HILLIS, William - Putnam

The mystery of the disappearance of William Hillis, who left Greencastle in the year 1848 for Chicago and was never heard of afterwards has been cleared.  Will Hillis was a brother of Abe Hillis and of the late HH Hillis.

In the year 1848 he left Greencastle with a load of mules and other stock for Chicago.  Mr. Hillis sold the stock and was around Chicago for awhile.  He then left Chicago and his relatives, until this week never hear directly nor indirectly from him.  They believed him dead for many years.

Last week Abe Hillis received a letter from Oregon written by a daughter of Will Hillis.  The letter stated that Will Hills had died in Oregon four years ago.  The young lady said that her father had told of relatives in Indiana but never had given their names or address.  Noticing the same of Bill Hillis, the noted wing-shot formerly of this county in a California paper, the girl wrote to him and asked if he could tell her of any Hillis family who lived in Indiana.  Bill Hillis is a son of the late George Hillils and a brother of Heck Hillis of this county.

The California man directed the girl to Abe Hillis. This she did. She did not tell of the particulars of her father's wanderings, however, in her letter. The members of the family here will communicate with the girl and learn the particulars of her father's life after he disappeared. - kbz