Abner Hilts (or Hiltz in many documents) first shows up in Albion Township, Peel County, Ontario. I have found no parentage for Abner but believe he was surely related to other Hiltses who settled in that region and those that later moved on to Sunnidale Twp., Simcoe County.
Based on the 1851 & 1861 Census Returns, Abner was born between 1818 and 1831. On the 1851 census his age is reported as 33 and on the 1861 Census his age is listed as 30. (I have been told that sometimes children gave the information & this is why the ages may have been different.) Since his eldest child was born in 1840, I am more inclined to go with the 1851 census results.
In 1846 the inspector reported an Abner Hilts on E. 1/2 of Lot 38, 2nd Concession E. of Garafaxa Rd., Egremont Twp., Grey County, with five acres cleared. On July 3, 1852 he received patent on his fifty acres. This is the part that confuses me; he has land in Egremont Twp., in 1846, yet shows up on the 1851 Census in Albion Twp., Peel County... then again in 1852 he receives a patent on his land back in Egremont. Is there TWO Abner Hiltses? And if so, why can't I find much information on either one? I am wondering if he was in Egremont clearing his land while his wife and children stayed in Albion. He may have been in Peel when the Census Taker came to the door there and been in Egremont when they came there.
Census of 1861 shows Abner Hilts, age 30; wife Eva, age 25; a boy, William age 12; a girl, Mary age 14 and a girl age 5 whose name appears to be Elworthy or Elurthy SHELL.
The 1866 Directory of the County of Grey shows Abner Hilts on Concession 3, Lot 48 in Egremont Township. It also shows a Michael Hilts at the same location. I do not know the parentage of Michael Hilts or his connection with Abner Hilts.
The land abstracts book for Egremont Twp., Grey County show that on November 20, 1869, there was a Sale of Land between Abner Hilts Egermont Twp and John M. Cannil of Egremont Twp for $575. (Conc 3, Lot 48).
This is the last I find any information on my Abner Hilts. I do not know when he died or where he is buried. I have not been able to find a death registration for him or his wife, Eve Hilts.
In the 1871 census an Abner Hilts aged 6 months is shown living with Joseph Hilts age 60. It's possible the Abner Hilts I am researching was his uncle. (Some people have mistakenly thought this stated "Abner Hilts, aged 66". It doesn't.)

It is thought by some that Mary Hilts (b. 1840), Abner and Eve's daughter, married John Rawn (1833 - 1917). John Rawn married a Mary Hilts (b. 1847) and on the marriage registration her parents are listed as Eva and Albert Hilts. I've never found an Albert Hilts for that time frame either. It's hard to say if they could be the same Mary, as their birth years are 7 years apart.
The Rawns marry into the Hilts, Schell and Cook lines in my families a few times.

Now, we will proceed to their son,
William Lawrence Hilts.


William Lawrence was born July 7, 1852 in Egremont Township, Grey County, Ontario. On July 13, 1874, in Mount Forest, Egremont Twp., Grey County, he married Mercy Rebecca Smith, daughter of Bleakney Smith and Susan Hilts. On the marriage registration it gives Abner & Eve Hilts as his parents.
In 1889 & 1891 he lived at Concession 11, Culross Twp., Bruce County.
However, when he died on March 25, 1893 from Brain Fever (Meningitis) his place of death was listed as Egremont Twp., Grey County. The person reporting his death was Bleakney Smith, presumed to be the Bleakney Smith who was his father in law.

When the Ontario Hiltses were mistakenly anticipating an inheritance of millions from the Baker Estate in Philadelphia some sent family lists to attorneys. One such copy was found in the Bible of Elizabeth Hilts Rawn. (This information may or may not be accurate, however - the following is what was found in the bible, as reported to me.) It reads:

STATEMENT OF CLAIM

"I, Mercy Hilts, was born July 23, 1855, in the Township of Culross, County of Bruce, Province of Ontario. I was married to William Lawrence Hilts on the 13th day of July 1874, who was born July 7, 1852.

