"The Sabbath Recorder", Vol 111, No 15, p 456, Oct. 12, 1931. The funeral service for Mrs. Claude L. Hill was held in the Seventh Day Baptist church at Farina, Ill., at the time of the regular Sabbath morning service, September 19, 1931. The church choir sang two hymns, the pastor of the Methodist church at Farina, Rev. Mr. Lyerly, read the Twenty-third Psalm. The bearers were the young men and women of the Christian Endeavor society. The floral offerings were beautiful and abundant. In the afternoon the casket was taken to the railway station attended by a large group of friends, and was accompanied to North Loup, Neb., by the husband, the son Carroll, and by the husband's mother, for burial. Rev. Edwin Shaw of Milton, Wis., at the funeral service spoke the words that follow. [Majority of text omitted here.] Cora Brace Hill, daughter of Ezra and Matilda Larkin Brace, was born in Brookfield, Mo., January 17, 1877, and died at her home in the Seventh Day Baptist parsonage at Farina, Ill., September 16, 1931, at the age of fifty-four years, seven months, and twenty-nine days. Her brothers and sisters were: Fred who died as a boy of twelve; William who was killed in the Philippine Islands during the Spanish-American War; Kate and Nora, who married and died in middle life, the later being a twin sister of Mrs. Hill. She was the last of her father's family. When eleven years of age she went with her people to North Loup, Neb., and that fall entered the public school, graduating at the age of sixteen. That same year she began her experience of teaching school, which extended over a period of four years in the districts known as Manchester, Sand-flats, Rural, and District Forty-two. During her first year her salary was eighteen dollars a month; the last year found her in one of the largest and best paying rural schools in the country. May 31, 1899, she was united in marriage to Claude L. Hill. Four children were born to them - Vivian and Ruth of Farina, Ill.; Carroll of Ashaway, R. I.; and Jerry of Yellow Pine, Idaho. When her twin sister died, a niece, Eva Pierce, came to live with the family until her marriage six years later. After the death of her sister Kate and the establishment of her own home, two nephews, Ward and John Gowen, for various periods of time were also members of her family; and for the last seventeen years of his life her father's home was with her. At the time of her death her husband's mother was a member of the family. When about fourteen years of age she was converted during revival meetings conducted by Rev. E. B. Saunders, was baptized, and became a member of the Seventh Day Baptist Church at North Loup, Neb. In 1921 she went with her husband to Welton, Ia., where he had been called as pastor of the church, and in 1924 again moved to Farina, Ill. In these three churches, to the extent of her ability and until her health was permanently impaired, she served as teacher in the Sabbath school and in the Vacation Bible school, as pianist, and as a member of the choir. One of the great disappointments in her sickness was her inability to attend the church services and to perform the duties which naturally fall to a pastor's wife. [Remainder of text omitted.] "The Sabbath Recorder", Vol 154, No 15, p 174, Apr. 13, 1953. Claude Lawrence Hill, eldest of three sons born to Castello Welcome and Eva Elfreda Davis Hill, was born April 24, 1878, at North Loup, Neb., and passed away at Vandalia, Ill., March 11, 1953. He was not able to attend school beyond the ninth grade but worked as a farm hand, later as a carpenter and blacksmith. While his home was a place of religious influence, the pressures of these years left him rebellious and antagonistic, doubting the very existence and love of God, which in later years he heralded so enthusiastically to all who would listen. On May 3, 1899 he was married to Cora May Brace at North Loup, Neb., by Rev. E. Adelbert Witter. To them were born four children: Esther Vivian (Mrs. George Howard) of Springfield, Ill.; Carroll Leigh of Milton, Wis.; Jerry Will Brace of Randolph, Utah; and Ruth Gene (Mrs. Thurman Barker) of Washington, Ind. There came to North Loup, shortly after the turn of the century, a pastor named Theodore L. Gardiner. He was there less than a year before accepting the editorship of the Sabbath Recorder. When asked what he had accomplished in such a short pastorship, Rev. Mr. Gardiner replied, "I was there long enough to convert Claude Hill." For he was converted, baptized, and became a member of the North Loup Seventh Day Baptist Church. While