som exitement this winter on acount of plurity.

1844 This year percution comences and som leves church much dificulty on account of
plurity.
May Opisishon printing pres started and destrioed by non mormons
June Grate excitement the mobes begin to solect at sevral places and on 27 Joseph and
Hiram Smith was murderid at Carthag jail
28 The inhabitanc flees for feer the ded bodys brot to Nauvoo grait morning many
apostiz the 12 returns from thare mishons

1844 This sumer Aug Sid Rigdon turned out of church. B. Young taks the place of Joseph
Smith. Samuel Smith dies this sumer. I maid brick in co with John Butlar
Dec. 8 I was ordaind hi priest
9 I was ordaind counseler to Bis Luis

1845 This spring I ingaiged to make brick in co with E. Fulan
Mar. 24 My son Isaac was born in Nauvoo
Sept. 20 The inhabtanc rose in mas to burn out the Mormons. Grate trubel in the land. Som
kild on both sids
Aug. 2 My son Isaac died.
Oct. All is confusion in Nauvoo
Nov. The M agrees to leeve the staite
Dec. I comenc to work in hunters b shop

1846 Jan. 1 Rec induement
Feb. At work in shop
Mar. Still in shop
Apr. Doing well in shop
May In shop. My brother sent mee 40 dolars in cash. Bot orgen with it
June 7 Leves Nauvoo for the wilderness
July 16 Crost mosury river at Counsel Blus with famly
Mormon batalion started
20 Crost elk horn with fam
Aug. 3 Crost loop fork
10 Started a crost the plains for punkon
18 Com to the runing water did not like to winter now the conduct of Bishop Milar
heer stay til sep 10 started
down river travel
Sept. 12 Nauvoo Batel
10 days stop on mosury botisms found Good place to winter neer big Suix river
stay heer 4 days
24 Left family to hunt main camp
25 Stop on Omahaw Lake
26 Stop at mouth of 2 Cricks
27 Stops in Blu this day. I kild a goos.
28 Camp on crick. Cecked a larg turtel
29 Travel all day. Kild a squirl eat him raw
30 Camp at Mormon tent
Oct. 7 Found winter quarters held councel with the 12 stay heer 8 days got sore leg.
8 Started for famly
12 Found famly 25 mils from share I left them
20 Stoped for the winter built a fort stay til spring this winter we was trubled som with
indens. I hunt wil gaim this winter and found 18 bee trees and kild 75 turky 6 deer
10 wolvs 2 pose 4 racoon 3 wold gees 1 oter 1 bager 1 catamount skunk squirls
rabits duks prary hens no not browin traded som with the traders at viamilon fort
Dec. 14 My son Mamony was born.

1847 April Started for winter quarters with famly. Seen 40 elk in drove today. Was 20 days
travling and stoping. Pineers started for valy March 26
20 Stoped in w g on Floranc
May 2 My son Lamony died
9 I started to St. Joseph to work. Works there this sumer. Returns in Sep.
July 24 Pineers enters valy of s lake and som return in De..

1848 Jan I went a fishing 40 mils up river to a lake got lost in the wods lay out all nite alone
very cold next morning found camp cacht barl fish
Mar Moved to jowagon Bay (or Iowa Yon Beey) maid form
July Started to Savan to work
Aug. 20 Return home

1849 March Farming tis spring and in July went down to river neer old fort carny to make brick
Sept. I return hom I now begin to prepare to go to the vally
Oct. David Yersly died

1850 March I started Blacksmithing
May 30 I started for S. Lake with family
June 7 Crost mosury river
15 The colry broke out in our train
July 1 My wife Eliza died with olry
Sep. 5 I first enterd the G S L valley
15 I make firs a dobys
Oct. 12 Elizabeth maried to J Yhite (Kite)

1851 Feb. B Y apinted govner
March I filt hous in 2 ward and moves to it
Apr. 10 I was chosen Bishops counclar in 2 ward
May Comenc to make adoby bord with Mrs. Turl
Aug. 20 My daughter Elizabeth died.
Oct. 28 I maried Marcha Milar

1852 Feb. Lusinda Maried
May Comenc to work for public works
Aug. Bot 15 ackers of land in big field
Oct. 27 Maried Mary J Milar

1853 Sep. 22 Elizabeth born

1854 Jan 16 Carelin born
I worked in doby this sumer for publick work this sumer gras hoppers bad and
much of the crop distroied
Dec. 28 I was ordained Bishop over 2 ward.

