Samuel Eugene Hill was born 9 July 1868 in Hardwick, Vermont, the son of Levi Goodrich and Sarah Hill. On 19 October 1898 in Beloit, Wisconsin, he married Frances Dee Gore, daughter of Charles W. Gore. Samuel worked as a traveling salesman for H. M. Hooker Paint and Glass Company of Chicago, Illinois through out his working life. In Janesville, Wisconsin in July, 1899 Samuel, along with two other traveling salesmen, founded Gideon International. Samuel died 9 November 1936 in Beloit, Wisconsin. Samuel was a descendant of John Hill, originally of Dorchester, England, who helped found the town of Dorcheser, Massachusetts in the early 1630's. His wife Frances was born in 1608. John Hill died 31 May, 1664 in Dorchester. Descendants and relatives lived in Wisconsin, Indiana, Florida, Illinois, Nebraska, Missouri, California, Arizona, Utah and elsewhere.