The Hill Family

William's parents were strict observers of the Bible, however, they never centered themselves on a specific religion or group of people and kept their sabbath days to themselves. After the age of 10, William began working with his father to provide for the family. At the age of 14, William was sent to be an apprentice in the carpeting business. He was accepted by Richard Dunsmore, and lived about two miles from his parents. 

During this time, missionaries of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints were visiting in a village about four miles from where William was. He was instructed by his father to go and listen to what they had to say. He, his father, and his older brother Joseph went to the meeting. As the Hills walked home from the meeting, they felt unanimous that the teachings from the missionaries were true and they desired to be baptized. They were baptized on June 14, 1856 in the River Witham at Colsterworth, Lincolnshire, England.

After some time, William's father became offended with the Mission President of the England Mission and soon left. William's brother left to live in America and told his brother to get their father back into the Church, and William did so valiantly. Soon after, William sought to work in the United States, and on May 6, 1862, William set sail.

William Hill traveled over the Atlantic on the Manchester beginning on May 6, 1862 and arriving in New York City, New York on June 12. After train and ferry, along with his brother Joseph who was waiting for him in New York, they joined the William H. Dame Company in Florence, Nebraska Territory on Aug 14, 1862. They arrived in the Salt Lake Valley on Oct 29.

Soon after their arrival, William was hired to care for a team of a bricklayer for 25$/month until spring. In the Spring of 1864, William was hired by General Patrick E. Connor to superintend the development of a mine in Coalville, Utah for 90$/month. During this time, William was living in Salt Lake City and became acquainted with Isabella B. Wells, a recent arrival to the Salt Lake Valley from Yorkshire, England. William married Isabella B. Wells on Oct 31, 1864 in Coalville, Utah. 

In 1869, while still trying to find work, William's brother approached him to see if he would be willing to tend to some of his land for work. William agreed, and the land was in the Richmond Ward, thus the Hill family moved to Richmond, about 2-4 miles south of the actual city.