PIONEER BLAIR WOMAN DIES TUESDAY, MAY 15

Since Founding of City Had Been Continuously Identified With Upbuilding of Blair and Washington County.

Mrs. T. C. Hilton, Milliner

Established A Millinery Store in Blair in 1871. Was Perhaps Oldest Merchant in Nebraska

Mrs. Teresa C. Hilton was born March 8, 1850 in West Union, Iowa, where she grew to womanhood and where she met and married Mr. L. F. Hilton, the marriage taking place in that city on January 28, 1866.

With her husband she came to Blair in 1869, being present at the sale of the lots of the townsite by the railroad company on March 1st of that year.

Her husband immediately went into business here, establishing the first newspaper, “The Blair Register” and in 1871 she herself went into the millinery business and since that time, with the exception of a short time when the family lived in Omaha, she has been continuously in that business.

Mrs. Hilton was a woman of remarkable character and while she had a keen business mind she was a deep reader and always kept abreast of the times. Her papers and magazines were always close friends and her quiet hours were spent in reading. She was of a kindly disposition, open hearted and was ever ready to listen to the call of the needy and generous in her response. She was a great lover of her family and she knew no greater pleasure than when her children and her grandchildren were gathered about her as occasion offered.

Coming to Blair in its infancy she has made herself a part of the community at all times. She, as no other person, knew the history of those early times and she has many times been toasted not alone as Blair’s oldest business woman, but as the oldest in the state.

She was of a deep Christian character, faithful to the teachings of her church and living up to its precepts in so far as it possible for humanity to do and she has builded for herself in the hearts of those who knew her a place that can never be filled so long as time lasts for them.

The husband passed away nine years ago but she kept to her post of duty and at her death the business which she had built and which was her great joy and pride was hers.

#2 Pilot 23 May 1928

Mrs. Hilton’s Funeral Thurs.

A Large Crowd Attended the Last Rites for a Pioneer Citizen and Business Woman

The funeral service for Mrs. T. C. Hilton, whose death occurring Tuesday of last week, was noted in these columns, was held at the store and residence combined, at 2:30 last Thursday afternoon, Rev. A. F. Newell, her pastor, officiating.

The music was furnished by a mixed quartette composed of Misses Ethel Mead and Mary Cook, F. W. Arndt and the writer, with Miss Jeannette McQuarrie at the piano. The songs used were “Jesus Lover of my Soul,” “I Need Thee Every Hour” and “Crossing the Bar.”

There wasn’t room in the building for all, many standing outside during the service. There was a wealth of beautiful flowers in her memory, of which nothing could be more fitting for she loved the beautiful things, taking a keen in ?. At the time the Hiltons left their home in Boonesborough, Ia., Lincoln was a booming little village and was attracting settlers from the east. They had expected to locate there, but at Blair they found a new village being mapped out and town lots offered for sale. They bought some property and built themselves a little frame house.

Mr. Hilton established a newspaper and was in hat business at the time of his death several years ago. Mrs. Hilton, like many of the pioneer women of the period had her share in the family responsibilities and soon converted a part of their house into a store using her two dozen hats as stock. The Indian women of the vicinity of which there were many, did not take kindly to hats, but as Blair and the surrounding neighborhood become settled her business prospered.

In those early days it was necessary for Mrs. Hilton to depend for style ideas upon Godey’s Lady Book, her own ingenuity and letters from friends and relatives in the more settled localities. She had learned her trade from her step-grandmother, another pioneer who had come to Iowa years before in a covered wagon.

#3 Pilot 16 May 1928

Mrs. Hilton Died Tuesday

Was Pioneer Business Woman, Starting a Millinery Store in Blair in 1871

Mrs. T. C. Hilton passed away at about 8:30 yesterday morning, after a serious illness of about three weeks. She suffered from the effects of two operations performed some years ago for gall bladder trouble. She had been very low for days but had great tenacity for life.

Her two daughters, Mrs. John A. Rhoades and Mrs. Claude L. Utterback, of Union, Mont., and her adopted son, Robert, were at her bedside most of the time during the last three weeks, doing everything that human hands could do to relieve her of suffering and making the path down the western slope of life as smooth as possible.

