Wes, one suggestion...Hill Co had fertile "Black Land" that was so condusive to raising cotton, and at one time, Hill and Ellis Counties were the largest cotton producing counties in TX. "It's the richest land in the world" was the message sent back to relatives and friends.
I know my ancestor's home in MS where he grew cotton was devastated by the Civil War, so Hill County was a natural destination to try to replace what he had lost.
My family names from Hill Co are Monroe, Howard, and Duke.
Fran