County of cemetery: Chariton County
Location of cemetery: N. Mulberry St & W. North St., Keytesville
Artist: Unknown
Fabricator: Muldoon, Doyle, and Company
Created: ca. 1870
Momument Text:
(Front Base):
SACRED
to the Memory of
WILLIE A.
only Child of
Wm. E. & Bettie A.
HILL.
Born May 31.1855.
Died Oct.17,1870.
Aged 15 Years.
(Front Lower tier, raised lettering):
WILLIE
(Right side of base):
SLEEP WILLIE DEAR AND TAKE
YOUR REST,
GOD CALLED YOU HOME HE
THOUGHT IT BEST,
T'WAS HARD INDEED TO PART WITH THEE,
BUT CHRIST KNOWS ALL AND
WE ARE HIS
(Left side of base):
PA MEET ME IN HEAVEN.
TELL ALL THE BOYS TO
MEET ME THERE.
(Rear Base): looks like about 7 lines of text all unledgeable
Proper Description: "Portrait of Willie Amos Hill, portrayed in a relaxed stance with his proper right arm resting on a pillar, his head turned toward his proper left. He is dressed in a short, buttoned, Eton-type jacket, with vest and pants, and boots. His proper left hand is tucked into his front pants pocket, his proper right lower leg crossed in front of his proper left lower leg, toe of his proper right foot resting next to his proper left foot. The sculpture is mounted upon a tall base in a fenced cemetery plot." ~ Smithsonian American Art Museum
Remarks: "Sculpture marks the grave of Willie Amos Hill (1855-1870), the only child of William E. and Bettie A. Hill (Elizabeth A. Hill), who was a student at Mt. Pleasant College in Huntsville and who died unexpectedly after an illness of a few days. The sculpture cost $1,000 and appears to have been copied from a photograph taken of Willie around 1869, a photocopy of which is included in IAS files. The photograph depicts Willie in similar stance, but wearing additional articles of clothing, including a short cape and cap. Supposedly, William Hill sent his son's death mask to Italy for use in creating a likeness of Willie's face." ~ Smithsonian American Art Museum
Willie's Find-A-Grave memorial
"By far the most attractive monument now to be seen in the cemetery is the statue of Willie Amos Hill, son of Wm. E. Hill, who was born May 31st, 1955, and died October 17th, 1870. This statue was made in Curacus, Italy, by Muldoon, Doyle & Co., and cost $1,000. It is fashioned out of the whitest and purist of Italian marble, and being in a prominent place near the entrance to the grounds, it is at once seen and admired by the stranger. The statue surmounts a block of marble, which is about five feet in height. The figure itself, is in a standing position, life size, with the right arm resting upon a pedestal. The left foot is casually crossed over the right, and the left hand is quite naturally thrust into the pockets of his pants. Everything about the figure seems to be easy, graceful and perfect. The coat, vest and pants, look as natural as though they were before you on the person of a living man. So true to nature has been the artist, that he has chiseled the very wrinkles in the arms of the coat and the legs of the pants, not even omitting the seams of the clothes and boots which had been worn by the deceased when living. The head of the statue is uncovered, with hair smoothly parted, and the face, which is said to be a
fac-simile of the original, is looking towards the east. Although this exquisitely wrought picture is nothing more than cold lifeless marble, it is an exact image of him for whom it was fashioned, and when gazing upon it, one feels like he was in the presence of a living, breathing soul." ~ History of Chariton and Howard Counties, Missouri, pg 432