At the family residence, 518 Scott Street, Alexandria, Louisiana, on Saturday, March 27, 1909, at 12:55 A.M., Algernon Hilton, aged 85 years, two months and 25 days.
The funeral took place this Saturday afternoon, at 4:30 o'clock, the procession leaving the late residence at that hour and proceeding to Mt. Olivet Cemetery, Pineville, for interment.
The members of Oliver Lodge, No. 84, F. and A. M., met at the Masonic Temple this Saturday afternoon at 4 o'clock, to attend the funeral of their brother, A. Hilton.
Mr. A. Hilton was the oldest male citizen residing in Alexandria. He was born 2nd January, 1824, in the state of Ohio. In the spring of 1830 his father and family went up the Illinois River on the second steamboat that ever navigated that stream. The first one steamed up the Illinois River about a week previous. Mr. Hilton with his family lived at Peking, Illinois about two years. The subject of this sketch said that it snowed there on the first November, 1830, and he did not see the ground again until first March, 1831.
In the fall of 1831, Mr. Hilton's father and family started for Texas but did not go any further than New Orleans, where they heard that there was trouble in Texas. They then started from New Orleans up Red River bound for Natchitoches. The Red River was very low and when Mr. Hilton and family got to Alexandria, they disembarked there. That was on Saturday, the 31st December, 1831. On that night, his first in Alexandria, the subject of this sketch slept in a house which stood on the corner of Third and Washington Streets, where Mr. Sidney Schmilinski's dwelling is now located. The house stood flush with the street, was painted red, and was called the "Red House".
In the spring of 1832, Mr. and Mrs. Hilton and children moved to a house located 2 1/2 miles back of Pineville on the Holloway Prairie road. In October of the year 1839, the mother of Mr. Hilton died of yellow fever. In the fall of the year 1840, his father moved to Calcasieu Parish, resided there one year and then went to St. Landry Parish, resided there two years, and moved to Bayou Lafourche and Terrebonne Parish. The father and his three sons built three large saw mills in Terrebonne Parish in the fall of 1848. The subject of this sketch returned by himself to Rapides but was followed by his father and two brothers in the year 1849. In June, 1850, they moved into Alexandria. His brother, Hyram, died just before the opening of the Civil War. His father died during the war and his brother, Edgar, died soon after the war.
Mr. Hilton was made a Mason in Murray Lodge, U. D., in 1855. He affiliated with Oliver Lodge about 1858. He was Secretary of the latter lodge for 32 years. He has always been an enthusiastic Mason, and no man is a firmer believer in the good of Masonry.
Mr. Hilton had been for many years a strong advocate of the teachings of Henry George, and never let a chance pass to get in a good word for the single tax teachings. He firmly believed that this government should pass laws based on the teachings of Henry George. That this country would be a grand place to live and citizenship would reach its happiest stage. He was also a great admirer of Wm. J. Bryan.
Mr. A. Hilton's honesty and integrity are proverbial. His word was as good as his bond. No man stood higher in this community as an honest true citizen, than A. Hilton. He saw the community grow from a little village to a city having all modern conveniences.
On 31st December, 1851, just 20 years after his arrival here, he married Miss Jane Culverson, who was the first cousin of the late Thos. Clements.
Mrs. Hilton, wife of Mr. A. Hilton, died on May 17, 1908, just ten months ago, after 55 years of wedded life. When she died he told her that he would soon follow, that he felt that the time would not be long. Mr. Hilton was not ill very long, but was out on the streets this week, and was looking well and hearty. He leaves 3 devoted children, Mrs. George Marsh, Mrs. J. D. Bragg and Mr. Henry Hilton. His grandchildren are Mr. John E. Richardson, Mr. John Marsh, Mr. Rene Hilton, Mrs. Joseph Gaspard and Masters Hilton and Jeff Bragg and little Miss Myrtis Bragg. The only great grandchild is little Gordon Gaspard.
It was believed that Mr. Hilton was the oldest Mason in the United States, having united with the Order in 1855.
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The ages of the four members of the Hilton family were as follows, according to the 1850 census at the LSUA Library:
Theophilus Hilton - 50
Algernon " - 25
Hyram " - 21
Edgar " - 11
There are no death dates to be found on Theophilus, Hyram and Edgar but all were alive in the 1860 census. At this time Hyram was married to a girl from England and was the father of two little girls, the youngest being 7 months. There is no evidence that Edgar was married before his death. Hyram was before his death, a Sunday School teacher at Mt. Olivet Church. Algernon had one other child, a son named Hyram. Can find no evidence of him later on, so he apparently died early.
The preceding was compiled thru research by Mrs. Bobbye Warner, with the assistance of Mrs. Dorothy Carr, in the spring of 1970.
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