In my researching I found a declaration for pension in the Revolutionary War records made by Charles Hilton for a Benjamin Delaney that helped me to find what I believe to be our line of Hiltons. In this declaration, Charles Hilton of Sullivan County Tennessee states that he is a Reverend Charles Hilton. This led me to a Reverend Samuel Hilton, son of John Charles and Nancy Hilton, born 1764-66 in St. Mary’s, Maryland. According to researchers, John Hilton is first recorded in St. Mary’s on a deed on December 20, 1668. Though St. Mary’s was mostly a catholic refuge, it had been declared a territory with the freedom of religion. These Hiltons were of the Episcopalian faith which is actually an off-shoot of the Church Of England. John and Jane Hilton had three sons that I know of, John, Francis, and Andrew. Andrew married Judith ? and had thirteen children, Mary, Susanna, Thomas, James, William, Richard, Elizabeth, Jonathan, Juda, Leonard, Samuel, Andrew, and John Charles Hilton. One son, Andrew Hilton, born 1726 St. Mary’s Maryland, was the father of our Charles and another son, John Charles Hilton, born 1720 St. Mary’s Maryland, was the father of Reverend Samuel Hilton. This would make our Reverend Charles Hilton and the Reverend Samuel Hilton first cousins. Andrew Hilton died Aug 21, 1749 in St. Mary’s Maryland. It is recorded that in 1784, John Charles Hilton (Rev. Samuel’s father) leaves St. Mary’s Maryland along with his family and at least five of his brothers and moves to Guilford (now Randolph) county North Carolina. On Aug. 14, 1788, John Charles Hilton of Randolph county, North Carolina, dated his will. The will was probated in June 1790. Rev. Samuel, the fourth son of John Charles Hilton, inherits 290 acres in this will which he promptly sells and moves to the area now known as Scott county Virginia. This Samuel Hilton is found in the Tennessee archives as Reverend Samuel Hilton who moved from North Carolina and builds a cabin on the banks of the north fork of the Holston River at present day Hiltons Va.  This cabin is now a historical marker called the Fulkerson-Hilton house. Another John (a son of Samuel) married a woman named Nancy Fulkerson, thus the name Fulkerson-Hilton House.

According to my grandfather’s notes and confirmed by my own research, my Hilton line is:

1. John William Hilton (immigrant from England), born 1650, England

Married Jane ? in St Mary’s Maryland about 1689. Known children are: John Hilton, Francis Hilton, Andrew Hilton.

2. Andrew Hilton, born 1685 St. Mary’s, Maryland. Died Aug. 21, 1749 St. Mary’s, Maryland. Married Judith ? St. Mary’s, Maryland. Known children are: Mary, Susanna, Thomas, James, William, Richard, Elizabeth, Jonathan, Juda, Leonard, Samuel, Andrew, John Charles.

3. Andrew Hilton, born 1726, St Mary’s Maryland. Died probably North Carolina. Married name unknown, 1767 St. Mary’s, Maryland. Known children are: Arnold (on 1796 Sullivan county Tenn. tax list), Andrew, James (on 1796 Sullivan county Tenn. tax list) (probably the ancestor of Dorothy (Hilton) Smith and George Hilton of Kingsport Tennessee), Charles (on 1796 Sullivan county Tenn. tax list), and Stephen.

4. Charles Hilton, born 1776, North Carolina. Died about 1838, Sullivan County Tennessee. Married Margaret Yoakley, (daughter of John and Mary (Dill) Yoakley). Marriage date unknown.

Known children are: Endymion B. born about 1810 in Sullivan county Tenn. and died ?, Joseph born about 1815 in Sullivan county Tenn. Died 1865 in Shelby county Missouri married Catherine Robinson sometime before 1839 in Sullivan county Tenn., James Andrew born March 23, 1813 in Sullivan county Tenn. Married Frances E Spurgeon or Spurgin on Aug 17, 1835. There is also a John and George that some researchers claim belong to Charles. According to the documents I have found, I am more inclined to believe George and John belong to James, the brother of Charles. Many of the descendents of James are still in Sullivan county Tenn.

