Henry W Hull

HULL

Posted By: County Coordinator
Date: 3/11/2009 at 16:04:46

Henry W Hull , Through a period of twenty-four years Henry W Hull has been a member of the Boone county, bar practicing at Madrid and his knowledge of the principles of juris-prudence combined with his close application and his careful preparation of cases have made him a lawyer of ability. He is entitled to distinction not only as a representative of his profession, however for he was the first white child born in Boone county, his birth occurring on August 8, 1847. His father John Hull was born in Ohio, February 7, 1818, his birthplace being near Zanesville, in Muskingum county. During his childhood he removed westward, locating in Fulton county, Illinois, where he was reared. About 1840 he became a resident of Schuyler county, Missouri, and about 1843 was there married to Sophia Holcomb, who was born in Peoria county, Illinois and is a daughter of Ben Holcomb and a sister of Henry W Holcomb, one of the old and honored settlers of Boone county. Mr Hull removed to Iowa in May 1847, establishing his home upon a farm in this county five miles northwest of Madrid. After two years he sold that property and took up his abode farther north toward Boone. He spent the greater part of his active business career there as a progressive and energetic farmer and later joined his son in Grant City, Missouri and there died, June 7, 1883. His wife survived him for five years and died at the old home place in Boone county in 1888, being laid to rest by the side of her husband in Hull cemetery, where a suitable monument marks their last resting place.
Henry W Hull was reared in the county of his nativity and the common schools afforded him his educational privileges. He engaged in teaching for a number of years in Boone county and in Kansas and Missouri. He was but seventeen years of age when in 1864 he responded to President Lincoln’s call for aid and enlisted in Company F Thirteenth Iowa Infantry, joining the regiment at Atlanta. Later, however, on account of illness he was sent back to Chattanooga, but when he had recovered his health he rejoined his regiment at Goldsboro, North Carolina. He afterward marched through Richmond to Washington, D C. He participated in the second battle of Nashville, and at Washington took part in the grand review. He there sustained a sunstroke and was taken to the hospital, where he remained until discharged on August 8, 1865, the eighteenth anniversary of his birth. For some time however he was unable to return home, but in September he again arrived in the county of his nativity. Subsequently he continued his education and also took up the study of law with John A Hull of Boone. While pursuing his law studie4s he went to Kansas and was engaged in teaching school in the winter of 1867 and 1868 at Ottawa. Upon his return t o this state he was employed as a teacher in this locality and devoted his leisure hours to reading law. In 1869 he removed to Grant City, Missouri, where he engaged in teaching school for some time. In 1878 he was admitted to the bar there and remained a practitioner at that place until 1890.
In that year Mr Hull returned to Iowa and located in Des Moines, where he continued in practice until 1900. He then came to Madrid where he opened an office and is now engaged in the practice of law in connection with the real estate business, buying and dealing in farm lands and in town property. He is likewise a representative of a number of insurance companies and is a loan agent, placing loans on farm lands. He has built up a very good business here and is well known in the profession and in the other lines of his business activity.
Mr Hull was married first in Grant City, Missouri on August 6, 1871, to Miss Kate Swift, a native of Wayne county, New York. She was reared on Sodus Bay and was educated in that locality, becoming a teacher in early life. She died in Grant City, Missouri, June 15, 1889, leaving five children. Frank G the eldest, is married and is engaged in contracting and building, his home being near Ontario, Boone county. J Fred is married and is the owner and editor of the Pilot, published at Maysville, Missouri. Arthur R was in the regular army for five years, serving for two years in the Philippines and is now engaged as a barber in San Francisco, California, Sophia E is living with her brother Fred in Maysville, Missouri. Emma is at home. Mr Hull was again married in Des Moines, Iowa February 6, 1891, his second union being with Nancy J Harris, who was born in Polk county, this state just north of the capital city. There is one living son by this union, Harris W. Politically Mr Hull has been a lifelong Republican, although he was reared in the Democratic faith. He cast his first presidential ballot for U S Grant in 1868, and has never wavered in his allegiance to the party, but has never sought or desired office in return for his loyalty. He is a member of the Knights of Pythias fraternity and the Grand Army Post, and while living in Grant city he served as commander of the local post there for three years. He was also a member of the staff of the commander in chief in 1889, and is now a member of the staff of General Metzger of Iowa. Mr Hull is justly placed among the representative men of his native county and Madrid claims him as one of her valued citizens.

1902 Boone County History Book