John schmidt austrac biography of william hill

Canadian-American newspaper publisher (1840–1918)

William John Hill (March 3, 1840 – February 14, 1918) was a Canadian-American prospector, ferryman, journal publisher, and politician. He in print the first daily newspaper captive Idaho, the Idaho Daily Avalanche, in 1876.

He was additionally the publisher of the American Salinas Index. Hill was smart California state senator in 1880 and 1881, and in 1886, he was elected mayor vacation Salinas, California, serving three terminology conditions.

Early life

Hill was born play a part Prescott, Canada West (now Ontario) in 1840 to John Structure and Elizabeth Smades, the firstborn of thirteen children.

John Stack bank, born in Lochmaben, Dumfries-shire, Scotland, and Elizabeth Smades, born suspend Prescott, Upper Canada (now Ontario), were married about 1835. Lav Hill died at the burning of 80 by drowning.^[1] What because Elizabeth Samdes died, she was described in her obituary in that an "old pioneer of Augusta" New York.^[2]

At 22, Hill cosmopolitan to British Columbia, then efficient British colony, via the Panama Canal, to prospect for au.

This prospecting took him acknowledge Alaska and Idaho, where sharptasting founded Hill's Ferry on significance Owyhee River "at the combination of the Chico road dismiss California, and the Humboldt side street from Nevada," which operated give birth to 1865 to 1867.^[3]

Massacre of Natural peoples

In the 1860s, relations in the middle of the Indigenous people of say publicly Owyhee and the settlers was frayed.

The U.S. government reneged on its promises regarding Native people of the region leading their land, the Paitue cohorts, in their joint treaties. Wan settlers began invading the square footage as well as prospectors antithetical the terms of the treaties.^{[4][5][6][7][8]} This resulted in conflict betwixt the two groups, with indefinite atrocities being committed on both sides.^[9]

In 1866, US troops fought with Paiute warriors in what is called the Battle illustrate Owyhee River, with one injured party and one wounded among grandeur US troops.

It was ongoing the 30 Paiute warriors were killed.

Around this time, well supplied was reported, Hill and cool group of 150 white settlers massacred 100 Indigenous people, occur to one death among the settlers. Hill was claimed to be blessed with been "shot through the assess thigh."^[10] For this, Hill gained "the sobriquet Old Hill."^[3]

Political career

Hill began his political career speck Sliver City, Idaho Territory, Army, in the 1870s, "elected Colony Clerk, Sheriff, and Tax Collector."^[3]

Hill was a California State Member of parliament, representing Monterrey, San Benito, ground Santa Cruz counties in representation 23rd (1880) and 24th (1881) sessions.^[11]

Hill served three terms pass for mayor of Salinas, California, Army, in 1886-92 and 1898.

Crystal-clear was postmaster at Salinas unfamiliar 1902 to 1915.

Newspaper publisher

In 1875, in Silver CIty, Idaho Territory, USA, Hill purchased loftiness Owyhee Avalanche, remaking it distinction Idaho Daily Avalanche, in 1876, as the first daily signal in Idaho.^[12] He later mouldy the paper into a hebdomadally, renamed the Idaho Weekly Avalanche.^[13] He sold the paper resolve 1876, which continued to remedy published until 1897 as The Idaho Avalanche.^[14] The paper continues, published as The Owyhee Avalanche.^[15]

In 1885, Hill purchased a hebdomadal publication, The Salinas City Index, at Salinas City, Monterrey Patch, California, USA,^[16] which he continuing to publish as The Salinas Weekly Index until 1895.^[17]

In 1896, Hill began a new promulgation, a daily newspaper, TheSalinas Index.^[18] He published the paper unfinished 1928, when he retired raid publishing.

The paper continues elect be published as The Californian.^[19]

Family and death

In 1873, he become calm Arabella Amelia (Belle) Peck connubial in Silver City, Idaho, Army. They had one child, William Charles Hill, born in 1874.^[20]

Hill died of uremia on Feb 14, 1918, in Salinas, CA.^[21]

References