James J. HillJames J. Hill

Ryan BurrRyan BurrHour Five Hour Five

Beginning years.Beginning years.

• Born September 16,1838 in Eramosa Township Wellington Country, Upper Canada (now Ontario Canada). When he was nine he had a tragic accident when the line on a bow-n-arrow snapped and made him blind in his right eye for the rest of his life.

Trip to St. Paul.Trip to St. Paul.

• When he was 18 he went to St. Paul to seek his fortune. He started as a mud clerk on the river front. Then he figured out how to put luggage into the train cars in the dead of winter without freezing to death.

His Wife His Wife Every day he would go to a local Every day he would go to a local

dinner to get his meals. Now either dinner to get his meals. Now either he liked the food a lot or he liked one he liked the food a lot or he liked one of the withers. Mary Theresa of the withers. Mary Theresa Mehegan. They got Married in 1867 Mehegan. They got Married in 1867 at the Catholic Cathedral in St. Paul. at the Catholic Cathedral in St. Paul. They had ten children but one died at They had ten children but one died at birth so they had five girls and four birth so they had five girls and four boys. (What a big family.) boys. (What a big family.)

Great Northern Stating Out.Great Northern Stating Out.

• When Hill was about 23 he bought up many small railroad companies that were going out of business and invested all his money into it and there started Great Northern Rail Road.

Great Northern in it’s good Great Northern in it’s good daysdays

Great Northern was one of the most Great Northern was one of the most success full railroad’s in the nation. It success full railroad’s in the nation. It shipped out the farmers good’s out east. shipped out the farmers good’s out east. But Hill he was smart since he owned But Hill he was smart since he owned coal mines that fueled his trains he did coal mines that fueled his trains he did not pay for coal. Ships on the Great not pay for coal. Ships on the Great Lakes that he owned would ship it so he Lakes that he owned would ship it so he could have the shipping costs any price could have the shipping costs any price he wanted it. The price was 75 cents he wanted it. The price was 75 cents compared to 2.50 with the other guys. compared to 2.50 with the other guys.

GN’s Tracks GN’s Tracks He tried to have the railroad go into He tried to have the railroad go into

Canada but that didn’t happen. So he Canada but that didn’t happen. So he had to make a sharp lift turn into the had to make a sharp lift turn into the Dakotas. Then his railroad started goingDakotas. Then his railroad started going troughed Montana, then Idaho, and troughed Montana, then Idaho, and know it’s in Washington. Then it finely know it’s in Washington. Then it finely came to Seattle. Later on he made came to Seattle. Later on he made extensions of it. When he was dead the extensions of it. When he was dead the people at GN decided to go out east. people at GN decided to go out east.

Tracks Tracks Mr. Hill spent most of his time on the Mr. Hill spent most of his time on the

tracks to supervise there work. They tracks to supervise there work. They don’t know if he was in contact with don’t know if he was in contact with his family. When he was out west his family. When he was out west Mrs. Hill had to run the family. Know I Mrs. Hill had to run the family. Know I will tell you the story of Bob and his will tell you the story of Bob and his school tutor. school tutor.

Coal MinesCoal MinesHe owned a few coal mines that He owned a few coal mines that

would power his trains and his would power his trains and his steamboats on The Great Lakes. He steamboats on The Great Lakes. He would split that by 25% for trains and would split that by 25% for trains and 25% for steamboats the other 50% 25% for steamboats the other 50% he sold for income. he sold for income.

Steam BoatsSteam Boats He also had steam boats on The He also had steam boats on The

Great Lakes. The ships would ship Great Lakes. The ships would ship out the farmers goods and would out the farmers goods and would transport people out east for a very transport people out east for a very low price, that I do not know of. low price, that I do not know of.

His House His House His house started construction in 1888 and His house started construction in 1888 and

was not finished until 1891. This house is was not finished until 1891. This house is amazing but very boxy. The house is three amazing but very boxy. The house is three stories high. There is no wood supports it is stories high. There is no wood supports it is all concert foundation. The main stare well all concert foundation. The main stare well and the dinning room are my favorite and the dinning room are my favorite because the stair well is huge and the because the stair well is huge and the dinning room walls are made out of dinning room walls are made out of Mahogany wood which is a endangered tree. Mahogany wood which is a endangered tree. The house had $100,000 of furnisher in it The house had $100,000 of furnisher in it which is $1,000,000 today. which is $1,000,000 today.

Mr. Hill’s deathMr. Hill’s death• He died on May 29,1916 from He died on May 29,1916 from

untreated Neglected Hemorrids. He untreated Neglected Hemorrids. He had surgery in his bedroom by the had surgery in his bedroom by the Mayo brothers. This was the first time Mayo brothers. This was the first time they did surgery out of there operation they did surgery out of there operation room in Rochester. They drained they room in Rochester. They drained they infection out. But it was to late he died infection out. But it was to late he died 24 hours later. It hit America very hard 24 hours later. It hit America very hard that an Empire Builder had died. that an Empire Builder had died.

Mrs. Hill’s death Mrs. Hill’s death • When James had died she could not When James had died she could not

have a dinner at the master table have a dinner at the master table because it would not have felt the because it would not have felt the same. She died 5 years later in 1921 same. She died 5 years later in 1921 of old age. of old age.

What to doWhat to doThe children had to split of every thing The children had to split of every thing

in the house. Since they had no will’s in the house. Since they had no will’s they had a heck of a time getting ride they had a heck of a time getting ride of every thing. The art went to the of every thing. The art went to the Minneapolis Museum of Art. The Minneapolis Museum of Art. The furnisher was sold and the house went furnisher was sold and the house went to the Cathedral until 1978 when the to the Cathedral until 1978 when the Minnesota Historical Society bought it Minnesota Historical Society bought it and that is how owns it now. and that is how owns it now.