Hamilton Biscoe Hillyer

Private George L. Robertson, Company B, 4th Texas Infantry Regiment

Hamilton Biscoe Hillyer (August 14, 1835 - December 10, 1903) was a photographer in Texas. He had a studio in Austin. He was the official state photographer, and photographed state legislators, producing composites of members of the Texas House of Representatives.

Early life He was born in Georgia to Rev. John Freeman Hillyer and Mary Adeline née Biscoe Hillyer. His family arrived in Galveston, Texas, December 1, 1847, and moved to Goliad, Texas, in 1848. His father established Hillyer Female College there before moving to Gonzales, Texas, in 1852 and teaching at Gonzales College.

Career H. B. Hillyer worked as a cowhand on a large cattle ranch for five years. In addition to portraits, he did Austin and events including a fire and flooding.

His photographs included daguerreotypes, ambrotypes,

He was vice president of the National Photographic Association in 1872, and published "technical articles" in The Philadelphia Photographer and Texas Farm and Ranch.

Later life He married Mary Emma Storey, and they had four children from 1858 until 1885. After she died he married fellow photographer Alice Danforth Turner in 1887 and they had two children.

He later lived in Belton and then Bowie, Texas.

He is buried at Bowie Cemetery.