Angelina Hill Papers

Collection

Identifier: RHC-RC-318

Staff Only

Scope and Contents

The collection consists of the letters and a letterbook of Angelina Hill dating from 1839 to 1902, as well as research materials collected by Willa G. Cramton between 1989 to 1999. The research materials include edited transcriptions of the letters and letterbook and background research relating to Hill, her family, and her community. Although the letters themselves make up a small portion of the materials, they, along with Cramton’s research, provide a rich background on the life of Illinois pioneers in the mid 19th century.

Dates

created: 1839-1999
Other: Date acquired: 01/30/2012

Conditions Governing Access

Property rights in the collection are held by the Regional History Center; literary rights are dedicated to the public.

Conditions Governing Use

There are no restrictions on access to the collection.

Biographical or Historical Information

Angelina Hill was born December 17, 1815 to Henry and Lydia Hill of New York. In 1837, Hill, along with her parents and younger sister Maria, left Harmony Township, Chautauqua County, New York, for Illinois, where her brother Edwin had a homestead. The family arrived in August of that year, after suffering through extreme heat and illnesses. The family first resided in a house in Strawberry Grove, on Killbuck Creek in Ogle County. In November, they had built a new house for themselves and began homesteading. On September 8, 1839, Angelina married Samuel Brown, another New York immigrant. The pair settled in New Milford. They had three children, Jonathon, Alice, and Sarah. Angelina died on November 28, 1911, and is buried in the New Milford Cemetery. Willa G. Cramton was born January 2, 1937. She earned her master’s degree in history from Northern Illinois University in 1991. As part of her master’s program, she edited and transcribed the Angelina Hill Papers. She later used the documents for several other courses, and presented one of her papers to the Chicago Area Women’s History Council. Cramton passed away February 7, 2012.

Note written by

Extent

1.00 boxes

1 digital file (2.20MB) other_unmapped

Language of Materials

English

Additional Description

Arrangement Note

The collection was organized into groupings of original material, research material, rough drafts, and final papers.

Technical Access Requirements

Electronic records may be accessed on the computer in the Center’s reading room.

Source of Acquisition

Thomas Cramton

Method of Acquisition

Thomas Cramton donated the Angelina Hill Papers to the Regional History Center on January 30, 2012. Originally a vertical file manuscript, the papers were turned into a regional collection as subsequent donations expanded the collection