Hall, John Sr.

HALL, HAMILTON

Posted By: Gary Norris (email)
Date: 2/2/2013 at 09:47:11

The History of Poweshiek County, Iowa
Des Moines: Union Hist. Co., 1880.

HALL, JOHN, Sr.—Jackson Twp—pg 649-50. Banker, of the firm of Hall, Kierulff & Co., is a native of the County Armagh, Ireland, born on the 18th day of November, 1823. When young Hall was but twelve years of age his father died, leaving a wife and family of four children to mourn his loss, the subject of this sketch being the youngest. Five years later (1840) his mother, with the family, emigrated to America and located on a farm in Coshocton county, Ohio. Here young Hall grew to manhood, receiving only a limited education. Later on we find him married to Miss Rebecca Hamilton, a native of that county, and in 1854 he came West and located on section 26, in Jackson township, this county, where he entered 160 acres of land from the government. Two years later he brought his wife and only child, John (who is now cashier of the bank), to their Iowa home. When Mr. Hall came to this county his means were limited, and having barely enough money to enter his land, but by good management and fine business qualifications he has succeeded in gaining a good share of this world’s goods. In 1862 he gave up farming, and enlisted in company B, Fortieth Iowa, and served his adopted country with honor until the close of the war. In his younger days he learned the trade of cabinet-making, and on his return from the army he commenced working at his trade in Montezuma; and while thus engaged he was persuaded by his friends to accept the nomination of County Recorder, and was elected to that office two consecutive terms, which he filled with honor to himself and satisfaction to his friends. On his retiring from office he engaged in the abstract business, which he continued for some time. In 1876, in connection with his partner, G.W. Kierulff, they organized and started the flourishing bank of Montezuma. Mr. Hall is eminently a self-made mane, commencing life with little means, and is a good illustration of what an industrious man can accomplish. A marked characteristic of his entire career has been in untiring energy and enterprise. His career as a business man may be inferred from the success that has attended his efforts.