Good evening, Bruce.
We,husband John and I, went on a search for old Pony about 5 years ago. I wanted to know, doing family tree research, what happened to this whole side of the family. In Kansas City library I read a book hunting for Pony Hill, searching every Hill reference. I read about James Napoleon Hill, left the book at closing time, and early the next mornning it hit me that "Pony" was Napoleon! I retraced that book from Nevada, where we now were. We were looking for Elizabeth's marriage papers, and we found them, along with James Napoleon! And Mr Ingram, and Mr. Vist. We found treasures (in my opinion) at the Court House in Vernon Co., and at the Bushwacker Museum there in Nevada. The Museum wants/needs more on Pony, as well as I! We had a long visit with Mr. Brophy,local author, and I bought every book that was available!
Young James was not raised by family. He had a guardian, T. W. Stearns, who kept excellent records that we copied. He was appointed guardian on March 8, 1876. J.N. Hill settles accounts with Mr. Stearns on April 21, 1881, with $196.19 in his pocket at age 21. I don't yet have his immediate story once on his own.
He married Anna Mae Wilmouth who was from the area. They traveled to Northern Oklahoma and settled to farm. They had 3 children, Ethel Viola, Versa Dee, and Otto. James and Anna Mae are buried in Beaver County. Ethel married Allen Summers of Vernon Co. and moved back to MO to farm with the Summers of Vernon Co. Versa and Otto married and stayed on in Beaver Co. We visited the "cousins" about 4 years ago, and went to the cemetery to visit Grandma and Greandpa Hill. (There is an oil well on Grandpa Hill's place!)
Ethel Hill Summers came right back to Nevada, Metz, Balltown, where Pony had hung out. One of her children is John Summers, raised in Metz. His son is John, Jr., my husband. And I am the one with all of the questions!
I don't know what became of Elizabeth that put young James into foster care. The idea that Pony wasn't killed until after the war gives reason for her second marriage in 1867. I supposed he was killed during the war.
I also wish I knew the name of Pony's mother, whose home was burned, so I could chase her down.
I love it that James and Anna Mae moved away and made a success of their lives farming and drilling! One 85 year old cousin told me that going to Grandma and Grandpa Hill's house for lunch every Sunday was the biggest thrill of the week. We have a few pictures of John Summers and cousins in front of that house. What fun to figure all of this out---even Pony!
Lynna