Transcription by niece Lucy Amanda Hill Jones of the Autobiographical Notes of her uncle, Asa C. Hill b. Nov. 1826 Hillsboro, Jasper Co., GA, d. Oct. 9, 1913 Beeville, Bee Co., TX, married Mary Chapman in Rutersville, Fayette Co., TX in 1849. Lucy Amanda Hill was the daughter of James Monroe Hill. Both Asa Collinsworth Hill and James Monroe Hill were the sons of Asa Hill b. 1784 NC and Elizabeth Barksdale b. 1795 GA. ------------------------------------------------------------------- Autobiographical Notes by Asa C. Hill (July 1889) I was born in Hillsboro, Jasper Co., Georgia and was the sixth son of Asa Hill and Elizabeth Barksdale Hill. My parents had thirteen children of whom twelve reached maturity. The first born, a son, died in infancy. (named Anson) Names of my brothers: Green Washington, William Carroll Andrew Jackson (often called "Jackson"), Jeffrey Barksdale, James Monroe, John Christopher Columbus. Names of my sisters: Serena Pinckney, Susanna Amanda, Louisiana Elizabeth, Mary Anne Rebecca, Sarah Anne Amelia, Mary Anne Eliza. (also found as Martha) In 1826 my father moved to the Creek Purchase, where the city of Columbus (Georgia) now stands. It was here, in 1827, that his youngest son, John C. C. Hill, was born, being the first white child born in that section. We lived in the Creek Purchase until 1834, when my father went to Texas, in company with his son, Jackson Hill, and his nephew, Isaac Lafayette Hill; and having selected a place of settlement, where Gay Hill now is, in the county of Washington, returned to Georgia; and early in the spring of 1835 removed his family to their new home on the frontier. On leaving Columbus, we proceeded down the Chatahoochie River by steam boat to Appalachicola, where we re-embarked in a schooner for New Orleans via Mobile. At New Orleans we saw, for the first time, a railway train. Embarking in a sail vessel, we crossed the gulf, reaching Matagorda after a voyage of eighteen days. From Matagorda we travelled in an ox wagon by the way of San Felipe, then the seat of the provincial government, to Gay Hill, making the journey in about seven days. We arrived at our destination in time to make the crop; and, after building a house to live in, settled down to farming and stock raising. The Texas Revolution commenced about the time of our arrival at Gay Hill. My father and older brother joined an expedition for the relief at the garrison at the Alamo, but were unable to reach the fortress before its fall. My father also witnessed the burning of Gonzales. My brother, James Monroe Hill, was with General Sam Houston in the battle of San Jacinto, April 21, 1836. After the Mexicans had been routed he captured a fourteen year old boy who had been connected with Santa Anna's army as a fifer. Gen. Houston gave the boy, whose name was Jose Maria Mendez, to my brother, and the latter took his little captive home and raised him. Mendez afterward became a useful citizen of the city of Houston. After the capture of Santa Anna, my brother James Monroe went out with an expedition under COl. John H. Moore to the head waters of the Colorado River, where the party fell in with a band of hostile Indians, killing and capturing a large number of the savages. In December 1842 my father and my brothers, Jeffrey and John Hill, were members of the ill-fated Mier expedition, in which about 250 Texans, under Col. Fisher, were captured by the Mexican General Ampudio, after a fierce struggle in which they were out-numbered eight to one. In this battle, John Hill (John C.C. Hill) then only fourteen years of age, displayed remarkable courage as to win the admiration of the Mexican themselves. In Thrall's History of Texas, page 331, the writer, referring to the Mier prisoners says: "First, General Ampudia, and then General Santa Anna, took a fancy to a mere lad named Hill; and young Hill's father and brother were released, and the young man sent to the best College in Mexico. He adopted the profession of mining engineer, and is still a citizen of Mexico." He married the daughter of General Segredo, and has exerted great influence in the country. During the usurpation of Maximillian he managed to escape the wrath of both the contending parties; and upon the overthrow of the usurper's power, he was able to repay the kindness of his old friend, Genreral Ampudia, who had taken sides with the Imperialists, and with his brother, laid in prison under the sentence of death. John Hill interceded with the Juarez government in their behalf, and procured their release. This time, July 1889, he is prominently connected with C. P. Huntington's Mexican Railway Enterprises. In 1848 I commanded a Spy Company of the United States Troop at the battle of Piedre Pinto, near the Rio Grande. In 1849, near the same place, I had a running fight with nine Indians, who were attacking me and my servant, a German boy named Peter, and captured the latter, and also my pack mule with all my clothings and provisions, some gentle mares and one thousand head of sheep. Three days after this, Peter was recaptured by Col. Hays and the Howards of San Antonio, who was returning from El Paso, to which place they had been surveying a road to connect the city of San Antonio with El Paso. Gen. William G. Webb who had married my sister, Sarah, was engaged in the war between the United States and Mexico which resulted from the annexation of Texas. I was engaged in the Central American War in 1867. I went from Gonzales via Indianola and Galveston to New Orleans. The commanding officers sent me up the Mississippi, recruiting for men and means to colonize Nicaragua. After relating various experiences Mr. Hill continued: In 1866 on my way to the City of Mexico to visit my brother, John C. C. Hill, I met Col. Beriozabel at Matamores and when I showed him my passport he stated that my brother had been his college mate and treated me with great consideration. In the same year I witnessed at Vera Cruz, the exit of a protion of the Imperial Army from Mexico and soon after was a spectator of the Battle between the remaining portion of the Imperial Army under Gen. Marcas and the Liberal Army under Gen. Juan Porfirio Diaz and Negrett near Apisaco. In 1867 I was present at the inauguration of President Juarez in the City of Mexico. I was also with my brother, John C. C., when he procured the release of Gen. Ampudia and his brother from the prison in which they had been confined under sentence of death for their participation in the Maximilian's invasion of that country. Thus, Mr. Hill continues relating personal incidents." ------------------------------------------------------------------ Jackie Hill Bower http://www.geocities.com/abackwardglance ______________________________________________________________ Get Your Free E-mail at http://www.prontomail.com