Richard Hill, a well known and influential citizen of Sparta, and president of the First National Bank of the town, is a native of White County, born in the Ninth Civil District February 24, 1839. He is the son of William and Isabella (Brown) Hill. His father was of Irish descent, and was born in Virginia about 1795, and died in White County August, 1840. Mr. Hill’s mother’s descent is not known. She was a native of Tennessee and born in 1812, and is still living, a resident of White County. Mr. Hill is the youngest of three children. In his youth he secured a limited education, and has been engaged in farming all his life. He frequently traded in live stock, and has made the raising of fine stock a specialty. In the fall of 1861 he entered the Confederate States service, joined Dibrell’s cavalry, and followed this gallant soldier through the remainder of the war. He returned home and resumed the peaceful occupation of farming. He lost almost everything he had by the war, and was yet more embarrassed by reason of heavy security debts against him, but being a man of remarkable energy, in a few years he was again in prosperous circumstances. In March, 1885, a State bank was established at Sparta, and Mr. Hill was made vice-president. In January, 1877, the bank was changed to a national bank and the stock increased from $40,000 to $50,000, and Mr. Hill was elected president, in which he has a bank stock of $8,500. On June 3, 1869, he married Miss Martha J. Officer, an excellent lady, born in Overton County, Tenn., July 2, 1840. Her father, James C. Officer, was born in Overton County, October 21, 1808, and died in White County, October 22, 1868. Her mother, Leeann (Glenn) Officer was born in White County, January 14, 1813, and died in White County, November 1, 1868. Mr. Hill has two children — one son and one daughter: Robert L., born July 10, 1871; Mertie, born March 11, 1873. Mr. Hill owns a farm of nearly 2,000 acres. He is not a member of any church, but is a man of good morals, and is in sympathy with the Christian Church, while his wife is a member of the Methodist Church South.

Source:   Goodspeed Pub. Co. History of Tennessee from the Earliest Time to the Present; Together with an Historical and a Biographical Sketch of the Counties of White, Warren, Coffee, DeKalb, and Cannon, Besides a Valuable Fund of Notes, Original Observations, Reminiscences, Etc., Etc. Nashville: Goodspeed Pub. Co, 1887.