At the age of nine, he lost sight in his right eye due to a bow and arrow injury; at fourteen, his father died . Five bedrooms for up to ten female servants and two sewing rooms were also located on the third floor. December 1, 2022 5:00am. James J. Hill, Empire Builder. CREATING THE FOUNDATION FOR AN EMPIRE With iron ore, the country was entering the phase of building skyscrapers and things like that.. Weston says Hill firmly believed that "Agriculture is the reason the land has value. It also allowed speculators, such as the railroad, to purchase land at $1.25 per acre and sell it to those wishing to stake their claim in this exciting new region. As The New York Times gracefully put it in a posthumous article summing up Hill's accomplishments, "Mr. Hill's great passion for empire building conflicted with another great passion for railroad domain, and there ensued a great stock market fight for control of the Northern Pacific" ("The Career Of James J. Hill," May 30, 1916). Follow him at twitter.com/TomWebbMN. Turner was a British landscape painter of the 18th and 19th centuries whose work is known for its luminous, almost abstract quality. To give respect to this influential individual, this was the first time flags were flown at half-mast for a private citizen in Minnesota, and on the day of his funeral, schools, banks and other public institutions closed. Pallbearers are: James (Joey) Hill III, Brian Hill, David Jenkins, William (Billy) Osler, Richard (Ricky) Burch, and Justin Roberts. It was a fortuitous investment for them. With the end of the iron ore trust, any royalties that flow from the mines will now head in another direction. Box 18438 | Minneapolis, MN 55418 | 612.455.6950, This and is republished here under a Creative Commons license., * Please read before republishing * If you feel you have received this message in error, please contact the customer support team at 1-833-248-7801. While standing on the edge of the Missouri River, Hill recognized the potential of the region. Now, the trusts small 10-person staff will spend its time winding down its affairs, as the assets pass to an affiliate of oil company ConocoPhillips. (NOTE: On September 6, 1888, James and Mary's eldest daughter, Mary, wed Samuel Hill (no relation), making her Mary Frances Hill Hill. James J. Hill House. The iron ore trust isnt the best-known venture of a business titan who was nicknamed the Empire Builder for his railroad network to the Pacific. down the 4.5 mile street is not to be missed. It remains one of the best examples of Richardsonian Romanesque mansions in the country. He was very bright. "use strict";(function(){var insertion=document.getElementById("citation-access-date");var date=new Date().toLocaleDateString(undefined,{month:"long",day:"numeric",year:"numeric"});insertion.parentElement.replaceChild(document.createTextNode(date),insertion)})(); Subscribe to the Biography newsletter to receive stories about the people who shaped our world and the stories that shaped their lives. He had a reputation as a taskmaster with a temper. Historical Person Search Search Search Results Results James J Hill (1864 - 1937) Try FREE for 14 days Try FREE for 14 days How do we create a person's profile? Again, his son Louis succeeded him. Most people didnt know anything about it, unless they were investors themselves and worked for investment companies. Now the North Oaks Company, owned by Hill's great-granddaughter, is suing the northern Ramsey County city that it helped to create accusing a new majority on the City Council of blocking a development, a move it called an "extraordinary display of willful defiance" of its statutory and contractual obligations. A great obituary tells a unique story and reflects the personality of the person it commemorates. He moved to St. Paul in the Minnesota Territory by himself at age 17. Hill rode the rail line frequently in his private railcar, the Manitoba, managing mainly by direct oversight rather than by delegating. Member donations are crucial to the work of our nonprofit newsroom. BRINGING IN HOMESTEADERS James Lee Rairigh Obituary. So instead, he and his partners set up a trust, with headquarters in St. Paul, allowing them to own Iron Range property and collect royalties until some distant date, 20 years after the last trustee died. He was born July 17, 1915 in Lyons, and was raised in Denver. 