George D. Hill papers, 1865-1901

Overview of the Collection

Creator
Hill, George D.,  -1890
Title
George D. Hill papers
Dates
1865-1901 (inclusive)
Quantity
2 cubic feet (3 boxes)
Collection Number
4267 (Accession No. 4267-001)
Summary
Papers of a U.S. Civil War veteran who also served as an United States Indian agent primarily at the Neah Bay and Tulalip Agencies in Washington Territory.
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

The papers are open to all users.

Request at UW

Languages
English
Sponsor
Funding for encoding this finding aid was partially provided through a grant awarded by the National Endowment for the Humanities.

Biographical NoteReturn to Top

George D. Hill was born in Ohio and raised on a farm in Michigan. He enlisted in the U.S. Army as a musician in 1861 but soon was serving in the regular army. He lost his left arm in 1865 due to a battle wound sustained at Appomattox. Hill was very proud of his Civil War service and wore his empty sleeve as a badge of honor.

After the war, Hill enlisted in the peacetime army. He was stationed at Plattsburg, New York, and was involved with recruiting. In 1869 Hill was sent to Washington Territory to investigate Indian affairs at Neah Bay and Tulalip. He was soon appointed Indian agent at Tulalip and retired from the regular army with the rank of captain. Hill served at the Tulalip Agency until 1871. He later served as "acting" Indian agent at the Neah Bay Agency from September 1877 until 1878.

In March 1872, Hill married Ellen K. Kellogg. They had two sons and two daughters.

Hill became a recognized leader of the Republican Party in King County and Washington Territory. He was elected and reelected as treasurer of King County from 1874 until 1887 and was credited with holding the party together at times. Hill retired from public life in 1887 amid rumored charges of embezzlement. The charges were never substantiated and never brought to court.

Hill and his wife amassed a substantial amount of property. During the years following his retirement and his wife's death (also in 1887), Hill devoted his time to managing his wife's estate and his own property interests.

On December 4, 1890, Hill fell from the gangplank as he attempted to board a steamer and drowned. He was about 50 years old.

Content DescriptionReturn to Top

Correspondence, vouchers, bills, and payrolls relating to Hill's work as a United States Indian agent primarily at the Neah Bay and Tulalip reservations in Washington Territory, 1869-1878; correspondence, orders, and financial records regarding his military service in the U.S. Army, 1865-1875; correspondence, writings, estate documents, legal documents, 1867-1901. Correspondents include Hazard Stevens.

Use of the CollectionReturn to Top

Alternative Forms Available

View selections from the collection in digital format

Restrictions on Use

The creator's literary rights have been transferred to the University of Washington Libraries.

Administrative InformationReturn to Top

Arrangement

Arranged in three series:

  • U.S. Indian agent, Washington Territory
  • Personal papers
  • Clallam Bay and Quillayute Improvement Company

Acquisition Information

Gift of Hill's grandson, George A. Brackett of Longview, Washington, in March 1991.

Processing Note

Hill's papers arrived at the University of Washington Libraries housed in boxes but unfoldered. It was not always possible to divide the Indian agent records by agency, nor was it possible to determine Hill's relationship to records from the Seattle and Washington Territory offices.

Processing was completed in November 1993.

A map of Seattle (1890) and an undated map of Tacoma were relocated from this collection and added to Special Collections' map holdings.

Detailed Description of the CollectionReturn to Top

 

U.S. Indian agent, Washington TerritoryReturn to Top

Container(s) Description Dates
Incoming letters
Box/Folder
1/1 1869-1878
1/2 1869-1874
Washington Territory Office
Box/Folder
1/3, 2/1
Ledgers, accounts, and abstracts
1869-1871
1/4
Vouchers, bills, etc.
1869-1871
box-folder:oversize
2/2
Inventories
1869-1871
Seattle Office
Box/Folder
1/5
Vouchers, bills, etc.
1869-1871
Tulalip Agency
Box/Folder
1/6
Ledgers, accounts, and abstracts
1869-1871, undated
1/7-10
Vouchers, bills, etc.
1869-1871
box-folder:oversize
3/1
Accounts and abstracts of cash disbursed
1869-1871
3/2
Appointment
1870
Neah Bay Agency
Box/Folder
1/11
Inventories
1877-1878
1/12-2/3
Ledgers, accounts, and abstracts
1877-1878
1/13-15
Vouchers, bills, etc.
1877-1878
box-folder:oversize
2/4
Payrolls
1877-1878

Personal papersReturn to Top

Container(s) Description Dates
Box/Folder
1/16
Biographical information
1867
Incoming letters
Box/Folder
1/17-18
Miscellaneous
1868-1890, undated
1/19
Ferry, Elisha Peyre
1875
1/20
Garfielde, Selucius
1872
1/21
Haller, Granville O.
1870
1/22
Jacobs, Orange
1876
1/23
Montgomery, J. B.
1873
1/24
Northern Pacific Railroad Company, Pacific Division
1873-1875
1/25
Stevens, Hazard
1873
1/26
United States Treasury Department
1870-1878
1/27-29
United States War Department
1865-1886
Box/Folder
1/30
Outgoing letters
1869-1890
1/31
Speeches and writings
undated
1/32
Reminiscence
undated
1/33
Legal documents
1881-1900, undated
1/34
Court papers
1894, undated
1/35
Court paper concerning G.D. Hill
1887
1/36-37
Military orders
1865-1869
1/38-39
Military receipts, invoices, and ordinance papers
1864-1875
box-folder:oversize
3/4
Military accounts (various)
1864-1869
3/3
Military discharge and muster rolls
1865
Box/Folder
1/40
Court martial papers
1866-1874
1/41
Bills, bank notices, vouchers, receipts, etc.
1869-1890, undated
1/42
Miscellany
1/43
Subject file: Tibbitts and Hill Hop Growers
1885-1886
1/44
Hill estate legal/court papers
1888-1901, undated
1/45
Correspondence between Allen C. Mason and Eben Smith
1889-1895

Clallam Bay and Quillayute Improvement Company, 1897, undatedReturn to Top

Container(s): Box-folder 1/46

Names and SubjectsReturn to Top

Subject Terms

  • Frontier and pioneer life--Washington (State)
  • Frontier and pioneer life--Washington Territory
  • Indian agents--Washington (State)--Archives
  • Indian agents--Washington Territory--Archives
  • Makah Indians--Government relations
  • Pioneers--Washington (State)--Archives
  • Pioneers--Washington Territory--Archives
  • Soldiers--Washington (State)--Archives
  • Soldiers--Washington Territory--Archives
  • Tulalip Indians--Government relations

Personal Names

  • Hill, George D.,  -1890--Archives
  • Stevens, Hazard, 1842-1918

Corporate Names

  • Clallam Bay and Quillayute Improvement Co
  • United States. Office of Indian Affairs
  • United States. Office of Indian Affairs. Neah Bay Agency
  • United States. Office of Indian Affairs. Tulalip Agency

Form or Genre Terms

  • Legal documents
  • correspondence
  • financial records
  • writings

Names and SubjectsReturn to Top

Subject Terms

  • Personal Papers/Corporate Records (University of Washington)