To our union we had ten children:

William Bleakney (m. Mary Barkly)     b. Sep 25, 1875

Abram       b. Apr 2, 1878

Abner       b. Dec 17, 1880

Robert       b. July 23, 1882

Mary Elizabeth (m. Rawn)     b. Feb 10, 1885

Susannah Matilda (m. Derby)      b. Aug. 14, 1888

Rebecca (m. Morrison)      b. June 6, 1887

Eliza Jane (m. Cameron)     b. Oct. 23, 1890

Maggie Ann (Margaret) (m. Brodie)    b. June 2, 1892

"My father, Bleakney Smith, was born July 1, 1823, in Tipperary, Ireland and died Bruce County, A.D. 1903.

"My Mother, Susan Smith, was born, January 20th, 1827, in Albion Township, Province of Ontario. Married of September A.D. by Rev. Henry Cotes."

The Children Of Bleakney and Susan were as follows:

Eliza Smith      b. July 21, 1848

Elizabeth      b. Aug 7, 1849

Martha Mary     b. Feb 23, 1851

Robert      b. June 28, 1852

Rebecca      b. Mar 7, 1854

Mercy       b, July 23, 1855

William Bleakney    b. Mar 21, 1857

Solomon Samuel    b. Jan 16, 1859

Susannah Hester    b. Mar 7, 1860

Sharlot Ann     b. Jan 12 1862."

Susan Smith, wife of Bleakney Smith is thought by some to have been a Hilts or a Baker.

Elizabeth Smith, daughter of Susan and Bleakney Smith, born Egremont Township, age 23, on Feb 5, 1873 married John Sanders Rawn, born Albion, age 22, son of Frederick and Elizabeth Rawn of, at Mount Forest, Ontario. The Better Business Bureau informed Harry Doner that the Baker Estate was settled in 1920 and was relatively small.However, the excitement did further the cause of genealogy!
(To read an exciting tale of the Baker Hoax, follow the link.)

Bleakney is sometimes spelled Blakney and pronounced as in "Black".




ABNER HILTS II


Although I have a multitude of data on all the children of William and Mercy Hilts, I will concentrate on this one.

Abner Hilts, son of William, and Grandson of Abner the 1st, was my Grandfather. He was everything you ever dreamed a grandfather would be. He was short, white haired, round and he had eyes that twinkled with mischief and laughter. He never said it, and he never had to, you knew he loved you...because those eyes said it for you. Just the memory of that gentle old face brings a smile to my lips and a warmth to my heart that I only wish I could bring to others. He was a good man and I proudly write about him.

Abner, 3rd child of William and Mercy Smith, grandson of Abner and Eve Hilts, was born Dec 17, 1880. He died April 14, 1971 at the age of 91. Abner married Alice Pipher, on March 31, 1917. Alice was born March 30, 1896 and she died in 1966. Alice was the daughter of John Pifer (also spelled Pipher) and Margaret Ellen Schell. John Pifer was the son of Samuel Pifer and Elizabeth Shirk.

It has been reported by researcher Harry Doner that Abner Hilts drove a stage coach between Owen Sound and Thornbury in the early 1900's. My mother doesn't recall him ever telling of doing this, but she does recall him speaking of working as a stone mason in the Owen Sound area.

Abner and Alice had eight children together:


Abner John (m. Mary Alice Evelyn Robinson Wilson)   b.1918

Elwood (m. Barbara Alexander/divorced)   b.1920

Lawrence William (m. Norma More)   b.1921

Remelda "Jean" (m. Edgar John Cook) b.1923

Ernest Wesley (m. (1) Phyllis Cudabach/divorced (2) Lynn Creamer)   b.1925

Ross    b. July 19, 1929.... d. 1930 from whooping cough.

Orval (m. Joyce Walker)    b.1932

Robert Donald Raymond (clm Ruby Wilson) (1) Karen Roberta Jessop)    b.1939





If you are researching Hilts other then the ones shown here please e-mail Shirley Hilts O'Neil at: shirleyhO@aol.com. She maybe able to help you as she has done a great deal of research and has published a book on her Hilts line.



I have further data on the descendants of Abner Hilts and names of people researching other Hilts lines.   You may e-mail me if you require more information. Or, you may check out other Hilts Lines that I have researched as they are married into quite a few of my other direct lines.