History of the American Negro: West Virginia Edition

Reuben W. Hill

100 history american negro seven children. Their names are Beatrice, Partia, James L., Jr., Olivia, Virginia, Henry and Emma Hill. Prof. Hill’s favorite books consist of the American and English classics. He believes that the progress of the race is to be promoted by unity of action, by organization, by the establishment of Negro banks in centers and other lines of business. In schools and churches, preach support of Negro Enterprises. Reuben W. Hill Rev. Reuben Washington Hill, D.D., now (1921) pastor of the Mt. Calvary Baptist Church of Princeton, W.Va., was born in Madison County,Va., on December 26, 1871, so it will be seen that he is just fifty years of age. During these years he has been a hard worker. His father, William Hill, was a farmer and the boy grew up on the farm. Being one of a large family, his schooling there was limited to the county public schools. Mr. Hill’s mother, before her marriage, was Miss Elizabeth Carter. He came to West Virginia in 1885 and was engaged in rail road work till he entered the ministry. He was converted at an early age and joined the Mt. Olivet Baptist church of Culpeper, Va., in 1895, which was more than twenty-five years ago. He was called to preach the Gospel,and in that same year was licensed by the Shiloh Baptist Church at Alderson, W. Va. Three years later, in 1898, he was ordained to the full work of the ministry by the Arlington Baptist Church at Dry Fork. He has steadily grown in favor with the people and has been successful in his ministry. His first pastorate was the Elgood Baptist church, in Mercer County, where he preached about a year. He preached at Arlington and built a new house of worship, also built a church at Rapidan, which he served a year and a half. In 1906 he went to the Mt. Calvary Baptist Church at Princeton, which he continues to serve, and where it has been necessary to build twice. reuben washington hill 102 history american negro In politics he holds to the Republican party, and among the secret orders and benevolent societies is identified with the Odd Fellows, the Masons, the Golden Rule, the St. Lukes and the Red Men. He is Worthy Chief in the St. Lukes, and Prophet in the Red Men. He taught school for two terms in Bland County, Va., but his principal work has been that of the ministry. On February 27, 1918, he married Miss Jeanette Toler, daughter of Henry and Nancy Toler, of Bluefield, W.Va. Of the three children born to them, two are living. They are William and Lola May Hill. Mr. Hill has found his greatest inspiration in the study of the Bible and in preaching. Apart from the Bible, his favorite reading is history. He believes that two great needs of the race are education and economy. Tyler Edward Hill Theory and agitation have their place, but theory and agitation without a constructive program are fruitless. There is a group of colored men in WestVirginia who understand this and who,by their practical planning and organizing, have secured results which the leaders of the race in every state would do well to study. Active and prominent among these is Hon. Tyler Edward Hill, now (1921) Director of the Bureau of Negro Welfare and Statistics. Mr. Hill is a native of the Old Dominion, having been born near Martinsville in Henry County, Va., on April 23, 1883. His father, James D. Hill, manager of Express Company, was the son of Sarah Hill; his father was his master. The mother of our subject, before her marriage, was Caroline Virginia Harris; she was the daughter of Levi and Alsie Harris, who were first cousins and grandchildren of one Nathan Harris, a native African chief, stolen in Africa and brought to Virginia between 1780 and ’90. He was purchased by Dolly Harris, white, who became the mother of his five children. Under the Virginia ...