Background
Samuel E. Hillger was born in 1861 at Brownsville, Texas, United States, son of an architect formerly in practice in New Orleans.
Samuel E. Hillger was born in 1861 at Brownsville, Texas, United States, son of an architect formerly in practice in New Orleans.
He studied under his father and later completed a two-year course in architecture at Cornell University, where he was graduated in 1882.
In acquiring training and experience the young man worked in Minneapolis, moving later to Rochester, N. Y. and he was associated with William H. Miller for five years (1892-97), and at one time was employed to supervise the erection of the Library building and Boardman Law School at Cornell University.
In 1898 Mr. Hillger established his own office in Auburn, and after thirty years of independent practice, entered into partnership with Wallace Beardsley. Among the best known works of the firm in Auburn during Mr. Hillger s active participation were schools and various other public buildings, such as Silliman Club House, at the Theological Seminary, 1909; new Grammar School, 1909; Seward and Lincoln Schools, 1911; City Hospital, 1925; Mercy Hospital, 1930: and the Senior High School, 1931.