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Dictionary of Miramichi Biography

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HILL, JAMES M. (1899-1962)

HILL, JAMES M., Catholic priest; rector and president, St Thomas College, 1929-46; b. Upper Bay du Vin, 12 Oct 1899, s/o James S. Hill and Margaret Parris Fitzpatrick; ordained 1923; d. Victoria, B.C., 29 Mar 1962.

James M. Hill's father, who was baptized in the Catholic church at the time of his marriage, was a building contractor in Chatham. His best known structures are St Stephen's Presbyterian Church at Black River and the Anglican Church of St John the Evangelist at Bay du Vin.

Hill was educated at St Thomas College, where he was an outstanding student. He received his theological training at Laval University and was ordained at age twenty-four. He was immediately appointed to the St Thomas staff, and over a period of more than twenty years served as teacher, acting rector (1927-29), and rector-president (1929-45). He was rector when the college attained degree-granting powers in 1934, and when the office of rector was superseded soon afterwards by that of president he became the college's first president. During his tenure St Thomas was a small but growing institution. There were 185 students enrolled in 1937 and 289 in 1944.

In 1937 Hill was honored by Laval University with a DD degree. At this time he was busily promoting the economic doctrines of Father Moses M. Coady, head of the extension department of St Francis Xavier University, through which community-based co-operatives were formed throughout the Maritimes. In 1939 he was president of the Northumberland County Credit Union chapter of the movement.

Hill resigned as president of St Thomas College in 1945 and was named as the first priest of St Thomas Aquinas parish in Campbellton. He was soon called to higher service in the church, and in 1946 was consecrated as bishop of Victoria, B.C. In this office he exuded great energy but was always "a very gentle and gracious soul." In 1960 he was granted an honorary LLD by St Thomas. He was sixty-two when he died two years later. His name is still honored in Chatham by the James M. Hill Memorial High School.

Sources

[b] church records [d] official records / Advocate 20 Sep 1921; Can. Who's Who 1948; Commercial World 30 Aug 1945; Educ. reports 1937, 1944; English; Fraser (STC); Leader 28 Dec 1906, 6 Feb 1996; The Times (Victoria, B.C.) 29 Mar 1962

Notes

Hill's date of birth is shown as 28 Oct 1899 in the provincial birth records. Otherwise it is shown as 12 Oct 1899. In both the provincial and church records, his birth or baptismal name is given as James McDool Hill. In other documents, including the official record of his death, it is given as James Michael Hill.


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