 The two worked together for a number of years before George eventually joined the law firm of Hillyer, Alexander & Lambdin.In June 1867, at the age of 32, Hillyer married Ellen Emily Cooley, and together they undertook to raise a family, eventually having 8 children (three of whom died in infancy).Starting in 1870, he served four years as a Democrat in the Georgia Senate, representing the 35th District, which included Fulton, Clayton, and Cobb counties.