5. James Andrew Hilton, born March 23, 1813, Sullivan county Tennessee. Died, Feb. 1886, Vandalia, Jasper county Iowa. Married Frances Spurgeon (Most documents in Tenn. spell this name Spurgin) on Aug. 17, 1835 in Sullivan County Tennessee. Frances was born about 1817 in Sullivan county Tennessee and died about 1865 in Vandalia, Jasper county Iowa. (Frances is the daughter of William Madison Spurgeon & Elizabeth Beard) Known children of James Andrew and Frances are: 1. Margaret Jane Hilton born 1837 Sullivan county Tenn. Died ? married John Van Gundy, 2.William (Billy) Hilton born 1838 Sullivan county Tenn. died 1909 Iowa, married Melinda Van Gundy Dec 29, 1864 in Jasper county Iowa, 3. Sarah Elizabeth Hilton born April 7, 1840 in Sullivan county Tenn. Died August 29, 1913 Prairie City Iowa, buried in Vandalia cemetery, married William S. Flemming May 8, 1859, 4. Amanda Hilton born 1841 in Sullivan county Tenn. Died in Kansas some time after 1920 married John Carmody April 2, 1863 in Jasper county Iowa. 5. Endymion Baker Hilton (alias James Baker) born January 16, 1844 in Sullivan county Tenn. Died September 29, 1919 in Monticello, San Jaun county Utah as james Baker married Sarah Isabell Sherrat June 11, 1876, 6. Charles Wellington Hilton born November 1846 in Sullivan county Tenn. Died May 26, 1926 in California married Rhoda Anna Chapman 1868 in Iowa, 7. Le Roy Hilton born 1847 in Sullivan county Tenn. died before 1850 Sullivan county Tenn. 8. Mary L. Hilton born 1848 in Sullivan county Tenn. Died ? Jasper county Iowa married John A Flemming January 18, 1866 in Jasper county Iowa. 9. Joseph Samuel Hilton born August 12, 1849 in Sullivan county Tenn. died December 10, 1905 in Wichita, Sedgwick county Kansas, married Loretta Corbett, (daughter of John Nickell Corbett and Rebecca Beam) March 5, 1872 in Fisher county Iowa 10. Frances Roseann Hilton born about 1852 in Iowa died 1909 in Hamilton county Iowa married Isaac H. Bowers October 18, 1880 in Jasper county Iowa. 11. Nancy Hilton born 1855 in Jasper county Iowa and died 1868 from a fall down a staircase when she was twelve years old.

6. Joseph Samuel Hilton, born August 12, 1849 in Sullivan county Tennessee died December 10, 1905 in Wichita, Sedgwick county Kansas. (Joseph was run over by a Frisco switch engine and his legs severed. He died from the trauma) married Loretta Corbett March 5, 1872 in Fisher, Fremont county Iowa. Went from Iowa to Kansas about 1880.  

Known children are: 1. Rebecca Jane Hilton born January 21, 1873 in Iowa died Dec 23, 1884 in Sedgwick county Kansas from a fall down a staircase. 2. Luella Hilton born August 20, 1877 in Iowa died April 21, 1951 in Pasadena California married Harry A. Abbett October 6, 1895 in Sedgwick county Wichita Kansas. 3. Amanda Hilton born 1879 in Iowa died about 1912 in Missouri married Albert P. Shipley July 2, 1907 in Sedgwick county Wichita Kansas married Fred Mabe about 1910 in probably Kansas 4. John William Hilton born September 26, 1881 died October 1963 Los Angeles county California, married Mabel Ellen McHugh November 11, 1899 in Sedgwick county Kansas, 5. James Le Roy Hilton born 1882 and died September 25, 1882 Sedgwick county Wichita Kansas shortly after birth. 6. Charles Walter Hilton born May 25, 1883 in Kansas died January 13, 1958 in Mariposa County California married Hettie M. Plunkett about 1912 probably in Kansas 7. Samuel Watson Hilton born July 29, 1884 in Kansas died October 24, 1962 in Los Angeles county California married Edna Marion Blakeman July 17, 1906 (sisters married brothers in a double wedding) in Sedgwick county Wichita Kansas. 8. Earnest Andrew Hilton born February 22,1886 in Kansas died January 19, 1960 in Merced county, Merced California married Katherine Hazel Blakeman on her 16th birthday July 17, 1906 in Sedgwick county Wichita Kansas (sisters married brothers in a double wedding). 9. George Hilton born August 30, 1888 in Sedgwick county Wichita Kansas died 1953 Sedgwick county Wichita Kansas married Bessie Parks February 17, 1910 Sedgwick county Wichita Kansas.

