More information on Col Leroy Hillman

[mikepriwer]

In the past few months, I have posted bits and pieces of a story about Col Hillman.
I acquired a model of 1899 revolver that was shipped to him, just before he graduated
from West Point in June of 1900. He went on to have an interesting career in ordnance and
artillery, and in 1918 was named the Commander of Rock Island Arsenal. Sadly, he died
late in 1918 from the great flu epidemic.

The following three images are a biography, and are more/less self-explanatory. I think
this picture is the one that hangs in the halls of Rock Island Arsenal.

You may remember that, as part of the story, Col Hillman was married to the sister of
Col Wilmot Ellis. Col Ellis had graduated from West Point in 1889, and was on a two-year
teaching assignment at West Point during 1899 and 1900. His sister was living with him,
at the time, and that is where Col Hillman met her. They were married later in the summer
of 1900.

Col Ellis was married to a woman whose middle name was Clark. She was a direct descendant
to the Clark of Lewis and Clark fame. She and Wilmot had children, and grandchildren. Their
grand-daughter married a Lt Daniel Hine, who was a West Point graduate in about 1933. He
ultimately went on to become a Commander of Rock Island Arsenal, following in the footsteps
of his wife's great uncle Col Hillman.

Its my guess, and its only a guess a this point, that the revolver I acquired made its
way through the Hine family, and was eventually sold by one of his descendants. Col Hillman
and his wife had no children.

The following is a biography of Col Daniel Hine.

Later, Mike Priwer

 

[mikepriwer]

In the past few months, I have posted bits and pieces of a story about Col Hillman.
I acquired a model of 1899 revolver that was shipped to him, just before he graduated
from West Point in June of 1900. He went on to have an interesting career in ordnance and
artillery, and in 1918 was named the Commander of Rock Island Arsenal. Sadly, he died
late in 1918 from the great flu epidemic.

The following three images are a biography, and are more/less self-explanatory. I think
this picture is the one that hangs in the halls of Rock Island Arsenal.

You may remember that, as part of the story, Col Hillman was married to the sister of
Col Wilmot Ellis. Col Ellis had graduated from West Point in 1889, and was on a two-year
teaching assignment at West Point during 1899 and 1900. His sister was living with him,
at the time, and that is where Col Hillman met her. They were married later in the summer
of 1900.

Col Ellis was married to a woman whose middle name was Clark. She was a direct descendant
to the Clark of Lewis and Clark fame. She and Wilmot had children, and grandchildren. Their
grand-daughter married a Lt Daniel Hine, who was a West Point graduate in about 1933. He
ultimately went on to become a Commander of Rock Island Arsenal, following in the footsteps
of his wife's great uncle Col Hillman.

Its my guess, and its only a guess a this point, that the revolver I acquired made its
way through the Hine family, and was eventually sold by one of his descendants. Col Hillman
and his wife had no children.

The following is a biography of Col Daniel Hine.

Later, Mike Priwer

 

[smith17]

Looks like you have been busy. Any luck tracking down Hine's kids or g'kids?
Ed

 

[mikepriwer]

Ed

I got side-tracked by some other business-related issues. I've known about the
Hine connection for some time, and I know the names of the Hine children. I was
having confusion tracking them down, when these other issues came up !

Regards, Mike

 

[delta-419]

Great piece of detective work!

 

[ysidra]

Hello. My name is Judith - my screen name is Ysidra, in honor of my grandmother Dorothy Ysidra Ellis who was the daughter of Seddie Clark Lauderdale. I found your forum doing family research and I can offer some information about family relationships at least. Seddie married Wilmot Edward Ellis in 1990. Seddie and Wilmot had two children, Dorothy Ysidra and Edward. The son Edward died unmarried in his early 20s. He and his mother Seddie are interred in the William Clark memorial family plot in St. Louis. Dorothy lived a long life and did eventually marry Dr. Claude Cummings, an Army doctor, but later in life. She first married Col. Charles Rouse Jones and they had four children: Eleanor Glasgow Jones, Julia Clark Jones (my mother) and her twin brother Edward Ellis Jones and Patricia Clark Jones. Patricia and Edward did not marry or have children.

