Hiltonj

Transcribed from "An Illustrated History of The Big Bend Country, embracing Lincoln, Douglas, Adams and Franklin counties, State of Washington", published by Western Historical Publishing Co., 1904.

     J. HENRY HILTON. About four miles south from Creston, one comes to the estate of the gentleman whose name appears at the head of this article. It consists of four hundred and eighty acres of good land, with improvements commensurate with the place. Mr. Hilton makes his home here and of him one may say, that he has always been a pioneer, having spent most of his days on the frontier in various sections. He is a man of broad experience and substantial qualities.
     Henry Hilton was born in Michigan, on April 3, 1850, the son of Richard and Rachael (Baley) Hilton, natives of New York and Michigan, respectively. The father went from his native state to Michigan in very early days and was one of the pioneers who opened the latter state for settlement. Our subject spent the first fourteen years of his life in Michigan, where he received his education from the common schools. In 1864 he came to California with his parents, and immediately upon his arrival in the Golden State, he took up freighting. Later he did stock raising and his labors were among the first efforts of civilization in what is now Inyo county. He lived also in Los Angeles for some time, and later took a band of horses to Nevada, where he sold them to advantage. Immediately following that he made his way to Puget Sound, whence in 1877, one year after his arrival, he went to Oregon. For twenty years he wrought in the Web-foot State and then, 1897, came to Lincoln county and purchased his present place. He has continued here since, identifying himself with the interests of this section.
     In 1884, Mr. Hilton married Miss Olive A. Munson, a native of Stockton, California, and the daughter of Stephen C. and Ursula Munson, natives of Maine.
     While in Inyo county, Mr. Hilton was deputy sheriff for two years and later he was one who caught three of the twenty-six convicts escaping from the Carson, Nevada, penitentiary. While Mr. Hilton was dwelling in California in the early days, they were troubled much with Indians. On one occasion they were so bad that no one could go and bring supplies, and the flour was used up in the settlement. They ground corn in coffeemills, but finally were forced to make a fight against the savages. When the stand did come, the setlers were infuriated with the tormenting of the savages and they fought with such determination that they drove those not killed into a large lake, which quelled their outbreaks since.
     To Mr. and Mrs. Hilton, four children have been born, Stella Mabel, Ethel Myra, Annie Laura, and Henry Clyde.

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