My father, Robert Norman Hill, died about a year ago in California and the family records have been shipped to me. I have only touched the surface of the information contained, but already see that my family has charted a long history. Our branch came out west from Pennsylvania/ New Jersey for the Gold Rush, first to California and then the state of Washington. My first Hill was William Hill who came from Durham in the north of England via Ireland and settled near Lima, Chester, PA. He died in 1747 and had been married to Mary Hunter. Their son, John Hill was born in 1736 and died in 1814. He was married to Mary Gibbons and they had a son, Humphrey Hill born in 1763 and died in 1811. He married Alice Howard in 1791 and they had a son, John Howard Hill born in Norris Co., N.J. in 1792. John Howard Hill died in 1886 and his first wife was Eliza Louisa Davis (born 1796 and died 1832). They had 11 children born in PA: Charles Howard Hill, Catherine Davis Hill, 2 named Humphrey who both died in infancy, John Howard Hill, William Smith McPherson Hill, Nathaniel Davis Hill, Eliza Davis Hill, Humphrey Hill (who survived), Robert Crosby Hill and Maria Josephine Hill. With his second wife, Cynthia Craig, had 4 more children: Henry Craig Hill, Horace Lewis Hill, Alice Jane Hill and Frederick Augustus Hill. William Smith McPherson Hill was the first brother to come out west to California. Four more brothers came west with their father, John Howard Hill in 1850: Robert C. Hill, Horace Hill, Humphrey Hill and Nathaniel Davis Hill. William settled in Sonoma County, but California didn't suit the other four and they ended up in Port Townsend and Whidbey Island in the Territory of Washington. Nathaniel Davis Hill married Sallie Haddock and had 3 children: Hazen (died young), Howard H. and Daniel Haddock Hill. My great grandfather, Daniel Haddock Hill married Kate Morgan and had three children: Ora Corrinne (who died young), Robert Morgan Hill and Daniel Haddock Hill, Jr. My grandfather, Daniel Haddock Hill, Jr. married Edna Olson and had three children: Daniel Charles, Dorothy Morgan and my father, Robert Norman Hill who married Laura Ruth Weber and had three children: Craig Norman Hill, Chris Robert Hill and me, Kathryn Maye Hill. My parents moved from Port Townsend to California where I was born. I do have lots of other ancestors and descendants in this line to pass on to anyone this fits. And of course I would be delighted to know about long lost cousins from the other branches and learn where they wandered. Thanks. KathrynHill@compuserve.com