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HIGHLIGHTS FROM THE ARTICLE ON CYRUS HILLS

Cyrus Hills is one of the most enterprising and progressive citizens of Branch County, and takes a leading position in the farmers of Butler Township, owning on section 36.  He comes from fine old New England stock, although he is himself a native of the Empire State, born in Bristol Township, Ontario County, March 4, 1830.  His parents, Cyrus and Sarah (Nicholls) Hills, were natives respectively of Rutland County, Vt., and Connecticut.  His paternal grandfather, Erastus Hills, became a soldier during the Revolution.

After marriage the parents of our subject settled in Bristol Township, Ontario County, N.Y.  In 1852 he was gored to death by an angry bull, he bing then 57 years old.  The good mother of our subject departed this life in 1867, at the age of 65 years.  To her and her husband had been born ten children, eight of whom grew to maturity, four boys and four girls, of whom our subject was the third child and first son in order of birth.

On the 15th of January, 1850, our subject was united in marriage to Miss Mary, daughter of John E. and Mehitable (Olmstead) Leete.  Her parents were born in Vermont and New York respectively, and locating in West Bloomfield, Ontario County, N.Y., lived there until 1847, the father a blacksmith.  In the year just mentioned he removed to Bristol Township, and became a neighbor to Mr. Hills.  He bought a farm of 60 acres and managed it successfully until his death in 1863, at the age of 63.  The mother subsequently came to Michigan, and made her home with her daughter and our subject, dying in 1886, at the age of 86 years.  She and her husband were the parents of four sons and four daughters, of whom Mrs. Hills was the fifth child in order of birth.  She was born June 14, 1832, in West Bloomfield, Ontario County, N.Y.