1855 This sumer the wheete crop distroied by g hopers
Aug. 6 My son Brigham born son of Mary
Nov. 29 My son John born son of Martha

1856 This sumer and spring famin in this valy
This harvest midling good
Sep. 10 My son Brigham died
Oct. 7 Marthas mother tryed to presuad hur to leeve mee and went to pres Young for that
parpes was refusd refermation comenced in this month

1857 April 9 I was cald to go to Canada on a mishon to preech and on the 21 I took Martha and
Mary my 2 wives to the indument hous and tha was both seald to me over the alter
in good faith
23 The weeether was cold and many mountain streems to waid whic maid the jurny
very hard and unhelthy for the old men and som got lame and sick and sufferd
grately I was of that number I shal giv a gurnal of the jurny
1857 Apr. 23 Left city camped in Emig
24 Camp on big mountain
25 Broke cart camp on est canion
27 Very cold came on Ecoh
28 Cros bar river camp snoer
29 Snoer camp at Soda Springs
30 Cold snow windy come to Briger
May 1 Camp on fork of green river
2 Camped on black fork
3 Crost Green river and camp
4 Camped on big sanda
6 Crost south pas camp on sweetwater
7 Very winda camp in s v mountain
8 Very winda camp on sweeet water
9 Cros 3 drossing of s w camp on s water
10 Camp at devels gait
11 Camped on green wod sick to nite
12 Camp on small crick est of wilo spring
13 Camp at plat brig
14 Over brig camp on plat
15 Corst deer crik camp on bleoic crik snows
16 Camps on littel labonta very sick
17 Cros big labont camp on plat sik
18 Camp on hos shu crick met mail
19 Thunder storm in moun camp on sneal crik
20 Camp at larimae got som provison
21 Crost s plat camped on plat 12 mils
22 Camp on plat
23 Camp neer seden blf
24 Camp by rodside in nite windy
25 Camp on plat bank
26-31 Camps along plat river
June 1 Camps on prary
2 C on crick crab on prary n wod river
3 On prary crik Kils a buflo
4 At wells on prary
5 On lupe fork
6 Cros big fork camp on cooking glas
7 Camps on loop
8 Camps on loop
9 Camps on papiol crost horn
10 At Floranc
11 At Floranc
12 Went on steem bot to St. Luis
13-18 On river
19 At St. Luis
20-21 On Mis
22-27 On Ohio steem bote
28 At Cincinata
29-30 On Ohio
July 1 Landed at Liverpool found Mother alive and my brother all well
Stas til 6
5 Preeches today
6 Went on cars to Clevland and on steem bote
7 Lands at Bufflou took bote down Nigra to Chiopaway took cars
To fals and grait brig a crost niagra after looking til satasfied set out to hunt some
place to preech Rains trys 3 times to get to preech stay out all nite
8 Very mudy travels all day got to gleson
9 At Gleasons
10 Hoes in garden
11 Hoes in corn
12 Preech 2 in Marshvill an at glesons
12-18 Hoing corn for Gleson
19 Preeched 3 times today travl 14 mils
20-25 Work in hay
26 Preech 2 tims today
27-31 In hay
Aug. 1 In hay
2 Preech 2 today
3-5 Wet wether
6 Travling to Camborow
7-8 At Camborow blest child Rete letter
10-14 At Camborow
15 Sick at Camborow
16 Preeches today
17-18 Reding
19 Travling to Casterwell
20 Returns to Camborow
21-22 Reding
23 Babtisd 5 persons rains
24 Travling to Dunvill
25 At Chambers
26 Travling stop at Mecoms
28-30 At Chamboren try to preech lod get nechans
31 Got washing
Sept. 1 Travling to hunt som plac to preech at Castervill at Sentervill to nite
2 Travling at Hamilton on St. Chathrin Fast today Refusd loging 3 tims to nite
stay at tavern
3 traveled to miels get som breckfast Pay 12 cents Got to Chambers got diner
Got to Glesons sleep in barn
4 Work for Glesons in Oats
5 Work for Glesons in pees
6 Preech on lake shore in wods
7-8 Work for Gleson
9 Travling to Dunvill
11-12 Work for Glesons
13 Went to Marshvill
14-17 Cradling buckwheete
18 Cuting up corn
19 Thrashing oats went to Marsvill
20 In barn today
21-26 Work for Gleson
27 Sunday
28 Starts for hom on cars Lands at Buflow Went on steem bote tonite
29 Lands at Toledo and went on cars to nite
30 On cars all day
Oct. 1 Landed at St Luis
2 At St Luis
3 Went on steem bote for Floranc
17 Landed at Floranc
19 Landed set in to work for Lamson
Dec. 6 Left Lamson at Floranc
7-11 Bording with King
12 Set in to work with Gaits in Cresant City and worked tell 1858 March

1858 Mar. 20-21 Left Gaitss
Apr. 7 Started to Genoe up the valy
May 11 Left Genoe to cros the plains
June 21 Enterd S L City
23 Met famly at Springvill
July 6 Left Springvill to return to city
7 In city at work
Aug. 6 My wife Martha left home and took hur children and went to hur Mother and then comenced to lie and mis represent mee to give hur self excujse for hur wicketnefs
Sept. 17 I giv hur a devors

1859 Jan I was sick all this month
Feb Som beter but not well yet setels tithing of ward
March

March 3 Isaac Hill was born June 25, 1857.
Eliza Hill was born January 3, 1860
Samuel A. Hill was born 12 January 1862
Charles Hill was born 17 Sept. 1863
Margaret A. Hill born 21 Jan. 1864
Joseph Y. Hill born March 19, 1866
Sylvia Anne Hill born 14 May 1868
Emeline Hill born 7 Apr. 1870
Hyrum S. Hill born Aug. 8, 1874


Isaac Hill died 25 June 1879