The McDonalds3

The Edward Hills of Allamakee

The headstone for Margaret Hill is currently laying flat on the grass, and according to the historical society, "is a nice looking gravestone". There is a Michael Fahey buried to one side of her (his death 1879), and on her other side are several unmarked graves. It is likely that the plot next to hers is that of her husband, Edward. The historical society will check with the church for more information.

Two obituaries for Margaret Hill.

In the early days, Waukon had two local newspapers. The first obituary was written by someone who knew her personally. More important, she was considered to be a very bright woman. The other obituary was far more typical of obituaries, but less personal.

This is a copy of the written will that Margaret Hill's attorney drafted for her. This document was created about 10 days before her death. I have tried to decipher as best I can. Click HERE to see deciphered copy.

The deputy that recorded this document was James Ryan. Bat Ryan had a brother by this same name, but by 1907 no longer lived in Allamakee. Before leaving, James, ran for sheriff on the Democratic ticket.

NOTE: How can you enlarge the picture further? Look for the arrows on the bottom right and click on it once. This will make it more readable.

This is the court filing for Margaret Hill's estate. It summarizes the contents of Margaret's last will and testament. Margaret Fitzgerald was the executor, and her signature is shown on page 2.

NOTE: How can you enlarge the picture further? Look for the arrows on the bottom right and click on it once. This will make it more readable.

Part of the court filing included a list of the heirs. This is a copy of the official list that was submitted to the court. By 1907 most of the daughters had moved away from Allamakee County, as reflected in this document.

Edward Hill's grave cannot be identified in any of the cemeteries in Allamakee County, however, these two documents show he died in the county in 1879. The single paragraph document to your left is his last will and testament, most likely written a few weeks before his death. You will see his "mark." This will was later recorded by the court to recognize Margaret as the legal heir (the tag attached to the will).

The Edward Hill family moved to Allamakee County in the 1850s. A census was taken in the late 1850s, and it showed that he was already a naturalized citizen. It also showed that he may have had military service.

To learn more about our Hill heritage, visit "Historical Hill Family". This section traces our roots to Tipperary and identifies a few houses where our family may have lived during the mid 1850s.

Michael T. Bingenheimer traced his family to Ann (Hill) and Patrick Murrin (Jr.). Michael has also traced his line up to Patrick Sr. who lived in Boone County, Illinois. Also refer to the cemetery records where the Murrins and McGonigles are buried.