Hillis Family History & Genealogy

Jane Webb (of Warren County, Tennessee), (Jane was born July 18, 1786 in Rowan County, North Carolina or Fayette County, Virginia, which is now part of Kentucky 52). She died (March 15 or 18, 1834) in Petersburg, Menard County, Illinois [Petersburg was in Sangamon County prior to 1839]. (Her maiden name was Hillis, confirmed by Verda J. Baird in her book: “Jefferson County, Iowa – 77 Cemeteries – 1839 – Dec. 1990” in which she states that Jane Hillis, wife of William Webb, Sr., was buried in “Minard” County, Illinois in March of 1834. Of four submitted trees for Jane Hillis on familysearch, one stated that Jane was buried in Petersburg, Menard County, Illinois, and her parents were Robert Hillis and Sarah McDowell; however, no sources were provided. No other alternative was provided by these submitted trees.) [Note that the cited publication was published in 1876, 42 years after Jane’s death in Illinois. It is misleading to locate birth locations based upon present-day political jurisdictions. Warren County, Tennessee is certainly not the jurisdiction in which she was born, for neither Warren County nor Tennessee was in existence at the time of her birth. Kentucky is mentioned as a possible birthplace location, but the State of Kentucky did not come into existence until 1792. Rather, she was born either in Rowan County, North Carolina, or Fayette County, Virginia, which became part of Kentucky in 1792. The reasoning for this is that her parents, along with her father’s mother and his brothers and sisters, moved from Rowan County, North Carolina to Fayette County, Virginia about 1786 after her father’s father died and this is apparently the same year as her birth. Her parents eventually moved once again to the vicinity of present day Van Buren County, Tennessee, for that is where she was married – in 1801 or before – and where her father was buried between 1826 and 1828. An obituary of her son, Isaac, indicates that he was born in Warren County, Tennessee, and that the family settled near Springfield, Sangamon County, Illinois in 1829 just a few months after Isaac was born. This would explain the vague reference of Jane being “of Warren County, Tennessee”, the county adjacent to Van Buren County. She had a close friendship with her father’s sister, Ann Jean Hillis. Her grave site does not show up in Illinois on findagrave; she may have been buried on private property. Interment does not cover Cass, Morgan or Menard County. She does not appear in the Sangamon County Probate Case Files Index for any date between 1821 and 1906. Menard County does not have probate records prior to 1839 (the date when Menard County was formed).]

Martha Elizabeth (Baker) Hillis was born on April 9, 1860 in Kentucky United States to Benjamin Wiley Payne, Sr. and Amanda Mae (Thomison) Payne, and had siblings William T. Payne, Oata O'Brien Payne, Frances C. Payne, Fannie Etta (Payne) Cope, Joseph Thomas Payne, I, Mary L. Payne, Benjamin Wiley Payne, Jr., and Amanda Payne. She married Thomas Jefferson Hillis, and they had children Laura (Hillis) Grissom and Charles Hillis. She married John H. Hillis, and they had children Violet (Hillis) Carter-Brown-Jones, Amanda (Hillis) Bowman, Nellie Hillis, Nancy Frances (Hillis) Johnson, Samuel Houston "Sam" Hillis, Dewey Hillis, Julia (Hillis) Johnson, and Virgil Hew Hillis. Martha Hillis died at age 75 years old on November 17, 1935 in Van Buren County, TD. Family, friend, or fan, this family history biography is for you to remember Martha Elizabeth (Baker) Hillis.

Edward Hillis of Lake George, Warren County, NY was born on July 17, 1870, and died at age 100 years old in February 1971.

Mary Hillis of McMinnville, Warren County, Tennessee was born on October 13, 1872, and died at age 94 years old in September 1967.

Minnie Hillis of Elsie, Clinton County, MI was born on April 20, 1872, and died at age 97 years old on December 15, 1969.

Edna Hillis of Indiana was born on August 21, 1874, and died at age 89 years old in February 1964.

Elizabeth Hillis of Charlotteville, Schoharie County, NY was born on October 15, 1874, and died at age 91 years old in April 1966.

Lucy Hillis of Dana Point, Orange County, California was born on May 5, 1874, and died at age 97 years old in June 1971.

Eva Hillis of Florida was born on June 8, 1874, and died at age 99 years old in August 1973.

James Hillis of Michigan was born on May 9, 1875, and died at age 87 years old in February 1963.

Alexander Hillis of Phoenix, Maricopa County, AZ was born on December 23, 1875, and died at age 95 years old in September 1971.

Charles Hillis of Corpus Christi, Nueces County, Texas was born on October 16, 1876, and died at age 99 years old in January 1976.