1910, The Free Encyclopedia of Washington State History. Built during the transition between gas and electric lighting, the house was designed to include both. . Also surviving are 6 grandchildren and 14 great grandchildren and 3 great great grandchildren along with several nieces and nephews. Throughout these endeavors, Hill had his thumb on the pulse of every process, earning him the reputation of a micromanager with his belief, "It pays to be where the money is being spent." James Jerome Hill (September 16, 1838 May 29, 1916), was a CanadianAmerican railroad executive. Asked about the trusts public profile there, historian Brunfelt laughed and replied, None. Princes of the empire Because Hill created a property-holding trust, it had to follow laws insuring that property is controlled by the living, not the dead. Johnson believes that Hills embrace of an iron-ore trust back in 1906 reveals something about a tycoon who was shrewd, aggressive, quick to adapt and always loyal to his adopted home of St. Paul. This is a really cool house, It has a great deal of craftsmanship all around it and if you are a woodworker, this place is a must. As the eldest surviving son, James was compelled to leave school and find work clerking in various small stores in order to support his mother, sister, and younger brother. The James J. Hill House is a National Historic Landmark and is one of 26 historic sites and museums operated by the Minnesota Historical Society. Prior to his election to the Minnesota House of Representatives in 1936, he worked for the Great . Family, friend, or fan this Collaborative Biography is for you to show & tell James' life so that he is always remembered. His aptitude for algebra and geometry would serve him well in his later career. On 16 September 1838, James J. Hill was born to Anne Dunbar Hill and James Hill. Conoco-Phillips wanted to get the property immediately on April 7, but the trustees argued that winding up the trusts affairs would take until 2016. When he encountered competition from E.H. Harriman's Union Pacific Railway, Hill allied with financier J.P. Morgan, adding the Northern Pacific and the Chicago, Burlington and Quincy railroads to his empire. A drive (or better yet, a bike ride or hike!) Construction began in 1888. After completion of this monumental task of building the section in record time, Hill set his sights on reaching the West Coast. That led Hill and 18 partners to create the Great Northern Iron Ore Properties Trust, which was a separate legal entity from Hills railroad, although deeply interconnected. In 1978 the Minnesota Historical Society acquired the James J. Hill mansion, restored it, and opened it to the general public. A reception was held on September 5, 1895, for Monsignor Francesco Satolli, the first Apostolic delegate to the United States from the Vatican. James J. Hill was a railroad executive who came from an impoverished childhood to found his own company in 1866. The mansion at 240 Summit has a basement, three floors, and an attic. In St. Paul, Hill began working as a clerk and shipping agent for several steamboat companies and quickly started his own transportation and fuel businesses. James J. Hill was perhaps more significant to the framing of the empire of the Pacific Northwest than any other individual. The Hill Family In 1867, Mary Theresa Mehegan, the daughter of Irish immigrants, wed James Jerome Hill, a Canadian immigrant who went on to achieve incredible success. The trust also included a curious wrinkle: It would terminate 20 years after the death of the last founding partner. Death in 1916. She's married to Tim McGraw. Fittingly, the year of his passing was also the height of the railroad, and as automobiles soon dominated the scene, transportation was never the same. Hill's funeral was held in the drawing room of his St. Paul mansion. At the end of his life, Hill was asked by a newspaper reporter to reveal the secret of his . Mary had 4 siblings: Susannah Edelin and 3 other siblings. In 1864 Hill married Mary Theresa Mehegan (1846-1922), a waitress at the Merchant's Hotel dining room where Hill took many of his meals. People Photos Purpose. He had also populated the region of the Pacific Northwest with thriving communities, many of them Scandinavian immigrants who had availed themselves of Hill's $10 transportation policy, to help settle the area and expand the region's economic development. Their 10 children were Mary, James, Lewis, Clara, Katherine (who died in infancy), Charlotte, Ruth, Rachel, Gertrude, and Walter. While Hill purchased land directly from the tribes in many instances, Weston says, "Going through native lands is a source of Hill's wealth. Brinsfield Funeral Homes and Crematory P.A. Even so, James J. Hill's vision reached far beyond merely "two streaks of rust" as he changed the world forever. Interment will follow at Trinity Memorial Gardens, 3221 Mattawoman Beantown Road, Waldorf, MD 