In researching the above massacre of a surveying party in Navarro Co., TX, I have found several puzzling references I am trying to unravel. Briefly; Near the site of Dr. Geo. Washington Hill's place in Spring Hill, Navarro Co., TX, in Oct. of 1838 a group of men went out on a surveying party. There are several accounts on record, all vary slightly in the telling of the story. There were somewhere between 21 and 25 men ambushed by Kickapoo Indians (who understood what surveying of the land meant to their way of life)and all but seven were killed. Of the survivors, four were seriously wounded. Earlier today I posted a reference I found to Dr. George Washington Hill having lost a brother in this massacre. The brother was unnamed. I've reseached G.W. Hill's known brothers and can't find the connection. However, G. W. Hill had a cousin, John Ashley Hill, b. abt. 1808 who came from TN to Navarro Co., TX abt. 1837-38 with wife Lucinda Langston and two small sons, Benj. J. C. Hill, b. 1829 and Geo. W. Hill, b. 1830. John Ashley Hill died in Oct. of 1838, supposedly in an Indian massacre in or near Robertson Co., TX. which is above Navarro Co. in middle Texas. I have come across today another reference that piques my interest and adds to the mystery. "In 1843, Ethan Melton returned to Franklin, Texas to make a report to C. M. Winkler, the lawyer, on the Tidwell estate. While in Franklin he visited the widow, Mrs. James Hill. James Hill was a brother of George W. Hill who was appointed Indian Agent and who had a trading post located near Springhill. Records at the County Clerk's office show that Ethan Melton and Mrs. Lucinda Hill, a widow, were married on July 7, 1843, by E. L. Patten, Chief Justice of Robinson County. This marriage was witnessed by the widow's two sons." The reference to James Hill being the brother of George W. Hill does not appear to be accurate. There is no brother James that I have found, either full or half-brother, unless James was a nickname for one of them. I further believe that the James Hill referred to, was in fact, John Ashley Hill, husband of Lucinda who was widowed in 1838 and left with two young sons. Lucinda Langston Hill did marry Ethan Melton in 1843. When she died in 1845 she named her Dr. Geo. W. Hill as guardian for her two boys, and they are found in later census's living with Dr. Geo. W. Hill. I have also found a site that shows a picture of the monument erected to the memory of those men who died at Battle Creek in 1838. Only a handful of names are listed, none of which list any HILL, although the articles I've read said some of the men's names were not known. For those of you interested in this line of Hills here are the sites I've been looking at: http://www.rootsweb.com/~txnavarr/markers.htm#Battle Creek Burial Ground http://www.rootsweb.com/~txnavarr/indians/battleck.htm I would be interested in your opinions on whether you think John Ashley Hill is the one who perished in this Oct. 1838 massacre or whether anyone has any more definitive information on his demise, or information on an actual brother of Dr. Geo. W. Hill who may have died in this battle by the name of James or any other name. Jackie ________________________________________________________________ Get FREE voicemail, fax and email at http://voicemail.excite.com Talk online at http://voicechat.excite.com