his interests and posts of responsibility increased through the years, the thread of his new life in Christ was the one persistent and dominant influence that led him, later, into religious work. He was licensed to preach by the North Loup Seventh Day Baptist Church in 1918. For three years he did "outpost" work in schoolhouses, conducted Sabbath school classes, and tried out his persistent call to the ministry. In 1921 he accepted the call to the Welton, Iowa, Seventh Day Baptist Church and sold out his livestock, machinery, and other salable goods. While the words of the Letter to the Hebrews are not altogether true to his experience, nevertheless they express the substance of it: "By faith Abraham, when he was called to go out into a place which he should after receive for an inheritance, obeyed, and he went out not knowing whither he went ... for he looked for a city which hath foundations, whose builder and maker is God." He was ordained to the Christian ministry at Welton, Iowa, on August 10, 1923. In August of 1924 he accepted the call of the Farina Seventh Day Baptist Church. He returned to North Loup as pastor from November, 1936 to November, 1939, coming again to Farina where he served until September, 1952, a total of 25 years. During his years in the ministry he served three terms on the Commission of the Seventh Day Baptist General Conference and was president in 1928-29. During his first pastorate at Farina, his first wife passed away, and on May 28, 1933, he was united in marriage to Hazel Farris. To them was born a son, Theodore Claude. In the twenty years of this union, which were the years of his greatest ministry, he has had the unfailing support of his "second family." He was always active in community affairs, in Bible school, in temperance drives, and was called on for speaking engagements for miles around. He conducted more than 400 funerals. He had a talent for making friends and he had a largeness of spirit and warmth of heart that endeared him to a host of people. But he came nearest to his mission in the pulpit, where he spoke boldly and earnestly for Christ. One of his friends said of him, "He will never know how many people have been helped by his sermons," In the life of Claude L. Hill there is a living commentary - a commentary on the freedom to be found in our land where one may enter into opportunity, and into the freedom we have in Christ. He entered into those freedoms with zest and intelligence, keeping a surprisingly sane and youthful attitude. He said of himself, "I think I have a good education, but it took me forty years to get it." During his last months he said, quite characteristically, "I don't believe I grew old ... I just blew up." He is survived by his wife, five children, eight grandchildren, two brothers, and a circle of friends which extends to all parts of the United States. Funeral services were held in the Seventh Day Baptist Church at Farina on Sabbath morning, March 14, 1953, conducted by his son, Rev. Carroll L. Hill, as suggested by his father. Interment in the Farina cemetery. Lash Funeral Service in charge. - The Farina News - C. L. H. "The Sabbath Recorder", Vol 210, No 12, p 29, Dec. 1988. Hazel Cordelia Farris Hill, daughter of Corder Stone and Mary Catherine Slageley Farris, was born on April 14, 1910, in Marion County, Mecham Township, Illinois. She passed away at the Pacific Care Convalescent Hospital, Morro Bay, California, on September 24, 1988. She was married to Rev. Claude L. Hill in Farina, Illinois, on May 28, 1933. To this union was born one son, Theodore C. Hill of Templeton, California, who survives her. She is also survived by two grandchildren and one great-grandchild. Hazel was preceded in death by three brothers, Louis Guy, Jesse Bryon and Francis Marion; and two sisters, Sarah Geneva Clandenning and Olive Cora Parrill. One sister, Dorothy Gail Allrich, may still be living. Hazel was a member of the Farina Seventh Day Baptist Church until it was merged into the Kirkwood Seventh Day Baptist Church in September, 1987. At that time she asked that her membership be retained in the new church in Kirkwood, Missouri. She was a devout Christian. Her son, speaking of her, said, "She was a great lady; not just my mother - she was my friend." After cremation in California, she was returned to Farina to be buried beside her husband. Graveside memorial services were conducted October 9, 1988, by Deacons Leigh Stewart of Kirkwood and Stanley Crandall of Farina. They Came to Milton http://wc.rootsweb.com/cgi-bin/igm.cgi?db=jonsaunders