Obituary Record

L. F. Hilton
Died on 6/18/1919
Buried in Blair Cemetery

#1 Printed in the June 11, 1919 The Pilot, Blair, Nebraska and picked up and reprinted in the Arlington Review Herald 19 June 1919

L. F. Hilton

L. F. Hilton, editor of The Enterprise, died at the Wise Memorial hospital in Omaha at 8:45 yesterday morning from the shock following an operation on Friday. He seemed to withstand the operation all right and was all right until Sunday, when his heart began to go back on him. Herman Shields happened in to see him Sunday afternoon and Mr. Hilton asked Herman to phone his wife and daughter, Mrs. John Rhoades, and tell them to come down as he was going to die. They went down on the evening train and Mrs. Rhoades phoned up about 10 o’clock that her father was in a very critical condition and it hardly seemed possible he could live through the night. John went down on the 11:15 train and Mr. Hilton recognized him, but was only conscious part of the time. Death came at 3:45 the next morning. The body was brought up on the train Tuesday and taken to the Campbell undertaking rooms. The funeral was held at 2 o’clock Friday afternoon at the store which was also their residence, Rev. A. E. Marsh and Rev. W. H. Underwood in charge.

Deceased was born in Harmony, Somerset County, Maine, May 5, 1845 and was therefore just 76 years of age. With his parents he moved to Prairie du Chien, Wis., where he grew to manhood. With his father he started the first newspaper in Blair, The Blair Register, but it was only accidently that he did so. He started for Lincoln to found a paper there and happened in Blair when the sale of lots was going on. He bought some lots and the place began to boom and he concluded to cast his lot in Blair in place of Lincoln. The Register was printed on the present site of the city library building, but it wasn’t destined for very long life. The father B. F. Hilton, was elected to the state senate and afterwards removed to Ord, Nebr., where he died. Frank afterwards started The Pilot, selling out to Perry Selden when he was made state oil inspector under Governor Crounse. Some six years ago he acquired the Kennard Enterprise and moved it to Blair. He was married to Miss Theressa Rice in West Union, Ia., Jan. 28, 1866, and of this union two children were born, Blanche, Mrs. John Rhoads, and Gretchen, now Mrs. Claude Utterback, of Union, Mont. He also leaves an adopted son, Robert. – Blair Pilot.

#2 Printed in the June 20, 1919 Enterprise, Blair, Nebraska

(Photo)

L. F. Hilton

L. F. Hilton, recent editor and publisher of The Enterprise, was born in Harmony, Somerset county, Maine, on May 5, 1843. When but a boy his parents moved to Prairie Du Chien, Wisconsin where he grew to manhood.

He was married January 28, 1866 to Miss Teressa Rice of West Union, Iowa, and to this union two children were born, Blanche, now Mrs. John A. Rhoades, of Blair, and Gretchen, now Mrs. Claude Utterback, of Union, Montana and an adopted son, Robert.

In his early life he was interested in the grain business and was considered an expert judge along this line.

He came to Nebraska in 1869 with the intention of going to Lincoln to engage in the newspaper work but while enroute stopped off in Blair to attend the first lot sale. Becoming interested in the future of the place he bought lots and in company with his father, Senator B. F. Hilton, founded the first Blair newspaper, The Register.

Later he purchased The Pilot which he continued to operate until in the 90’s when he sold to Perry Selden and moved to Omaha where he bought The Hoof and Horn and changed the name to The Drover’s Journal.

After operating The Drovers’ Journal for a few years he sold his interests and moved back to Blair where he has since resided.

About six years ago he purchased The Kennard Enterprise and later moved it to Blair and has since continued to operate it.

Mr. Hilton served as postmaster of Blair under President Garfield, Arthur and Cleveland, resigning in favor of Miss Cara Clark who was his deputy. He also served as State Oil Inspector under Governor Crounse.

In all his years in this city and county he was actively interested in politics, and was noted for his knowledge of state and local political history. He was a man of much intellect and his writings as an editor had no equal in the state. His ideas were original and his style of phraseology was admired by both friends and enemies.

For a number of years his health had been failing and for the past several months his sufferings were acute and he finally decided to submit to an operation as the last resort. He was taken to the Wise Memorial hospital on May 27th, the operation taking place on Friday, June 6th. He rallied from the effects of the operation, temporarily, but on Sunday the turn for the worse came and he called for his family. Mrs. Hilton and Mrs. Rhoades hastened to his bedside and were in constant attendance until he passed away on Tuesday morning. His body was brought to Blair on Tuesday afternoon and was held at the undertaking parlours for the arrival of the daughter who had been summoned from Montana. The funeral services, conducted by Rev. Marsh and Underwood, were held on Friday afternoon, June 13 from the home in the presence of a vast assemblage of friends from home and abroad and interment was made in the Blair cemetery.

Mr. Hilton was, without doubt, one of the best known country newspaper men in the state and had a number of warm friends who did their utmost to show their respect for him and his family in the last sad rites.

The floral offerings were profuse, the business men sending a wreath of flowers of the most exquisite beauty that showed in the spirit of the offering the kindly regard in which they held him and the business houses were closed during the ceremony.

The out of county guests present were: John Steen, Wahoo, Neb., Gus Ericksen, Naper, Nebr.; Dr. Lukens, Tekamah, Nebr.; and Herman Shields, Chas. Sellick and James Martin, of Omaha.

The active pall bearers were: John Aye, Herman Shields, Dr. Lukens, John Rogers, Hannis Grimm and John Blaco, and the honorary pall bearers were, John McQuarrie, Dr. Pierce, Joe Cook and John Lutz.

We wish to express our sincere appreciation to our friends and neighbors for their sympathy and assistance during the sickness and death of our husband and father and for the beautiful floral offerings.

Mrs. Frank Hilton and family

~~~ Obituaries courtesy of the Washington County Genealogical Society. Newspaper clippings on file in the Blair Public Library at Blair, Nebraska.~~~

Printed in the Washington County Enterprise on 6/20/1919


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