My Aunt Eleanor married Daniel Light Hine and they had 3 children and they are all living and we are in touch. Eleanor and Col. Hine are now deceased. Two of my cousin's children had a total of 7 children and these children have children of their own. My mother Julia married John Burns Hull (died WWII) and they had one child.

I have emailed my male cousins and asked them if they know anything of the history of this matter. They are civilians and not gun owners. Oh, I am delighted to have a photo of Leroy to add to our family history. Thanks for that.

I have no first hand knowledge of the gun at issue, but let me add my own speculation as to who may have had the gun when it was sold. I think the speculation is probably correct that it probably passed from Miriam to her brother Wilmot after Leroy died.

But it is not entirely obvious to me that it would have then fallen to Dorothy (her brother Edward died young) and then to her dauther Eleanor (eldest) and the Hines (it certainly could have and I've sent out feelers to my cousins about this). The reason I question this is because Wilmot Ellis and Seddie Clark Lauderdale Ellis divorced and Wilmot remarried. So Wilmot could have passed the gun to his new wife and any children they may have had (I'm still resarching this). Alternatively, it could have passed to Dorothy and Dorothy could have given it to her first husband and father of her children, Charles Rouse Jones. Granddaddy Charlie was cavalry and a noted marksman per records I've seen. He was not West Point but came up through the enlisted ranks. If it went to Granddaddy Charlie Jones, I believe he would have kept it until his death in 1970. I saw years ago a a receipt for the sale of a gun that his widow had - she sold a gun to a dealer after my grandfather died. But the details escape me.

Well, let me close. I'll keep at this and see what else I can find. Can I answer any questions. I'd be glad to.

 

[mikepriwer]

Judith

My goodness - its wonderful to hear from you !

I've been very busy with business matters for the past year or so,
and have not had time to follow up further, on the Hillman revolver.

Needless to say, there is lots of new information in your note.
I was not aware of the remarriage, for example. I was having a
problem tracing some of those family members.

I do have a fair amount of information on Wilmot Ellis, including some
of his writing. And also a bit of information on his father, the author.
And, of course, a fair number of pictures and stories about Leroy Hillman.

Certainly, if you can help unravel the story about the various
family owners of Col Hillmans revolver, I would be very appreciative.
Unfortunately, the fellow who most recently owned it has died.

You can contact me at [email protected], or you can post here.

Regards, Mike Priwer

 

[ysidra]

More info for you

Hi. That was fast. I've been working on Ancestry.com -- Browser Upgrade tonight and have discovered another possibility regarding the gun and when it may have been sold. Daniel Light Hine is certainly one possible person to have acquired the gun (Wilmot to Dorothy to Eleanor to Danny). If it went that way. What I failed to mention in my first post is that Uncle Danny's wife and my aunt Eleanor died in late 1974 and Danny married again - to a woman he had known as a boy, Twyla. Twyla and Danny moved from Ohio (Danny's family home) and they retired in Arizona. If he had it, he could have kept it to his death. But I have asked my male cousins if they know. Uncle Danny died Feb 1979. However, Twila did not die until 1999. She never married until marrying Danny in 1975 and they had no children. If the gun was with Uncle Danny - it could have been sold by Twyla's estate after she died in 1999. What do you think of that possibility? I remember reading a time frame of 10 years - in another entry. That would be consistent.

I'd love to hear what info you have on Wilmot. My husband (retired submariner) and I attended the anniversary of Wilmot's graduation from West Point - in 1988 I think - it was fascinating. Some very old daughters were there. I've recently had an inquiry from a fellow who is asking about Edward Sylvester Ellis - he found my name through Find A Grave - Millions of Cemetery Records - I submitted an entry for E.S. Ellis a few years ago. I've been trying to help him fill out his records. He is an Ellis fan. Our home is loaded with the senior Ellis' books - a few we inherited but most found at book stores and on eBay. I must have over 100 and not even close to the full collection (and forget about the magazines and historical books). Judith

 

[mikepriwer]

Judith

From what I was told, the revolver was acquired from a dealer about
10 - 11 years ago. 1999 is about right. The fellow who bought it,
now deceased, was a very well-known S&W collector, who normally
did not collect this particular revolver; his interest was in earlier
S&W's . Perhaps because of this, he merely owned it, but apparently
did not attempt to request, from the S&W historian, the original
shipping information about the gun. So, it lay buried in his collection
for 9 years or so, its significant history unknown.