The funeral service will be held at the place of her business and residence at 2:30 tomorrow, Thursday afternoon, Rev. A. F. Newell officiating, she having been a member of the Congregational church for a great many years, joining soon after the local church was started.

Burial will be in the Blair cemetery by the side of her husband, the late L. F. Hilton, who passed away in 1921. Teresa C. Rice was born in in West Union, Iowa on March 8, 1850. #4 Enterprise 24 May 1928

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PIONEER HONORED

Old Friends Bow in Sorrow the Passing of Blair’s Oldest Settler Who Held Unique Honor of Being Oldest Business Woman.

Sympathy is Appreciated

Funeral services for Mrs. T. C. Hilton, oldest Blair merchant in years of service, were held Thursday afternoon, May 17 at 2:30 from her home.

A large gathering of old friends business associates and customers were present to pay their respects. Of her immediate family, her daughter and son-in-law, Mr. and Mrs. John A. Rhoades, another daughter, Mrs. Claude L. Utterback of Union, Montana and son, Robert Hilton of Lincoln were present. Also three grandchildren, Lozein, Hilton ad Priscilla Rhoades and a niece, Mrs. Chas. Rice of Omaha.

Rev. A. F. Newell of the Congregational church of this city, of which the deceased was a member, conducted the funeral services.

A quartette consisting of Misses Ethel Mead and Mary Cook, Messrs. D. C. Van Deusen and F. W. Arndt, all old friends, sang three favorite selections of Mrs. Hilton’s, “I Need Thee Every Hour”, “Nearer My God to Thee” and “Crossing the Bar”.

A wealth of floral offerings were sent by friends testifying to the love and esteem in which she was held by those who know her best.

Many expressions of sympathy were received by the family of the deceased. We herewith reproduce a letter from a former Blair man, Denna Allbery, of Denver, Colo., who was associated with the late L. F. Hilton when he was in the newspaper business running The Pilot forty years ago.

She passed away Tuesday morning at 8:30 at her home after an illness that had lasted for three weeks and during which time everything possible had been done to save her.

The funeral services will be held this (Thursday) afternoon at 2:30 o’clock from her home on west Washington street with Rev. A. F. Newell officiating and interment will be made by the side of her husband in the Blair cemetery.

She leaves to mourn her death two daughters, Mrs. John A. Rhoades of Blair and Mrs. Claude L. Utterback of Union, Montana and a son, Robert Hilton of Lincoln, all of whom were constantly with her in her last illness. Besides these she leaves six grandchildren whom she idolized and two sisters, Mrs. J. T. Cramer of Gardner, Kansas, and Mrs. Geo. Lewis of Motley, Minn.; one brother, Mr. Ed Rice of Kansas City, Mo. and a number of nephews and nieces.

And so passes a woman who has done her part in making Blair and has been a factor in a community in which she has at all times been an uplift and an inspiration to us all for the better life.

#5 May 18th, 1928

Mrs. John A. Rhoades, Blair, Nebraska

Dear Blanche:

A letter from my brother, Frank informs me of the death of your mother, Mrs. T. C. Hilton, last Tuesday, and it was a shock to both Mazie and I.

From articles in the paper and other reports we had, and on account of her advanced age, we had anticipated that the end was near, but the actual passing of any one whom we have known so intimately and well for so long a time, shocked us.

She was one of the sturdy pioneers who came to Blair when the town was first started, away back about ’69, and where her husband, L. F. Hilton, and his father, started the Blair Register, the first newspaper in the town, and, with the exception of a few years spent in California, has been a continuous resident of Blair since that time, and has been active in social and business affairs of the thriving city for more than half a century, and has contributed largely in making the city what it is today.

Both she and Mr. Hilton were good friends to the writer, and I mourn her passing, but she has passed from earthly worries to add another link to the Golden Chain in the Great Beyond, and while we will miss her, death is something that must come to us all, and we must bow to the will of Him who doeth all things for the best.

