Hill, Frank D.

Veteran newspaper man and an authority on mining history and Indian lore in this vicinity, died unexpectedly at 11:30 last night at his Picher Oklahoma home. The Picher correspondent for the Miami News-Record several years, he had been active in the newspaper work for nearly 30 years in the Tri-State area. Hills, who would have been 76 years old next month, was born in Fulton Kansas, and had lived virtually all his life in the district. During World War I, he was a reporter for the old District Daily News Record, Miami, which later was merged with another paper to become the Miami News Record. At one time he was mining editor for the Daily News. For years, the writer served as correspondent for metropolitan newspapers, including some as far distant as St. Louis. In Indian Territory days Hill was dubbed "Chief Bushhead" by local tribesmen and was a frequent participant in their rituals. Feature articles on these brought Hill recognition from many other state papers. He also owned "King Jack" a former Picher paper and wrote a poetic book, "Truths Seldom Told." Hill lived at Ft. Scott Kansas, graduating from the normal school there. He became an ordained minister in the Christian church before moving to Picher in 1918, and later taking an active part in the city, civic and political life. He had served the Picher Chamber of Commerce as secretary; ....and was a member of the Blue Lodge of Masons at Miami. An active member of the National guard, Hill served as guard at the Chicago World's Fair, 50 years ago. Surviving are his wife, Esther Connell Hill; a stepson, Dr. Matt Connell of the Picher Clinic; a niece, Mrs. Henry Bauer of Joplin Missouri, and two sisters, Mrs. George Friedley of Detroit, and Mrs. Tom Pickford of Kansas. Funeral services will be held Saturday, at 2 pm at the Picher Methodist church, with the Rev. F. W. Love, pastor of the Joplin Methodist church, officiating. Interment will be at Forrest Park cemetery in Joplin Missouri. There will be Masonic rites at the grave.