20601. Hill was born in a rural community west of Toronto, Canada in 1838. Louis Jr. was just 4 years old when the trust was created. Hill always saw his railroads mission as moving goods, not producing them; mining wasnt part of the Great Northern Railway charter; and above all, by 1906 it became illegal for railroads to haul commodities that the railroads themselves had produced. Hill was born September 16, 1838 in Ontario, Canada. James J Hill of Philadelphia, Philadelphia County, Pennsylvania was born on March 11, 1962, and died at age 49 years old on May 30, 2011. At 18, he moved to America, eventually . But with an eye firmly focused on cost-effectiveness, Hill's land surveys located the Marias Pass, the lowest crossing of the Rockies in the area, and the railroad was constructed without building a tunnel. Hill, his wife,Mary, and their children had moved through several homes over the years, mostly in the Lowertown neighborhood of St. Paul. Perhaps one of the most unique suburban communities in the Twin Cities is North Oaks, about 15 minutes north of St. Paul. In 1906 Hill opened King Street Station in Seattle. But in a nod to the unique situation, she wrote, This is truly uncharted territory; there is no map the trustees can consult. Meanwhile, some of the original mines are still being worked. He ran demonstration trains to nascent wheat farming communities across the West. Rugged stone, massive scale, fine detail and ingenious mechanical systems recall the powerful presence of James J. Hill, builder of the Great Northern Railway. James Jerome Hill was born near Guelph, Ontario on September 16, 1838. We see that you have javascript disabled. A small theater and playroom were built in the attic for the Hill children and grandchildren. In 1900, Hill formed the Great Northern Steamship Company to ship goods between Seattle and Yokohama and Hong Kong. This 1999 agreement has been amended eight times over the years, including allowing for the construction of a senior living and care facility in the commercial district around 2006. Hill was born on September 16, 1838, near what is now Guelph, Ontario. In 1925, family members donated the house to the Archdiocese of St. Paul and Minneapolis. James Hill was born in his family's log house in Rockwood, County of Wellington, Upper Canada (later Ontario) on September 16, 1838. Memorialize Jamess life with photos and stories about him and the Hill family history and genealogy. But he isnt front and center. The Pioneer Press is a media partner with Forum News Service. Hill's impact on the economic development of the Midwestern and Pacific Northwestern regions of the United States is difficult to overstate. For more information on this topic, check outthe original entry on MNopedia. (1838 - 1916) James Jerome Hill. He came to St. Paul in 1856, where he first worked as a shipping clerk for J. W. Bass and Company. There are things that set him apart," says Alex Weston, lead researcher and program associate at the James J. Hill House in St. Paul, Minnesota. James Hills bio. Jerry Holt, Star Tribune. Tacoma resident E. G. Griggs, whose father had been Hill's earliest business partner in St. Paul, told the Tacoma Daily News, "He had the reputation of being an exacting man and hard to get along with, but at the same time it was recognized these qualities made him the forceful man he was, a man brilliant in large achievements" ("George T. Reid Explodes Old Story of Hill's Vow," May 29, 1916, p. 11). James J. Hill Sr. of Scranton passed away Saturday Morning unexpectedly at home. But he would always play by the rules. All trains halted, and the steamships in the Great Northern Pacific service along the western coast likewise hove to" ("James J. Hill is Buried"). "Doug and Mari Harpur, the owners of the North Oaks Company, have worked very hard to accommodate all of the desires of the community.". Favorite activities included fishing and swimming at . America was becoming increasingly coal-dependent during the 1860s and 1870s, and Hill worked to build up St. Paul's coal industry, learning everything he could about the fuel. In October1880, Hill renounced his allegiance to the country of his birth and became a United States citizen. Born to a poor family in what is now Ontario, Hill's father died when he was 14, prompting him to assume adult responsibilities. In 1862 the Homestead Act offered 160 acres of free land to those who improved it within five years. In Washington, a state whose destiny had been so greatly shaped by James J. Hill, citizens both prominent and ordinary memorialized his contributions. Buzzers under the dining room tables allowed Mary Hill to discreetly