Expressing our sincere sympathy to you and yours in your hour of affliction, I am,

Very truly yours, Denna Allbery

#6 Article 24 May 1928

May 16, 1928

Mr. and Mrs. John A. Rhoades, Blair, Nebr.

Dear friends: - We were deeply grieved this morning when we read of the passing of Mrs. Hilton, and you have the sincere sympathy of the Sutherland family in your loss.

Mrs. Hilton and my parents were always very friendly in the earlier days and both have often spoken of the pleasant times and the business transactions with her, as well as with Mr. Hilton. Mother especially remembered her well and were it not that the last rites take place during the hours when I am at the office on Thursday afternoon printing the Herald, she would liked to have been present at the obsequies. But even though we are not present you will know you have our sincere sympathies.

Very truly,

Douglas C. Sutherland

#7- Published in the Enterprise, Blair Nebraska 3/17/2023

Blair the Town Beautiful Revisited: A pioneering businesswoman for Blair-Teresa Hilton opened the first millinery store in 1871

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By Leeanna Ellis for the Enterprise

Note: This is the sixth in a series of stories looking at Blair both past and present through the book “Blair the Town Beautiful” written by John A. Rhoades, former Enterprise publisher. He published the book in June 1926.

Women played a role in the early settlement of Blair as educators, nurses and even business owners. One of the first business owners in Blair was Teresa Hilton. Her husband, L.F. Hilton, was present and purchased lots at the first lot sale in Blair on March 10, 1869. L.F. Hilton established the town’s first newspaper, The Blair Register. He later published the Blair Pilot.

Teresa Hilton came to Blair that fall. At just 21 years old, Hilton opened the first millinery store, designing women’s hats, in 1871. It was a trade she had learned from her step-grandmother – another pioneer who had come to Iowa years before in a covered wagon.

“Years ago, when a woman wanted a hat, she went to her milliner who selected a ‘crown’ for her which appeared to be becoming to her face and general nature,” the Enterprise reported in October 1957. “Then, this crown was fitted out with whatever trimmings the lady might desire.”

Ornaments such as feathers, wings, bunches of grapes or other fruit, plumes or beads would be added to the hat.

Hilton opened her shop, converting part of her house into a store with two dozen hats as stock. In those early days, she depended on Godey’s Lady Book, her own ingenuity and letters from friends and relatives in more settled localities for style ideas, her obituary said.

Later, Hilton made regular trips to Chicago and other “style centers” to select her merchandise and keep in touch with the latest trends.

“The hats were truly custom made, and it was not uncommon for a woman to bring a hat back at the end of a season and have it redone with new ornaments more fitting to the current style,” an article in the Oct. 17, 1957, Enterprise said.

Hilton regularly advertised in the Blair newspapers. This was an example of one of her ads:

“Spring Showing – The endless hunt for the right hat will end abruptly and happily when you see the newest creations in the late hats. Just arrived. – Mrs. T.C. Hilton, The Milliner.”

In addition to hats, Hilton sold dresses, handkerchiefs, shoes and other ready-to-wear items for women and children.

In 1880, Hilton erected a building and created a storefront on Washington Street just a block from her original location. When the business was destroyed by a fire, it took Hilton only a few days to repair the damage and get on with business as usual. In 1904, Hilton opened a branch of her store in Arlington. She also established a store in Tekamah.

At the time of her death on May 15, 1928, Hilton, who was industrious, was touted as the oldest businesswoman in the state. She was 78 years old.

“For a length of years in business, she bears the distinction of being the longest in the business of any woman in the state,” former Enterprise publisher John A. Rhoades, and Hilton’s son-in-law, wrote in his book “Blair the Town Beautiful" in 1926. “She still carries on her business and is as enthusiastic in meeting the demands of her customers as she was 20 years ago, and her territory extends for 25 miles around Blair.”

In an interview with the Nebraska State Journal just before her death, Hilton spoke of her longevity as a businesswoman. She served the city of Blair and the surrounding areas for nearly 57 years.

“I have lived a full life, I have kept my business going, and I have made it pay,” she said. “While it is not large, it fills the needs of my territory. I have reared my family, and I have been able to live comfortably. A business career is a good thing for any woman who wants to be independent.”

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

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