His father was an attorney who made his fortune by brokering a deal to sell an oil company to J.P. Morgan.
Lewis was sent to Wentworth Military Academy in Lexington, Missouri, because he was too bright for the public school.
According to his widow, he "despised" his time at military school, but he completed his first two years of college there and also was the Missouri State doubles tennis champion.
As a conscientious objector, Hill served in Civilian Public Service during World War II.
[2] He served as Pacifica's head until his suicide (during a period of failing health from spinal arthritis) in 1957.