A Standard History of Kansas and Kansans/Biography/Thurman Hill

who is serving as county attorney, has identified himself with the community of Independence and Montgomery County as a rising young lawyer and as a public spirited citizen whose influence has already been displayed effectively as a campaign manager and through association with various public and business enterprises.

His family has been identified with Kansas for more than forty years. His grandparents, John and Mary Hill, came from England to New York State about 1850. His grandfather, John Hill, was born in 1825, was a ship contractor, but in 1874 moved to Kansas and took up a homestead and followed farming the rest of his active career. He died in Independence in 1901.

George Hill, father of the young attorney at Independence, has long been one of the respected and esteemed citizens of Montgomery County and is the head of a fine family. He was born in New York State in 1854, and was reared partly in Louisiana, but came to Kansas when a young man. That was in 1874, and his operations as a farmer and in various business and public capacities have been largely centered around Independence, where he still resides, owning an attractive residence at 903 West Myrtle Street. He owns land in Oklahoma, and has built up a large business in real estate at Independence. As a democrat he has participated in public life for many years. During Cleveland's administration he was postmaster of Independence, served five years as deputy county treasurer of Montgomery County, and has been a member of the school board and city council. Religiously he is a member of the Episcopal Church and fraternally is affiliated with Lodge No. 1, Woodmen of the World, and Independence Lodge No. 780, Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks.

The maiden name of his wife was Anna O. Young, who was born in New Jersey in 1850. They and all their twelve children are still living. A brief record of the children, who have reflected credit upon their parents, is as follows: Blanche is the wife of R. R. Wharton, who has charge of the packing department of the Coffeyville Mercantile Company at Coffeyville; Sylvia is the wife of R. O. Bolman, president and principal owner of the Coffeyville Mercantile Company, a large wholesale grocery house; H. N. is a freight conductor for the Santa Fe, with headquarters at Clovis, New Mexico; Nina is the wife of J. D. Sturgis, an agent of the Santa Fe at Longton, Kansas; Charles T. is a traveling salesman for the Coffeyville Mercantile Company and resides at Coffeyville; Mira, twin sister of Charles, is still at home with her parents; the seventh in order of birth is Thurman; Raymond is assistant cashier of the National Supply Company at Independence; Vernon is connected with the producing department of the Roxana Petroleum Company at Tulsa, Oklahoma; Anna is a graduate of Montgomery County High School, and is a teacher; Elda is in the freshman class of the high school; and Beatrice, the youngest, is now in the sixth grade.

Thurman Hill was born at Independence, Kansas, September 10, 1890. His early education was acquired in the local public schools, and he graduated from the Montgomery County High School in 1909 and took his LL. B. degree from the law department of the Kansas State University in 1912. In that year he was admitted to practice and at once began building up a reputation as a lawyer, and now has a good business both in civil and criminal branches of practice. His offices are in the Citizens Bank Building.

He is a stanch democrat politically. In the 1914 county campaign he was defeated by only thirty-seven votes in his candidacy for county attorney. He has shown much ability in politics, and recently was manager of the campaign for R. R. Bittman, who was elected mayor of Independence. He has appeared in various county and state conventions of his party and was secretary of the Democratic City Club in 1912, and in 1916 was secretary of the county convention. In 1916, having been nominated without opposition for the office of county attorney, he was elected by a majority of 1,702 votes.

In a business way, besides his law practice, he is secretary and treasurer of the Americus Oil Company, secretary and treasurer of the LeJune Oil Company and associated with other oil interests. He and his brother, Charles, own forty acres of farming land in Montgomery County. Mr. Hill is unmarried. He is a member of the Methodist Episcopal Church, being chairman of the publicity committee of the Business Men's Bible Class, is affiliated with Fortitude Lodge No. 107, Ancient Free and Accepted Masons, at Independence; Lodge No. 69, Independent Order of Odd Fellows, of Independence; the Order of Moose; is a member of the Montgomery County Bar Association, and belongs to the Phi Alpha Delta Greek letter law fraternity. While in university he was honored by his class with offices, and in 1911 played the position of catcher on the Kansas University baseball team. He is interested in all outdoor sports, and is a member of the Independence Tennis Club. He is president of the Montgomery County High School Alumni Association. He also belongs to the Independence Commercial Club.