UNSOLVED MYSTERIES OF JONAS HILL

A grandson of Jonas Hill was quoted as saying that "Jonas' parents were of Dutch descent and could not speak English when they arrived in America." However, this has not been proven. Neither his parents, nor his siblings, except his brother Henry (see menu options above), have been identified. We know that Jonas Hill married at least two times. His first marriage is evidenced in the 1790 census of Pendleton Dist., SC with a wife and two sons under the age of 16 living next to William Marchbanks. According to the manuscripts of Boling Feltz Marchbanks, Jonas Hill married William Marchbank's daughter, Susan (see Marchbanks Family). Children by his first marriage to Susan Marchbanks have not been proven by primary sources, however DNA testing, combined with a preponderance of evidence will serve as sufficient proof until otherwise disproven by primary sources. See my findings & conclusions at Susan Marchbanks Research . Jonas' second marriage was to Mary Barnes 2 Jun 1808, in Overton Co., TN. Several children by his marriage to Mary Barnes have been documented by known descendants who have graciously contributed information for this website.

There are now thousands of descendants of Jonas Hill, many of which have researched his lineage for many years trying to determine who his parents and siblings were, only to find that the paper trail ran into a "brick wall." In 2002 some of these researchers found a new research tool that looked promising...DNA testing. No, we did not need to find Jonas' grave and dig him up to get a DNA sample. Fortunately for us, he transmitted an exact copy his DNA to each of his sons, and they to their sons, etc. down to male descendants living today, with changes (mutations) occuring in approximately one out of every 500 direct male descendants. With the help of other Hill family researchers, we put together a Hill Surname DNA Project in the Summer of 2002 with a website designed to display the DNA results and family histories of each male Hill participant. Our Jonas Hill group is now one of the largest groups participating in our Hill DNA Project. Their results and family histories are posted to our website, administered by Byron Hill. We are affiliated with Family Tree DNA in Houston, Texas, which uses the lab at the University of Arizona for DNA testing. Their cost for this most complicated test is the lowest cost available for this type of test. Sponsorship funds from some of our project participants may be available to cover part of this cost for those interested. Check our Hill Surname DNA Project website at www.hilldna.com.

This section was added for the purpose of developing a list of things about Jonas that have never been solved. Perhaps someone will see something they have information on, or come across something in their research that will help solve a mystery. The following is a list of things that remain unsolved in my research efforts. Please let me hear from you if you have other mysteries to add or if you can solve any of the following:

1. Who were Jonas' parents? The answer would seem to lie in Granville, NC and Surry Counties, NC. Hill families living in these two counties between 1763 and 1781 are possibilities. Whether they migrated to Pendleton Co., SC and on to Tennessee with Jonas is unknown, but a possibility.

2. When did Jonas' family move to Surry Co., NC? It must have been when he was very young because in his pension papers he states that he "was born in Granville County., NC according to the account he received from his parents." If he could not remember living in Granville County, then he must have been very young. Surry County was formed from Rowan County in 1770. One possibility is that the family moved to Surry County when Jonas was six or seven years old. At that time, Surry County included what is now Stokes County, which was formed in 1789. Since there were lots of Hills in this area at that time, the process of elimination has been frustrating.

3. Who were his siblings other than Henry? There are several possibilities. A William, Mary (probably a widow ) and David Hill lived in his neighborhood in 1790 (see census). He apparently lived around Asa (Abraham) and Isaac Hill at one time. A David Hill, about the same age as Jonas, also shows up in Franklin Co., TN in the 1830 census.

4. Where did he go (in what is now East Tennessee) to fight indians in late 1781 or early 1782? He makes this statement in his application for pension benefits but no evidence has been found to indicate where he went.

5. Where was he in 1800? He isn't shown in the 1800 census of Pendleton Co., SC. Did the census taker miss him or was he on the move to a new location, or was he living on Indian land? We know that on 6 Feb 1800 he bought 163 acres on Carpenter Creek from William Cox for 50 pounds. Witnessed by Stephen Meritt and Rebecca Biggs.

6. Where was he in 1810 and 1820? We know that he was in Franklin Co., TN by 1812. and for some reason he is not listed in the 1820 census (1810 census does not exist). One of the best explanations I have heard for this was suggested by a researcher "from beautiful Crow Creek Valley, Jackson County, Alabama." She stated that the Crow Creek area of TN where Jonas lived was in Indian Territory until Dec. 1819 at which time it was inadvertently put in Marion County, TN. Marion County did not have an 1820 census. In 1824 there was a petition of Crow Creek residents to have Crow Creek removed from Marion County and put into Franklin County, TN. This was officially done in 1825.

7. How was Jonas related to Isaac Hill? Recently, the biggest mystery of all is the relation between Isaac and Jonas Hill. DNA tests by descendants of both Isaac and Jonas prove there was a close relationship. The 1800 Annotated Census of Pendleton District, SC states the following: "There were Hills in Pendleton before 1790. Isaac Hill bought 10 March 1800, of Thomas Fields, land on Long Branch of Little River, line between Fields and William Stewart, with Amos Richardson and Vashte Fields as witnesses. On 30 March 1801, Fields sold to Asa Hill land adjoining Isaac's land. Jonas Hill, in Pendleton in 1790, seems to have moved from the Little River area about 28 Dec 1792, when he bought of Benjamin Perry, land on Woolf Creek of Twelve- Mile Creek in what is now Pickens County." See Isaac Hill records.