Joseph Hills

Captain Joseph Ralph Hills Sr. was an English-American politician and settler of Massachusetts in the seventeenth century. He served several political roles in the colony, including Speaker of the House of Deputies.

Early life & Family Joseph Hills was born in 1602 to George Hill and Mary Symonds. His maternal great-great-grandfather was Sir Stephen Hyde (1475–1545) and his paternal great-great-grandfather was Sir Thomas Smith of Hill Hall. Another paternal great-great-grandfather, Reinhard Stäger Hills, died at the Battle of Gembloux (1578). He had four wives in his life, having a total of 17 children with them.

Immigration & Political Career Joseph Hills immigrated to Massachusetts Bay Colony in 1638 and started serving in the Massachusetts House of Deputies. He would go on to be the selectman of Malden and was also Speaker of the House of Deputies as well as magistrate for Middlesex County and a captain in the local militia.

Later life & Legacy

Joseph Hills Sr. died in 1688 at the age of 86. He has many tens of thousands of descendants today including Ebenezer Hills Jr., Walt Disney, Bill Nye, Raquel Welch, Sam Waterston, Ben Affleck, Lucretia Garfield, and Tim Daly.