William R. Hall Biography


	This biography appears on pages 1073-1074 in "History of Dakota 
	Territory" by George W. Kingsbury, Vol. IV (1915) and was 
	scanned, OCRed and edited by Maurice Krueger, mkrueger@iw.net.

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				WILLIAM R. HALL. 

	William R. Hall is now practically living retired at Faulkton, 
although he still owns valuable farm property whereon farming is 
carried on extensively, although it was previously devoted to 
stockraising. He was born in Carthage, New York, August 1, 1858, and is 
a son of Roland and Esther (Wooden) Hall, also natives of the Empire 
state, born in 1836 and 1838 respectively. In early life the father 
engaged in the milling business, afterward turned his attention to 
speculation and still later became a farmer. Removing to the west, he 
settled first in Illinois and afterward in Iowa, where he passed away. 
His widow survives and is now living in Portland, Oregon. 

	William R. Hall, the eldest of four children, attended school at 
Wayne, Illinois, later continued his education in the Elgin (Illinois) 
Academy and afterward became a pupil in the Tabor College and the 
Business College of Keokuk, Iowa. When nineteen years of age he began 
working for others and was thus employed until he was about twenty-five 
years of age. In 1884 he came to South Dakota and settled on a claim 
three miles west of Faulkton. He still owns the old homestead and 
resided thereon continuously until 1911, covering a period of more than 
twenty-seven years, during which time he brought his fields to a high 
state of cultivation and to his farm added many valuable improvements. 
He then removed to Faulkton, where he built his present residence, but 
still owns three hundred and twenty acres of valuable farm land which 
he rents to others. He was also extensively engaged in the stock 
business, keeping and feeding high grade stock and deriving from his 
annual sales a most gratifying income. 

	On the 13th of February, 1883, Mr. Hall was united in marriage to 
Miss Elizabeth Wolf, who was born in Jones county, Iowa, her parents 
being Michael and Adelia (Drumheller) Wolf, natives of Virginia, born 
in the years 1831 and 1841 respectively. Mr. Wolf was a contractor and 
builder and in the year 1861 removed to Iowa. There he enlisted as a 
private in an Iowa volunteer regiment, with which he served for four 
years or during the war. At length, when the country no longer needed 
his aid, he returned to Iowa, where he has since continued, now living 
retired in Sergeant Bluff. His wife also survives. He has been 
prominent in the community in which he makes his home and for a number 
of years served on the board of education. 

	Mrs. Hall was the second in order of birth in her parents, family 
of nine children and her education was acquired in the schools of 
Sergeant Bluff. By her marriage she has become the mother of two 
children. May E. is tile wife of Justus J. Champlin, of Powell, 
Wyoming, who formerly followed the profession of teaching but is now 
engaged in general agricultural pursuits. Mr. and Mrs. Champlin have 
two children, Arthur and Dorothy Elizabeth. William J. Hall wedded Miss 
Jessie Bounds and resides in Powell, Wyoming, where he is farming on 
irrigated land. 

	Both Mr. and Mrs. Hall hold membership in the Congregational 
church and the latter is a member of the Ladies Aid Society. She is 
also connected with the Tuesday Club, which is a federated club. In 
politics Mr. Hall is a republican and for two terms, or from 1911 to 
1914 inclusive, filled the office of county auditor, while some years 
prior to that he was county commissioner for two years. He likewise 
served on the board of education for many years and is a stalwart 
champion of the cause of education, realizing the worth of the schools 
in training the young for the responsibilities and duties that come in 
later life. His own career has been marked by steady progress which is 
the result of intelligently directed thrift, industry and 
determination, and while not now actively engaged in farm work, he is 
numbered among the most successful and enterprising agriculturists of 
Faulk county.