by the North in May 1862 during the American Civil War, John Hill's home was commandeered to be used as quarters for officers. He obtained permission from Admiral David Farragut, aboard his flagship, , to move his family across the Mississippi River to West Baton Rouge Parish. The Hill family took refuge along with two other families in the small "hut" of a Mr. Watson near the plantation of Abraham Lobdell. His industrial properties in Baton Rouge were destroyed by Northern forces in 1862. Although most structures north of North Street were burned by the Union forces, the John Hill mansion survived because it was used as the Union headquarters. Post war life After the war, Hill purchased a bankrupt sugar property, the property of Mrs. Mary Ann Barrow, widow of Senator Alexander Barrow, at sheriff's sale on February 6, 1866, and went into the cultivation of sugar cane. He reportedly made the first sugar in West Baton Rouge after the Civil War. Little by little adjacent properties were acquired to add to his agricultural property. John Hill had become friendly with the former fireman on the Sunny South, Alexander Banes. In 1874, he helped Banes to purchase a tract of land in West Baton Rouge Parish on the River Road. There Banes developed a three-street community known as "Sunrise." John Hill resided on the banks of the Mississippi River in an existing Louisiana raised cottage style house for the remainder of his life. Catherine McPhail died there on December 22, 1889 (about age 70), and was buried in Magnolia Cemetery. John Hill's daughter, Katherine, remained at home and served as his housekeeper for the remainder of his life. After his death, she moved to the family mansion at 638 Lafayette Street in Baton Rouge. Donation of de Boré sugar kettle John Hill purchased the cast iron sugar kettle, which had been used by Étienne de Boré in 1795 in the first successful granulation of sugar in Louisiana. This event marked the start of the sugar industry in Louisiana. John Hill subsequently donated the sugar kettle to Louisiana State University where it remains on display. Donation of Hill Memorial Library John Hill's elder son, John Hill, Jr., predeceased him on November 10, 1893. John Hill wished to create a memorial for his son, who had been a member of the Board of Supervisors of Louisiana State University (LSU). He donated