And now, perhaps, we have a clue to the rest of the story !

Regards, Mike Priwer

 

[ysidra]

Good morning. I've heard from my cousin Daniel Hine. He writes: "Judy, Thanks for the interesting web material re the 38 Special. Daniel Sr. had either that same gun or one just like it when we lived in the Bellview Apts.in New Alexandria, VA when you and your mom were staying with us back in the early 50's. He had a German Luger, a .22 pistol and the 38 Special( it had a short barrel but it wasn't a snub nose). I remember him letting me shoot it one time--it had a big kick. While he was in Korea, I believe someone stole a couple of them. Virginia may remember more about it." So there you go. All that I know as I learn it. Does it sound like he's thinking of the same gun?

 

[mikepriwer]

This 38 special is a 6 1/2" barrel. So, that is not short .

It also had its original box, but it was completely flattened out. Ie,
all the corners were broken. I've since had the corners repaired.
Given the condition of the box, I doubt it and the gun were stolen,
together. Typically, someone who steals a gun has little use for the
box !

Do you know what city/state that estate would have been liquidated
in ? As I say, 1999 is about right.

Also, the gun is in near-original condition. Typically, stolen guns
get beat up a lot. This one has had a lot of TLC.

Regards, Mike Priwer

 

[mikepriwer]

Judith

Regarding information on Wilmot Ellis :

I have several of his papers that he wrote. I have his
Military history of assignments. I have a 5-page review of
his life by Charles Rhodes , published in the 1939 WP Annual.
It must have been an obituary, but its written in a very
different style - almost fun to read. There are also bits and
pieces of other things. I also have the list of his senior
West Point class, with all the other members. It has the
various scores, etc.

I can scan these into a pdf file, and send it to your email address,
or mail it to you.

I have a lot of information about Col Hillman. Lots of
earlier year-book pictures.

Let me know if any of this has interest for you.

Regards, Mike Priwer [email protected]

 

[ysidra]

How to submit info re .22 my grandfather won in 1927

It was a S & W .22 won "Camp Perry" 1927 as Courtesy and Efficiency Prize by Captain Charles R. Jones (1890-1970). My grandfather was a very good shot. The prior owner was Joseph Martin, NY, NY, and he donated the piece for the prize and he wrote a long letter to Jones about history of piece when he learned Jones had won it. Six pages. All kinds of interesting detail. It was sold by Jones' widow in 1992. I can't seem to find a place to provide this info. I have photo of gun, sales receipt and original 6 page letter. Will send it to anyone who would like the info. Granddaddy (retired Col. Jones) would have liked me to do this I believe. Charles R. Jones was previously married to my grandmother, Dorothy Ysidra Ellis Jones who was the daughter of Wilmot Edward Ellis and Seddie Clark Lauderdale. Anyway, let me know how I can share this interesting letter. Judith

 

[DWalt]

I note that Col Hillman spent some time in the Coast Artillery. At that time that was a very important branch of the military, as missiles and aircraft were in their infancy, and the Coast Artillery was the principal means of defense against foreign invasion of US shores. Assignments there were considered as having a high degree of prestige and honor. It remained so until (and even during) WWII.

 

[mikepriwer]

Ysidra

Send this information to me, and I can post it here, and also put it with my file
for Hillman and Ellis. Email is [email protected], if you want to scan it and then
attach it to an email.

Or, if you want to copy it and USPS mail it, send it to

Mike Priwer 2351 NW Westover Rd Unit 1304 Portland, OR 97210

Regard, Mike Priwer