Albert Hilliard, farmer of the Twelfth District, and son of William and Elizabeth (Shelley) Hilliard, was born in Carroll County in 1829, and is one of a family of eight children, six of whom are now living. The father was born in North Carolina about 1816, and immigrated to Carroll County with his parents when a young man. At the age of about twenty he married and settled in the Twelfth District, where he remained till his career ended, about 1839. The mother, Elizabeth (Shelley) Hilliard, was born in Virginia about 1814, and died January 10, 1884.
Our subject was reared on the farm and had little or no advantages for an education, as he was obliged to stay at home and assist in the maintenance of the family, his father having died when Albert was quite a child. When about twenty-two years of age he married Irene Milam, of Henderson County, by whom he had one child (deceased). After spending a short time in Henderson County, he removed to the old home farm and about eight years after came to the farm on which he now resides, which consists of 400 acres of valuable land and is situated four miles south of Huntingdon. Mrs. Hilliard died about 1853, and January 8, 1857, Mr. Hilliard married Emily Holladay, daughter of George and C. Holladay. This union resulted in our subject’s becoming the father of the following children: John B., William S., Minnie Lee, Albert E., Richard H., Walter G., Linnie E. and Arthur. Mr. Hilliard in politics was formerly a Whig but is now a Democrat and cast his first presidential vote for Gen. Scott. He is a long standing and prominent member of the Missionary Baptist Church.
Transcribed by David Donahue
Source: History of Tennessee from the Earliest Time to the Present: Together with an Historical and a Biographical Sketch of Carroll, Henry and Benton Counties, Besides a Valuable Fund of Notes, Original Observations, Reminiscences, Etc., Etc. Easley, S.C.: Southern Historical Press, 1978.