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The McDowell Genealogy
Posted March 18, 2011 by Jerry McDowell - over the past year, this researcher has done extensive research in Sampson and Johnston Counties, NC and has found some new information. Specifically, the Green Hill listed in the 1820 census of Johnston County who is of age over 45 is the same Green Hill listed in the 1850 and 1860 census records of Johnston County, NC is NOT, however, the son of Joseph Hill, Revolutionary War Veteran from Johnston County, NC. We believe this Green Hill did marry Mary Doxey in 1818 and tax lists in 1816 show his immediate neighbor as Nathan Strickland. Nathan's marriage to Edith Smith in 1804 was witnessed by Samuel Lee, another immediate neighbor of Green Hill in 1816. This same Green Hill is back in Sampson County as shown in the 1830 and 1840 census records. Green Hill was born, we believe, in Sampson County and have supporting information for that assertion. He was in southern Johnston County in the Mill Creek area from about 1816 until some time in the 1820s when he went back into northern Sampson County near Kill Peacock Swamp. Though in different counties, these two areas are physically very close and family members moved in and about the areas. For further info on these new finding you may email Jerry McDowell.

Green Hill and Mary Doxey

Green Hill was born about 1779 in Johnston County, NC.  On the 1850 and 1860 census, his address is listed as on the Neuse River, Johnston County, Post Office Box in Newton Grove.  He is not found on the 1870 census and it is assumed he died between 1860 and 1870 at an advanced age around 90 years old.  This Green Hill is the son of Joseph Hill of Johnston County who was a Revolutionary War Veteran.  A most important fact of this family is that Joseph Hill married a Sarah Lee.  The Lee family is the same family that Sion and Green Hill of my study married into.  However, as of May 20, 2008, we have found no connection of Joseph Hill and the Lee family of Sion and/or Green Hill.  His wife is named Mary in the census records and indeed we have a Green Hill who married Mary (Polly) Doxey on January 6, 1818 in Johnston County.  The bondsman is a Green Hill and a witness is Nathan Strickland. Mary Doxey was born between 1790 and 1793 based on census records in Johnston County.  She died after 1860 as well.  There is at least one child of this marriage and his name is Green Hill born about 1808 in Johnston County.  Of note is that this date of birth is 10 years earlier than the marriage to Mary Doxey.  Is it possible that this is the Green Hill who married Sally Lee in August 21, 1799 in Johnston County?  Being born in 1779 would put him at age 20 in 1799 – a perfect age to be marrying.  Did Sally Lee Hill, Green Hill’s wife die young and is the bondsman Green Hill for the marriage with Mary Doxey the older Green Hill that was over 45 in 1800? The fact that this Green Hill remained in Johnston County and is NOT a brother to our Sion Hill (but is probably closely related) makes it easier to accept a different Green Hill born around 1785 being in Randolph County in the 1850 census who could be a brother to Sion Hill who married Starage Lee.

Because Joseph Hill was a Revolutionary War Pensioner, his file has survived.  The following is a more detailed study of this family.

JOSEPH HILL was born in 1752 in Johnston County, NC. He died 1829 in Johnston County, NC. Joseph Hill has a Revolutionary War Pension record where his marriage, date of birth, Sarah Lee's marriage and maiden name Lee, and all children are listed. Lemuel Lee comes to court to say that his is acquainted with Joseph Hill's Revolutionary War service and that Sarah Hill was correct in her wish to have the pension fund given to her since Joseph died in 1829 before the 1832 law was put into effect for pension funds. He says that Sarah (Lee) Hill is a relative. From his date of birth being in the 1750s (he was 93 in 1844), it's possible that Lemuel and Sarah Lee were brother and sister or at least first cousins.

Lee is the maiden name for the marriages of Starage Lee and Sion Hill and Sally Lee and Green Hill in Johnston County in 1800 and 1799. Tracing the Lee family to whom they belong would be of great assistance in working on the Hill line. SARAH LEE was born in 1750 in Johnston County, NC. She died between 1844 –1850 in Johnston County, NC. Sarah (Lee) Hill was in court in 1844 regarding the pension for her deceased husband Joseph Hill. She was said to be one of the oldest persons in the County. In 1830, she is living with Joseph Hill (Jr.) her son and her age is listed at 70-80. She was not listed with the oldest son (as per Rev. War Records) Green Hill and Green Hill isn't found in Johnston County in 1840.

JOSEPH HILL and SARAH LEE were married in 1778 in Johnston County, NC. They had 6 children as follows:

  1. GREEN HILL was born 1779 in Johnston County, NC. He died after 1860.
  2. SARAH HILL was born in Johnston County, NC.
  3. JOSEPH HILL, Jr. was born between 1800–1810 in Johnston County, NC. He married Elizabeth Johnson. They were married on 02 Sep 1825 in Johnston County, NC.
  4. REBECCA HILL - no information is known.
  5. PENNY HILL died before 1826 in Johnston County, NC. In the Revolutionary War Pension reports for Joseph Hill, all the children are listed and in 1836 when wife Sarah is requesting her pension for Joseph's service, she states that Penny Hill is deceased. There was no indication that she had married.
  6. PUAH HILL – no information is known about her.

The bondsman for the marriage of Joseph Hill and Elizabeth Johnson was Peter Lee. In 1830, Joseph's mother Sally Lee Hill age 70-80 is obviously the older female living with him. His wife is listed as 30-40 and since the children are all under 5, it appears that the Joseph Hill who married Elizabeth Johnson in 1825 is the appropriate husband and wife team. In 1830, there are two males under 5 years of age and one female under 5. His wife is listed as age 30-40. Ages in the 1840 census for Joseph Hill in Johnston County are consistent except that in 1840, there is one male under five and one male 5-10 as well as one female under 5 and one female 5 to 10. Mother Sarah (Lee) Hill is still alive in 1844, but she is NOT listed as living with Joseph Hill, her son. Lemuel Lee is still alive in 1840 in Johnston County at age 80-90, but Sarah is not living with him either. Therefore, it is not known with whom Sarah is living in 1840. She would have been listed as age 80-90 (or 90-100). In 1836 Rev War Papers for Joseph, she is listed as age 84 (she would have been age 90 around 1840). Joseph Hill nor Elizabeth have been found in the 1850 census and names of their children are not known.

While this Joseph Hill family with son Green Hill is NOT the direct ancestor of either our Sion Hill or our Green Hill, the family cannot be discounted as an important part of our study.  The fact that this Joseph Hill was born in 1752 is a reminder that we are looking for a Green Hill born at approximately the same timeframe.  Perhaps the older Green Hill of our study is a brother to this Joseph Hill?

However, this Green Hill family is NOT the Green Hill who witnessed the Sion Hill and Starage Lee marriage in Johnston County.

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