Page:The Biographical Dictionary of America, vol. 05.djvu/287

 HILLYER

HIMES


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55. In 1857 he was appointed by President Buchanan, solicitor of the U.S. treasury, which office he resigned, Feb. 13, 1861, on the secession of Georgia from the union. He was a trustee of the University of Georgia, 1844-58. He was dis- tinguished at the bar as a jury orator. He died in Decatur, Ga., June 21, 188G.

HILLYER, Shaler Granby, educator, was born in Wilkes county, Ga., June 20, 1809; son of Shaler and Rebecca (Freeman) Hillyer. He was taken with his brothers, John Freeman and Junius, to Athens, Ga., in 1821, by his mother, and was graduated at Franklin college (Uni- versity of Georgia) in 1829. He studied law, and was admitted to the bar, but did not practise. He was tu- tor in a private family in Florida for one year; principal of Sunbury academy for one year, and preach- ed his first sermon in Sunbury, Ga., in 1832. He was tutor in Frank- lin college, Athens, Ga., 1834; professor of rhetoric and belles lettres at Mercer university, Penfield, Ga., 1847-55, and of church history, homiletics and the Greek Testament, 1859-61; and president of Monroe Female college, Forsytli, Ga., 1867-72. and again, 1880-81. He was reg- ularly ordained a minister in tiie Baptist church in 1835, and was pastor at Milledgeville, Ga., 1838-45, and later at various churches in Georgia. After resigning the presidency of Monroe Female college he was pastor at Wasliington, Ga., 1881- 87, and at Decatur and Clarkston, Ga., 1887-92. He then retired from active work on account of the infirmities of age, pi-eaching only occasion- ally by invitation. He received the degree of D.l). from Mercer university in 1850, and was a trustee of that institution in 1838. He was a reg- ular contributor to the Christian Index up to the time of his death. He died in Atlanta, Ga., Feb. 10,1900. HILTON, Henry, jurist, was born in Newburg,

N.Y., Oct. 4, 1824; the youngest son of and

Janet (Graham) Hilton. He removed with his parents to New York city, and was educated in the pviblic schools. He became a clerk and law student with Campbell & Cleveland in 1839, rising to the position of managing clerk, and was admitted to practise in the court of common pleas in 1846. He acted as master in chancery for several years. Campbell & Cleveland were the counsel for A.T.Stewart, the "merchant

prince," and in 1850 Mr. Stewart made young Hilton his private counsel and secretary. He was married soon after to Ellen, daughter of Edward Banker, cousin of Mrs. Stewart, and sister of James H. Banker, president of the Bank of New York. He was a judge of the court of common pleas, 1858-63, and park commissioner for several years. On the death of Mr. Stewart in 1876 he became executor of the estate, his services being paid by a bequest of one million dollars, and Mrs. Stewart transferred to him the business of A. T. Stewart, in consideration of his legacy. On the death of Mrs. Stewart in 1886 Judge Hilton was entrusted with the distribution of her estate, and he faithfully carried out her bequests. In the management of his own affairs he was entirely successful, and when he retired in 1883. he drew out of the business |5, 500,000 as his share of the profits. His sons and son-in-law- succeeded to the business, and soon dissipated the property accumulated by Mr. Stewart and Judge Hilton and it finally went into the hands of John Wanamaker, of Philadelphia. Judge Hilton was a member of the Century as.sociation and of the Press and New Y'ork clubs, and a prominent member of the Protestant Episcopal church. He edited two volumes of Hiltoii's Re- ports of the Decisions of the Court of Common Pleas 1855-60. He gave to the Metropolitan Mu- seum of Art his several masterpieces including Meissonier's " Friedland " and Detaille's " Defense of Champaigny," and to Alexander E. Orr, treas- urer of the board of trustees of the Cathedral of the Incarnation, Garden Citj^ Long Island, N.Y., for the cathedral and the schools connected therewith, $500,000 for the purpose of better carry- ing out Mrs. Stewart's purposes. Judge Hilton died in Saratoga, N.Y^, Aug. 24. 1899.

HIMES, Charles Francis, educator, was born in Lancaster county. Pa., June 2, 1838; son of William Daniel and Magdalen (Lanius) Himes; grandson of George and Helen (Barnitz) Himes, and of Christian and Anna (Von Updegraf) Lanius, and a descendant of William Himes, from the Palatinate, who settled in Philadelphia, Pa., in 1730. He Avas graduated from Dickin.son in 1855; was teacher of science in the Wj'oming Conference academy, and in the Woman's college, Baltimore, Md., and later of mathematics at Troy university, Troy, N.Y''. He studied chemis- try at the University at Giessen, Germany, 1863- 65, when he accejited the chair of chemistry and physics at Dickinson college. He was secretary of the board of trustees of Dickinson, 1868-96, serving also as secretary of the college faculty. In 1885, upon the division of the chair, he became professor of physics. He was elected a member of the American Philosophical society, Oct. 16, 1874, and a fellow of the American Association