7. Earnest Andrew Hilton, born February 22, 1886, Wichita, Sedgwick county Kansas. died January 19, 1960 Merced, Merced county California married Katherine Hazel Blakeman in Wichita, Sedgwick county Kansas on July 17, 1906 (sisters married brothers in a double wedding ceremony). Moved from Sedgwick county, Wichita Kansas to California in 1919. Known children are 1. Francis Nathaniel Hilton born September 30, 1907 in Sedgwick county Wichita Kansas died March 23, 1994 in San Joaquin county Stocton California married Hazel Evelyn Brown 1943 in Merced county Merced California. 2. James Sylvester Hilton born June 5, 1909 in Sedgwick county Wichita Kansas died May 6, 1985 in Merced county Merced California married Jessie Myrtle Elliott August 26, 1929 in Reno Nevada. 3. There was a girl named Margaret Mary born March 10, 1912 in Davenport Iowa died January 26, 1983 in Fresno California last married to a man with the last name of Nelson that the Hilton’s raised as their own. Margaret was never legally adopted by the Hilton’s.

8. James Sylvester Hilton, born June 5, 1909, Wichita, Sedgwick county Kansas died May 6, 1985 Merced county Merced California married Jessie Elliott, born May 17, 1908, Mariposa county California, on August 26, 1929 in Reno Nevada. (They eloped out of state because Jessie’s mother didn’t approve of James) Known children are: John Francis Hilton, born December 28, 1933, married Jaunita May Arms, December 9, 1951. Caroline Hazel Hilton, born March 8, 1944, married Carl Wayne Carpenter, December 10, 1960. Mary Elizabeth Hilton, born July 21, 1948, married George D. Carpenter, Sept 20, 1963. (Mary and Caroline married brothers)

9. Mary Elizabeth Hilton, born July 21, 1948, Merced, Merced county California. Married George Dee Carpenter, born October 18, 1943, Dos Palos, Merced county California, on September 20, 1963 in San Joaquin county Stockton California. (George and Mary eloped because they were underage and their parents would not give consent. Mary was only fifteen and George nineteen years old) Known children are: John Dee Carpenter, born June 16, 1966, Merced, Merced county California, and Bill Wayne Carpenter, born January 30, 1968 Merced, Merced county California.

According to a biography written by Andrew Hilton, son of Joseph Hilton the son of Charles and Margaret (Yoakley) Hilton in Shelby county Missouri about 1884, (Joseph was a brother of my James Andrew Hilton) the famous Judge Henry Hilton of New York City (who was also Counsel to the great American merchant prince, A.T. Stewart) is related to our family. In my research I have learned that the name of Henry’s father was John, born in Ireland in 1790. This would not be our immigrant grandfather nor could it be a brother of Charles, the father of James Andrew Hilton. Charles was born around 1776 in North Carolina and is in the 1796 Sullivan county Tenn. Tax census. Also, my grandfather, Earnest Andrew Hilton, said our John William Hilton was born in England, lived in the east until coming to Tennessee. According to the dates and place of birth, Henry Hilton of New York must be another branch of Hiltons unrelated or distantly related to ours. I have not found any of our Hiltons having come from New York to Virginia. Also, though some researchers say the Tennessee Hilton’s changed their name to Helton, I have not found this to be so in my line. Though Charles Hilton was mis-transcribed as Helton in one census in Tennessee and also as Tilton in one in Kansas, I have found these to be errors made by the census taker. Our Hiltons have consistently used Hilton in all legal documents in Tennessee, Missouri, Iowa, Kansas, and California.

~This documentation has been presented by Mary (Hilton) Carpenter~