Archives West Finding Aid
Table of Contents
Reuben D. Hill papers, 1897-1911
Overview of the Collection
- Creator
- Hill, Reuben D.
- Title
- Reuben D. Hill papers
- Dates
- 1897-1911 (inclusive)18971911
- Quantity
- .21 cubic feet (1 box)
- Collection Number
- 4273 (Accession No. 4273-001)
- Summary
- Papers of Seattle attorney and civic activist
- Repository
-
University of Washington Libraries, Special Collections
Special Collections
University of Washington Libraries
Box 352900
Seattle, WA
98195-2900
Telephone: 2065431929
Fax: 2065431931
speccoll@uw.edu - Access Restrictions
Open to all users.
- Languages
- English
Biographical NoteReturn to Top
Reuben D. Hill was a Seattle attorney and civic activist. Born in St. Paul, Minnesota in 1867, Hill graduated from the University of Minnesota and later moved to Seattle where he resided and practiced law for 24 years with offices in the Lyons Building. He and his wife lived near Seattle Seminary, now Seattle Pacific University. They both worked for the improvement of jail and prison conditions, as well as other social concerns. Hill was president of the Lebanon Rescue Home and a trustee of the Urban Welfare League.
Hill was part of a prison committee which was under the direction of the Reverend Mark Matthews, pastor of the First Presbyterian Church and chaplain of the King County Jail. It is not clear whether this committee was related to the First Presbyterian Church, the Society for the Friendless, or to some other organization.
The prison committee had two main functions: services and mission work. It held weekly church services in the King County Jail (including the north, south, and east tanks, and women's ward), and obtained clothing and reading materials for inmates. The mission work included furnishing work to released prisoners, upholding their rights when necessary, and restoring them to their homes and families. Hill was involved in these activities as well as in acting on the behalf of prisoners before jail administrators and public officials.
Reuben D. Hill died at the age of 58 and was survived by his wife Henrietta, sons R. Dwight and Cyril D., and daughters Joy and Mrs. H. S. Vincent.
Content DescriptionReturn to Top
Correspondence, reports, miscellany, court paper, and ephemera.
Primarily documents Hill's activities as a member of a committee concerned with conditions in the King County Jail.
Use of the CollectionReturn to Top
Restrictions on Use
Creator's literary rights transferred to the University of Washington Libraries.
Administrative InformationReturn to Top
Custodial History
These papers, covering the period of 1908-1911, were originally part of the papers of Cyril Hill (Reuben Hill's son and law partner). Joy Hill Pound donated them to the University of Washington in January 1991 following the death of her brother Cyril.
Acquisition Information
Donated by Joy Hill Pound, 1/1/1991.
Detailed Description of the CollectionReturn to Top
Series 1: Prison CommitteeReturn to Top
| Container(s) | Description | Dates |
|---|---|---|
| Box/Folder | ||
| 1/1 | Prisoner Incoming Letters - Andrews, Frank |
1909 |
| 1/1 | Prisoner Incoming Letters - Barker, William |
undated |
| 1/1 | Prisoner Incoming Letters - McLeod, Tillie
(?) |
1908 |
| 1/1 | Prisoner Incoming Letters - Robinson, Milton
J. |
1908-1909 |
| 1/1 | Prisoner Incoming Letters - Samuels, Charley |
1909 |
| 1/1 | Prisoner Incoming Letters - Tilley, Mary |
approximately 1908 |
| 1/1 | Prisoner Incoming Letters - "W. W. W." |
undated |
| 1/1 | Prisoner Incoming Letters - Walker, Anna |
1909 |
| 1/1 | Prisoner Incoming Letters - Walters, Frank |
1909 |
| 1/1 | Unidentified Prisoner Incoming Letters |
undated |
| 1/2 | Incoming Letters - Matthews, Mark |
1908 |
| 1/2 | Incoming Letters - Washington State Conference of
Charities and Corrections |
1908 |
| 1/3 | Outgoing Letters |
1908-1909 |
| 1/4 | Reports |
1909-1910 |
| 1/5 | Miscellaneous |
undated |
Series 2: Personal PapersReturn to Top
| Container(s) | Description | Dates |
|---|---|---|
| Box/Folder | ||
| 1/6 | Incoming Letters - Anderson, W. H. |
1910 |
| 1/6 | Incoming Letters - Conover, D. C. |
1909 |
| 1/6 | Incoming Letters - Public Welfare League |
1910 |
| 1/7 | Outgoing Letters |
1908-1911 |
| 1/8 | Court Paper |
1897 |
| 1/9 | Business Cards |
undated |
| 1/10 | Ephemera |
undated |
Names and SubjectsReturn to Top
Subject Terms
- Ex-convicts--Services for--Washington (State)
- Human rights--Washington (State)
- Personal Papers/Corporate Records (University of Washington)
- Prisoners--Services for--Washington (State)
- Prisoners--Washington (State)--Social conditions
Personal Names
- Hill, Reuben D.--Archives
Corporate Names
- King County (Wash.). Jail
- King County (Wash.). Jail--History--Sources
Other Creators
-
Personal Names
- Matthews, Mark A. (Mark Allison), 1867-1940 (creator)
