Grandma Dedafoe's Scrapbook
Ingham County clerk 48 years
C. Ross HILLIARD dies at 81
C. Ross Hilliard, 81, of 416 W. Ash, Mason, former Republican Ingham County
clerk, died Sunday in a Lansing Hospital.
Hilliard served 48 years as Ingham County clerk before losing in the primary
election by 84 votes to John Whitmyer in 1972. Hilliard was first elected in 1924.
HIS LENGTH of term in the clerk's office was believed to have been a
national record for an elected official in county government.
He was considered a national authority on local government, served as the
spokesman for local government on several organizations and was often called upon by Congress as
an expert on local government.
Crippled with polio as a sophomore in high school, Hilliard walked with crutches
the rest of his life but refused to let his handicap stop him.
"A PHYSICAL handicap does not damage a person mentally and can sometimes
bring out the best qualities in a person." Hilliard told an interviewer when he retired.
He was a strong advocate of local government and was fearful of big government.
"I think government is the most important business we have," he said, "If we sit
on our hands and let government fail, everything we have fails with it."
HE WAS also a member of the greater Lansing Safety Council; and served as
president of both the Michigan state Association of County Clerks and the United County Officers
Association of Michigan. He was for several years chairman of the clerk association's
legislative committee and was an adviser to the U.S. Senate committee on elections.
He was also active in Masonic circles and was a member of the Lansing Elks.
He is survived by three sons, Robert and Donald, both of Mason, and C. Ross Jr. of
Marathon, Fla.
SERVICES WILL be at 2:00 p.m. Wednesday at the Ball-Dunn Chapel, Mason.
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Written: "Wed. March 17-1976"
Served Ingham for 48 years
Former County Clerk C. Ross HILLIARD dies
C. Ross Hilliard, 81, former Ingham county clerk, died Sunday at a Lansing Hospital. The veteran
Republican officeholder left office in 1972 after serving 48 years as Ingham county clerk, a national record for an
elected official in county government.
Hilliard began his service in county government January 1, 1925. Before entering politics he had
several varied kinds of employment. He was born on a farm in Delhi township, attended rural school and then entered
Lansing high school. After graduation from high school he entered Acme Business university where he studied accounting.
After leaving Acme he held several office jobs, including insurance firms, West Side Fuel company and a
branch of Armour & Company.
Crippled with polio as a sophomore in high school and later with typhoid fever, Hilliard walked with a
crutch the rest of his life but refused to let the handicap get in his way.
Hilliard left his mark on more than Ingham county government. Over his many years in office he became a
strong advocate for local county government and fought those who thought otherwise.
He was nationally known as an authority on county government and testified often in front of committees
in Washington and Lansing studying county government.
He was always eager to talk county government, which he considered "the most important business we have."
Hilliard was a member of Lansing Lodge No. 33, F.&AM, Ingham Chapter No. 51, RAM, Leslie Council No. 50,
R&SM; Lansing Commandery No. 25, Knights Templar, Lansing lodge 196, PBO Elks and Mason lodge No. 70, Knights of Pythias.
He was a member of the Lansing Safety council, served as advisor to the joint senate and house committee
on elections, since 1928 served as chairman of the committee on legislation for the Michigan State Association of County
Clerks, and was past president of the Michigan state Association of County Clerks.
He represented the Michigan Institute of Local Government in Chicago before the congressional committee
on government operations.
Hilliard also served as president of the United County Officers' Association of Michigan, committee of the
State Association of County Clerks and a member of the special committee for the revision of fees in county offices.
Services will be held Wednesday afternoon at Ball-Dunn Chapel Gorsline-Runciman in Mason at 2:30.
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C. Ross HILLIARD
Mr. C. Ross Hilliard of 416 West Ash street, Mason, died Sunday, March 14, at a local hospital. He was 81.
Mr. Hilliard was born on August 8, 1894, in Delhi Township. He served as Ingham County Clerk for 48 years
before his retirement in 1972. He was a life member of the Lansing Lodge No. 33 F. and A.M., Lansing Capitol Chapter No. 9,
Mason Chapter R. and S.M. No. 451, Lansing Commandery No. 25 Knights...(cut off here)
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HILLIARD, C. Ross
416 West Ash st., Mason
Age 81 died Sunday, March 14, 1976 at a local hospital. Born August 8, 1894, in Delhi Township. He was Ingham County
Clerk for 48 years retiring in January of 1972. He was a life member of the Lansing Lodge No. 33 F. and A.M., Lansing
Commandery No. 25 Knights Templar and Lansing Lodge No. 196 BPOE. He also was a life lone member of the Republican Party.
Surviving are three sons, Robert L. HILLIARD of Mason; C. Ross HILLIARD Jr. of Marathon, Fla; and Donald L. HILLIARD of
Mason; four grandchildren. Funeral services will be held Wednesday at 2:30 p.m. at the Ball Dunn Chapel of the Gorsline-
Runciman Co., Mason, with Rev. Keith L. Hayes of the First United Methodist Church of Mason officiating. Interment in Maple
Grove Cemetery.
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