BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES, BELMONT COUNTY, OHIO

"History of the Upper Ohio Valley" Vol. II, 1890.

Presented by Linda Fluharty from hard copies provided
by Mary Staley & Phyllis Slater.

Page 721.

The HON. SAMUEL HILLES was born in Chester county, Penn., in 1836. He was brought
to Ohio at the age of one year, and was educated in the public schools of Belmont
county. Learning dentistry, he followed the profession for one year, and on
August 30, 1861, enlisted in Company E, Fifteenth Ohio regiment, from which
he was honorably discharged in 1864, having been promoted to a first lieutenancy
for distinguished conduct on the field of battle. He fought in the battles of
Shiloh, Liberty Gap, Chickamauga, was present at the siege of Corinth, and was
wounded in the battles of Chickamauga and Stone River, being taken captive at
Stone River. Having received his discharge, he went to Barnesville and started
a grocery business there. After two years in Barnesville, he moved to Loydsville,
where he opened a general store, and at the expiration of a year a partnership
was formed with Dr. H. W. Baker, with whom he practiced dentistry until 1870,
at which time he went to Red Oak, Iowa, practicing there for four years, then
returning to Barnesvlile, was elected superintendant of the Gas works, and in
1878 was elected sheriff of the county, which office he filled for two terms.
Having retired from that position, Mr. Hilles was sent to the state legislature
in the fall of 1883, to represent the republicans of his district, being re-
elected in 1885, he served with great credit to himself and his constituency
until his retirement in 1887. Since that time he has lived in retirement on
his fruit farm. Mr. Hilles is a member of the Robert Hilles post of the G. A. R.,
Friendship lodge, of F. & A. M., and also of the Barnesville lodge of the
I. O. O. F. In 1864 he was united in marriage to Miss Lizzie Lee, daughter of
William Lee, of Union township, Belmont county. Their children are: Lee,
Dewey, William, Anna and Mary. The entire family are members of the Presbyterian
church, of which Mr. Hilles is a trustee.