More than 25 graves are located in the Hill Cemetery near the end of Possum Hollow Road and the top of the mountain where the road becomes Bear Branch Road.
The oldest marked grave is that of W.G. Connor, 1898-1917. But it is extremely likely that earlier graves are located in the cemetery, including that of Allen L. Hill.
Allen Hill was the son of Micajah Hill. This Hill family is listed in Rutherford County prior to 1800. Micajah Hill was born about 1800. He married Jane “Jensey” “Jennie” Pryor in 1825 in Rutherford County. Through 1840 census reports list the family in Rutherford County. In 1842, McDowell County was formed from Rutherford and Burke counties. The 1850 census places the family in McDowell County near the border of Rutherford County, not far from Henderson County. The grave site of Micajah Hill is not known.
Prior to 1860 the family is listed in Henderson County.
One son, Allen L. Hill married Nancy Conner, and enlisted in the Civil War from Henderson County in the 60th N.C. Infantry Regiment, Co. D, Henderson Rangers, on 7-10-1862. He was listed as a deserter and dropped from the rolls on 4-30-1864. He later enlisted in the 65th Regiment N.C. Troops (6th Regiment N.C. Cavalry), Co. C, on 8-20-1864. He was captured 3-14-1865 near Kinston, N.C., a prisoner at Point Lookout, Md., and released 6-6-1865. He died in 1916. Most descendants state that his grave site is one of the unmarked field stones located in this cemetery.
One of their children was William M. “Bill” Hill, the Hendersonville police chief from 1905 to 1906.
The connection with Micajah Hill and other Hill families in Henderson County has not yet been documented.
More than one member of this Hill family married into the Conner family. Other children of Micajah Hill also married into families with the surname of Sumner, Brackett and Wheeling.
Two graves in the cemetery have military markers, Hollie Lee Hill, N.C. Private U.S. Army, who died in 1935; and Thomas W. Fowler, Private N.C. 50th Infantry, 20 Division, who died in 1940.
Persons with the surnames Hill, Fowler, Owenby, Bailey and Conner are buried in the graveyard. There have been recent burials.
The cemetery is in good condition and maintained, and can be found on the county’s GIS cemetery layer.
The road leading to the cemetery had a gate across it, limiting access. The land on both sides of the road, beyond the gate, belonged to Boulder LLC out of Greenville, S.C. Property behind the cemetery is owned by Charles Freeman.
The cemetery is noted in old deeds transferring property surrounding it. The deeds describe land “to the corner of the cemetery lot, thence with said cemetery lot” and “to A.F. Hill’s old corner near the cemetery.” This is most likely Allen L. Hill.
There is no owner or person to contact about the cemetery listed on the county’s GIS.
The Henderson County North Carolina Cemetery Book has incorrectly listed the graves found in the Hill Cemetery under the Conner (Collins) Cemetery.