Calvin M. Hill. One of the long established business houses of Topeka, and one which has established itself firmly in the confidence of the public by reason of the honorable manner in which its affairs have been conducted, is the wholesale wall paper and retail paint business of Calvin M. Hill. Mr. Hill has been a resident of Kansas for thirty-four years, having come here with his parents in 1882, and, with the exception of four years has been identified with the painting and decorating business throughout his career. His present enterprise was started in a small way sixteen years ago, and from its start has prospered and developed.
Mr. Hill was born at Carrollton, Greene County, Illinois, October 27, 1867, and is one of eight children (of whom six are still living) born to Samuel B. and Mary (Hutchins) Hill. His parents came to Kansas in 1882, locating at Marion, where his father was engaged in the painting business until his death. The mother still survives. Calvin M. Hill was primarily educated in the public schools of Illinois and was fifteen years of age when he accompanied his parents to Kansas. He was graduated from the Marion High School in 1889, subsequently spending one year in study at the State Normal School, Emporia, and thus prepared himself for teaching, which he thought to make his regular calling at the outset of his career. For three years he taught in the country schools and was then made principal of the school at Marion, but after one year in the latter capacity turned his attention to the painting, paper hanging and decorating business. Mr. Hill learned the mechanical part of this calling under the preceptorship of his father, and in 1900 embarked in business at Topeka, in a small store on Seventh Street. His unflagging energy and excellent workmanship soon attracted to his concern a good custom and Mr. Hill found it necessary to enlarge his establishment, equipment and stock. This has since occurred on several occasions, and the concern is now one of the leaders in its line in the city. Mr. Hill not only does all kinds of high class painting, paper hanging and decorating, but sells paint, glass, oils, etc., in a retail way, and has built up a large business in handling wall paper wholesale. His name upon a piece of work is an assurance of high quality and an evidence of perfect fulfillment of contract, and in business circles he is well known for his integrity. From 1909 until 1916 Mr. Hill had a second establishment, located at Oklahoma City, Oklahoma but this he disposed of in the latter year. A democrat in his political views, he is primarily a business man and not a politician, although while living at Marion he held several minor offices. Mr. Hill holds membership in the Knights and Ladies of Security, the United Commercial Travelers, the Rotary Club and the Commercial Club, and is a thirty-second degree Scottish Rite and Royal Arch Mason and a Noble of the Mystic Shrine.
In 1891 Mr. Hill was married to Miss Mabel Foote, of Marion, Kansas, and they have three children: J. Jay, Harriet and Margaret. Mr. and Mrs. Hill and their children are members of the Episcopal Church.