summon waitresses during a meal. They were married for 49 years and had 10 children. James J. Hill age in year is 184 years old; James J. Hill age in month is 2209 months old; James J. Hill age in day is 67239 days old; James J. Hill age in hour is 1613736 hours old; James J. Hill age in minute is 96824160 minutes old; James J. Hill age in second is 5809449600 seconds old; Next James J. Hill birthday is on Saturday, September . Michael P. Malone's James J. Hill: Empire Builder of the Northwest (1996) is shorter and also very good. Hill's discerning taste in art can be sampled at the Minneapolis Institute of Arts. In 1925, four Hill daughters donated the Summit Avenue mansion to the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of St. Paul. The deal was exceedingly good for Weyerhaeuser: When the purchase was fully inventoried it became clear that he had paid only 10 cents per 1,000 board feet. So the trust came with an expiration date: it would terminate 20 years after the last original founder had died. It really isnt that great now, but still 100 years time diffrence. Although Hill stepped back to allow Louis to take the lead, he didn't officially retire until 1912 at the age of 73, yet he remained busy by starting several banks and frequently speaking at events. Joe was an automobile mechanic and owner of . James Clayton Hill (born 10 January 2002) is an English professional footballer who plays as a central defender for Heart of Midlothian, on loan from AFC Bournemouth Early and personal life. From Beers Biographies: James J. Hill was born November 10, 1804, on the old farm, and his younger days were spent at school, where he proved himself a good scholar and an eager reader. "This is the era when monopoly was not just a board game," says Weston. Louis W. Hill, Jr., the grandson of James J. Hill, was the last living founder of the Great Northern Iron Ore Trust in St. Paul. The moment provided a reminder of a distant era in Minnesota history, shaped by railroad barons and trust-busting reformers, by the great riches of the Mesabi Range and the hard realities of the industrial age. And it began with Hills hunger to build a rail line across northern Minnesota in the 1890s, to haul grain more directly from the Red River Valley to Lake Superior. Thank you for visiting james j hill family tree page. Hill suffered with an infection on his thigh, yet still worked in bed until it spread beyond hope. His business acumen is manifested at the James J. Hill Reference Library, an idea he nursed back in 1887, which has been helping aspiring entrepreneurs form a practical "business strategy" since 1921. It only had 10 employees. Unfortunately, this did not play out in the long term as many farmers blamed Hill for their failures during the disastrous time around 1919 when drought, wire worms and grasshoppers decimated crops. Hill passed the business on to his son in 1907, but reported to work every day until a week before he died. At the center of the dispute is a 1999 planned development agreement between the North Oaks Company and the city that laid out the completion of the city over three decades. The houses total cost, including furnishings and other expenses, came to $931,275.01. He explains that the General Allotment Act, also called the Dawes Act, declared that on the reservations, any land in excess of Native need could be homesteaded. And, oh my God, what happened when they bought that - feeding an industrial boom that would transform Minnesota and the nation. In 1902 the Hills' eldest son, Louis W. Hill, and his wife, Maud Taylor Hill, began construction of their own mansion next door. During the flurry of activity of the constant expansion, Hill knew many of the names of the men and was known to pick up a tool and fill in while a worker grabbed a cup of coffee. But as the decades pass, the legacy has become harder to see. The mansion was home to the Saint Paul Diocesan Teachers College from 1927 to 1951. Hill made what turned out to be his final trip over the transcontinental line in late May 1914. Early Years. His father was sporadically employed as a hired hand on farms but Hill was able to get good schooling in his youth at Rockwood Academy, where the headmaster waived the tuition. Browse the directory of real estate professionals at realtor.com. Employing multiple systems was critical for creating a solid foundation beneath his railroad, making it immune from the bankruptcies that plagued other lines. So many of Hills decisions cast such a long shadow, said Craig Johnson, manager of the James J. Hill House historic site in St. Paul. 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