Hill was born in the vicinity of Upper Sandusky, Ohio,[citation needed] where his family had been granted land by the Federal government in 1817.
[1] In 1833, when Hill was 22, he joined a six-man trapping expedition led by Kit Carson, which also included Joseph Meek and two other Lenapes.
During their excursion, they were met in battle by 200 Comanche warriors, and the trappers had to make a protective wall with their mule mounts.
Hill taught the Nimíipuu and later the neighboring Liksiyu about the loss of territorial sovereignty among Native Americans east of the Rocky Mountains to the expansionist United States of America.
spreading his poison..."[7] In a party of Nimíipuu led Ellis however,[clarification needed] Hill visited the Waiilatpu Mission and dined with Marcus and Narcissa Whitman along with the fellow families there in 1845.
"[8] Visitors and mission residents had a meal primarily of corn mush and tea, with minor entertainment provided by the visiting natives.
"[10] In particular, William Marshall declared that Hill was "constantly striving to stir up the Indians against all the whites"[10] during his time among the Nimíipuu.
"[10] This assessment has been questioned by later historians, with more focus given to the simmering cultural clashes between the Indigenous and the Missionaries along with the spread of infectious diseases on the Columbian Plateau.
[11] Francis Haines in particular stated that while his teachings "undoubtedly helped cause the Whitman massacre... he had no part in plotting the attack.
[1] The military company was headed south towards Monterey when several hundred Mexican forces were encountered at Battle of Natividad.
Hill was a part of a small scouting party that encountered the enemy forces, and had to fight them unaided for four hours.