John Hall Biography


	This biography appears on pages 904-906 in "History of Dakota 
	Territory" by George W. Kingsbury, Vol. V (1915) and was 
	scanned, OCRed and edited by Maurice Krueger, mkrueger@iw.net.

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				JOHN HALL.  

	John Hall, of Keystone, Pennington county, is giving his entire 
time to the performance of his duties as trustee in charge of the 
business of the Keystone Trading Company. His birth occurred on a farm 
fifty miles from Montreal, Canada, on the 24th of December, 1848, and 
he is a son of John and Ann (Erwin) Hall, natives of England, who, 
however, were married in Canada. The father devoted his entire active 
life to farming and both he and his wife passed away upon the 
homestead, his demise occurring in 1879 and that of his wife in 1869.  

	John Hall, who was the youngest in a family of six children, 
entered the public schools at the usual age and subsequently studied in 
Ulverton Academy and in St. Francis College at Richmond, Canada. He 
also took a course in the Bryant & Stratton Business College at 
Montreal. When twenty years of age he entered the general store of G. 
K. Foster at Richmond, Canada, and after remaining there for a year 
worked in a store at Ulverton for a similar period of time. He then 
removed to Minneapolis, where he entered the store of O. T. Swett, 
remaining there for about two years, after which he went to California 
and later to Oregon. He was employed in a store at Scottsburg, Oregon, 
during one winter and was also deputy postmaster of that town. 
Subsequently he was employed at Port Madison, Washington, as bookkeeper 
for J. J. Meggs. However, as he was not satisfied there he returned to 
San Francisco and was employed at clerical work in the office of 
Corbett & McClay for about two months, after which he worked in a dry-
goods store on Third street for some time. While there his employer, 
Mr. Sweet, of Minneapolis, wrote him, offering him inducements to 
return to Minneapolis, which he did. He remained with Mr. Swett until 
April, 1878, when he removed to South Dakota, arriving in Deadwood on 
the 7th of that month. He was employed by a Mr. Valentine, who 
conducted a general store at old Crook City until January 1, 1880, when 
he closed out the business. Mr. Hall then went to Galena and kept books 
for the Florence Mining Company until spring, when the mines closed 
down. On the 10th of April of that year he located in Rapid City and 
became bookkeeper for [Evans & Loveland, filling that position until 
midsummer, when he became associated with Friese & Gregory, the 
proprietors of a hardware store at Rapid City. In the spring of 1881 he 
sold his interest in that business and with Mr. Friese and Mr. Gregory 
purchased the grocery store of Evans & Loveland. In 1890 he disposed of 
his interest in that business and entered the employ of the Bailey Loan 
Company, remaining in that connection for two years. He then went to 
Ohio and was in charge of a grading outfit on the Ohio Southern 
Railroad until October, 1893, when he returned to Rapid City by way of 
Chicago, where he visited the World's Columbian Exposition. In the 
spring of the following year he took a number of horses to North Dakota 
for the Bailey Commission Company and sold them there to good 
advantage.  

	In the spring of 1895 he went to Los Angeles, California, and 
purchased a bakery, which he conducted for about two months, after 
which he entered the office of R. S. Cronby, a wholesale flour dealer. 
He remained there for only two months and then found employment in the 
general store of John S. Newberry, with whom he remained until 1896. At 
the end of that time he returned to Rapid City and in July he entered 
the employ of the Price & Baker Company, becoming the manager of their 
store at Black Hawk. He remained with them until 1903 and then became 
manager of a store at Tinton which was owned by the Tinton Mercantile 
Company. In August, 1905, he became connected with a hardware company 
of Rapid City but after a short time accepted a position as bookkeeper 
for McGee Brothers. He next entered the employ of G. P. Billups, the 
proprietor of a general store at Rochford. Four years later he went to 
Omaha and spent one winter with a son, after which he returned to Rapid 
City. During the summer of 1913 he engaged in the dairy business and in 
September of that year was appointed trustee to take charge of the 
business of the Keystone Trading Company and is still filling that 
position. There has never been any question as to his integrity and 
probity and his long experience with various lines of business has well 
qualified him for the discharge of his present duties.  

	Mr. Hall was married on the 21st of November, 1881, in Omaha, to 
Mrs. Flora C. (Gridley) Loveland, who was born in Cleveland, Ohio, a 
daughter of James B. and Mary B. (Baldwin) Gridley, both natives of New 
York state, who became residents of Omaha in the '60s. At one time Mr. 
Gridley had charge of the Sailors' Home in Cleveland but while living 
in Omaha he engaged in the real-estate and the live-stock business. He 
returned to Cleveland and passed away there in 1882. Subsequently his 
widow removed with her sons to Rapid City, where she is now living at 
the age of eighty-six. Mrs. Hall is the oldest in a family of six 
children and has been twice married, her first union being with Albert 
E. Loveland, of Cleveland, Ohio. They became the parents of three 
children, but one of whom survives, namely, Charles F., a rancher 
living near Rapid City. Mr. and Mrs. Hall have two children. Arthur 
Elwin resides in Omaha and has an important position with the American 
Smelting Company. He married Miss Cora Price, of Rapid City. Millicent 
is a graduate of the Spearfish State Normal school and is now teaching 
in the Lincoln school at Rapid City.  

	Mr. Hall is a republican and for a number of years has served on 
the board of education of Rapid City, doing all in his power to further 
the interests of the public schools. He has the energy and faith in the 
future that is typical of the western man and is at all times ready to 
cooperate with movements seeking the progress and advancement of his 
community and State.