Hill, James Jerome 1838-1916

Railroad financier.

From the description of Addresses, 1902-1916. (Washington State University). WorldCat record id: 29853289

Businessman and railroad executive, James J. Hill (1838-1916), was founder of the Great Northern Railway Company, which incorporated and extended an important transcontinental line, running from St. Paul, Minnesota to Seattle, Washington by 1893.

Frequently called the "Empire Builder," Hill amassed a personal fortune through his aggressive acquisition of holdings in rival railroads and other business concerns. In later years, he focused on philanthropic work, writing, and giving speeches, many of which were published.

From the description of Manuscript of James J. Hill's address on the opening of the Alaska-Yukon-Pacific Exposition and related letter, circa 1909-1915. (Unknown). WorldCat record id: 123954078

James J. Hill was born on a farm in southern Ontario on September 16, 1838. His formal schooling ended at the age of 14 when his father died, and he worked as a store clerk and at other jobs in the towns of Rockwood and Guelph over the next three years.

Hill left Canada at age 17, visiting New York and Philadelphia and arriving by steamboat in St. Paul in the Minnesota Territory on July 21, 1856. His first jobs there were as a clerk and shipping agent for steamboat companies. He then began his own transport ventures, first building a warehouse on the St. Paul levee and then turning his sights northwest to the Red River Valley. He partnered with Norman Kittson in the Red River Transportation Company, which gained a monopoly on Red River steamboat traffic until 1878. In the same years Hill joined with Chauncy Griggs, George Acker, and E. N. Saunders to form fuel companies which grew to control a large portion of coal and wood trade in St. Paul.

Hill married Mary Theresa Mehegan, daughter of Irish immigrants, in 1867. Together they had ten children. The family lived in St. Paul, with additional homes in North Oaks, Minnesota, New York City, Paris, and Jekyl (known later as Jekyll) Island, Georgia.

Hill believed the future of transportation lay in railroads and in 1878 he joined with Kittson, John S. Kennedy, and Canadians Donald Smith and George Stephen in buying out the failing St. Paul and Pacific Railroad. Hill concentrated the following decade on extending this line, reorganized as the St. Paul, Minneapolis and Manitoba, into western Minnesota, Dakota, Montana and the Pacific Northwest. The final spike of the railroad's transcontinental line was driven January 6, 1893.

Over the next twenty years Hill managed the rechristened Great Northern Railway and ventured into mining, timber, land, and livestock, as well as philanthropy and public speaking. His attempts to overtake and merge the Northern Pacific Railway with his own companies led to an antitrust suit by the administration of President Theodore Roosevelt, that Hill eventually lost.

Though he officially retired in 1912 Hill maintained an active hand in his businesses until his death on May 29, 1916. His personal fortune at that time has been estimated at $63 million with $200 million in related assets, making Hill one of the wealthiest and most powerful figures of America’s Gilded Age.

• 1838: September 16, born James Hill near present day Guelph, Ontario.
• 1845 - 54 : Attends nearby Rockwood Academy until father's death.
• 1854: Takes for himself the middle name of Jerome.
• 1856: Arrives in St. Paul, Minnesota Territory.
• 1856 - 66 : Works for several steamboat transportation firms on St. Paul levee.
• 1866: Forms James J. Hill & Company, a transportation and warehouse agency.
• 1867: Marries Mary Theresa Mehegan, born July 1, 1846, in New York City.
• 1869: Forms Hill, Griggs & Company with Chauncy W. Griggs.
• 1875: Forms Hill & Acker with George S. Acker and others.
• 1877: Elected president of newly incorporated North Western Fuel Company.
• 1878: Completes new house at Ninth & Canada streets, St. Paul.
• 1877 - 79 : Acquires the St. Paul & Pacific Railroad Company with Norman W. Kittson, Donald A. Smith, George Stephen, and John S. Kennedy.
• 1879: St. Paul & Pacific reorganized into the St. Paul, Minneapolis & Manitoba Railway Company Serves as general manager until 1881; then as vice president until 1882.
• 1880: Becomes United States citizen.
• 1880 - 83 : Plays important role in construction and operation of Canadian Pacific Railway.
• 1882: Elected president of St. Paul, Minneapolis & Manitoba.
• 1887: St. Paul, Minneapolis & Manitoba completes extension to Montana Territory.
• 1890: Elected president of newly incorporated Great Northern Railway Company.
• 1891: Completes new house at 240 Summit Avenue, St. Paul.
• 1893: Great Northern completes line to Seattle.
• 1893 - 96 : Assumes central role in reorganization of the Northern Pacific Railway Company.
• 1901: Elected president of newly incorporated Northern Securities Company.
• 1904: U.S. Supreme Court orders Northern Securities Company be dissolved.
• 1912: Resigns presidency of Great Northern and becomes chairman of the board. Son Louis W. Hill elected Great Northern president. Resigns as Great Northern chairman of the board. Succeeded by Louis W. Hill.
• 1916: May 29, dies in his home at 240 Summit Avenue, St. Paul.

From the guide to the James J. Hill papers., 1823-1985 (bulk 1860-1916)., (Minnesota Historical Society)