John Reed Hilliard

He was born in Piqua, Ohio in 1821.

He was educated as a civil engineer. A civil engineer plans and designs public structures. He or she also supervises the building of these structures.

Mr. Hilliard lived in Peoria, Illinois for thirty years.

John Reed Hilliard worked on railroads and supervised them.

It was John Hilliard who laid out (planned) the town of Hilliard. He purchased the land in 1852 and laid out a map of the town in 1853 surrounding the railroad. On September 1, 1853, the area became Hilliard’s Station. Between 1852 and 1901, the sale of the lots in Hilliard’s Station made Mr. Hilliard $4600.

Mr. Hilliard was a prohibitionist. This meant that he did not approve of drinking alcohol. He made the people who were buying property promise that there would be no liquor. If they broke this promise, the property had to be given back.

John Reed Hilliard married Sallie Mattox in Springfield, Ohio in 1871. They moved to this area.

Mr. And Mrs. Hilliard had three daughters. One daughter died when she was young. Caroline and Helen were their other two daughters.

He lived at 212 Perry Avenue.

He died on January 5, 1901.

Adapted by Pat Williams