W.P. Hall

HALL

Posted By: Rebecca Foster (email)
Date: 9/7/2014 at 12:24:07

CAPT W. P. HALL IS LAID TO REST

Body Arrives and is Buried This Afternoon
Pioneer resident of Davenport Devoted Himself to Work of Academy of Science.

The body of Captain W. P. Hall, who died at his home in Rapids City Ill. , Saturday morning at 9 o’clock, arrived in davenport over the Milwaukee road today at 12:20 noon and was interred in Oakdale cemetery. At the short service at the grave Dr. H. O. Rowlands officiated. The pallbearers were Captain Lon Bryson, C. E. Harrison, Dr. C. H. Preston, Captain John McCaffrey, Captain James Osborn, and one of Captain Hall’s Rapids City friends.
The news of Captain Hall’s death came as a shock to his many friends in Davenport. Until six years ago he had lived in the city since 1836, and after removed to Rapids City he was a frequent visitor in Davenport. He was born in July of the year 1822, and at the age of fourteen came west with his parents. Dr. and Mrs. James Hall and eight brothers and sisters and settled in Davenport. He counted all the old residents of davenport and especially the veteran rivermen among his friends.

Captain Hall was one of the most interesting and picturesque characters in this section. After his retirement from an active life on the river he devoted himself to the work of the Academy of Science. With a skill of his won construction he sailed from the head waters of the Mississippi river to its mouth and up and down its branches, collecting Indian relics, and to this labors the rare Indian collection of the academy is largely due. The skill is now itself one of the curios on exhibition at the academy. In his trips he visited great numbers of farmers along the river, in search of relics, and became widely known as the “man in the boat.”

Captain Hall is survived by two brothers Byron Hall and C. M. Hall of Davenport, and by two sisters, Mrs. Sarah Le Claire of Davenport and Mrs. Annette Wallace of Missouri, and by three children, two sons and a daughter.

Funeral services were held early this morning at Rapids City.

Source: The Daily Times, Davenport, Ia., 04 Apr ?, p. 6.