Aaron O. Hill - History of Rush County, Indiana
From History of Rush County, Indiana, Brant and Fuller, 1888:
Aaron O. Hill, the senior member of the firm of Hill, Henley & Co., of Carthage, is a native of Randolph County, N. C., born October 20, 1840, being the son of Aaron and Miriam (Thornburg) Hill, who were natives of Randolph County, N. C., both of English descent.He was reared upon a farm and received in the district school a good common school education, and one that enabled him to teach public school.During the winters of 1865-6 and 1866-7, he taught school in Randolph County, N. C.In April, 1868, he emigrated to Johnson County, Kan., where for a period of ten months he was in the employ of the Government in the capacity of a teacher of Indian children.In the spring of 1869 he returned to his native county, but in March, 1870, he came to Rush County, and for nearly five years he was employed as a farm hand in Ripley Township.In the fall of 1875, he returned once more to his native county where he was engaged at farming and teaching until March, 1877, when he again came to this county, and for two years thereafter, he acted as clerk for the Henley Brothers, merchants, of Carthage.In September, 1879, he entered the employ of Gwynne, Johnson and Co., of the same place, and continued with them as salesman until the death of Mr. Gwynne in September, 1884.Shortly after that event the business passed into the hands of the firm of Hill, Henley, & Co., of which our subject is the senior member.It possesses a rank among the largest and most successful business firms in the county.February 11, 1885, he was married to Miss Eliza Henley, daughter of Thomas and Abigail Henley, formerly of Ripley Township, but who are now deceased.She was born in Ripley Township, October 11, 1840.Mr. and Mrs. Hill are members of the Friends’ Church, and, in politics, the former is an ardent Republican.For a number of years he has served as a member of the Town Council in Carthage.