Hull, A. A.

HULL, BLAIR, HULL, NORTHRUP

Posted By: mjv (email)
Date: 5/26/2021 at 11:17:03

A A. Hull, a farmer and stock-raiser, residing on section 18, Lime Creek Township, was born in Erie County, Pa., Sept. 23, 1837. He is the son of Rufus S. and Amanda (Blair) Hull, the former a native of Connecticut and the latter of Pennsylvania. They were the parents of four children: Charlotte, wife of John Estell, resides in Battle Creek, Mich.; Hannah is the wife of James Barr, and express messenger residing in Toledo, Ohio, and who has been in that business for thirty-six years; A. A., the subject of this sketch; Mary, the wife of James Cooper, resides in Battle Creek, Mich. The mother of these children died in 1845 in Erie County, Pa.

At the time of his mother’s death our subject was but six years old, and at the age of nine years he went to live with Milton Hull, a distant relative, with whom he remained until eighteen years of age, engaged in helping on the farm and attending the country schools in the winter months. He then went to work in a sash factory, and remained at that business about eight months, when he went to Warren County, Pa., and commenced working in the lumber camps, continuing at lumbering for about two years, and then returned to Erie County in the fall of 1861, and began work by the month. In 1862 a company of young men began drilling, meeting twice a week for that purpose, until August of 1862, and then, as one of their number, he enlisted in the 145th Pennsylvania Infantry for three years. He was mustered in and started for the front, first stopping at Carlisle, where the regiment went after Mosby’s cavalry, being under fire for nine successive days. On the 17th of September it was engaged in the battle of Antietam, from which place it was sent to Harper’s Ferry, crossed the Blue Ridge, and went on down to Fredericksburg, on the Rappahannock, and then with Hancock’s Division, took part in the charge at Mary’s Height, in the rear of Fredericksburg, where our subject was wounded just below the right knee, a part of the bone being removed at the time, and in 1870 another operation as made, from the effects of which he has never recovered. He was taken to the stone hospital at Washington, D. C., where he staid nine months, and was then transferred to Mr. Pleasant Hospital, and afterward received a furlough of thirty days. He went home and remained until the expiration of his furlough, and then went to Pittsburg, Pa., where the wound became so bad that he was finally discharged Sept. 10, 1864, and returned home to his native county.

Mr. Hull was united in marriage, Oct. 4, 1865, with Miss Eliza Hull, a native of Erie County, Pa., born June 8, 1845, the daughter of Hiram and Abigail (Northrup) Hull, the former a native of Pennsylvania, and the latter of Vermont. Mrs. Hull’s father, Hiram Hull, came from Pennsylvania to Washington County in 1845, and remained one year, but returned to Pennsylvania and then moved to Missouri, where he lived until 1868, when he again came to this county and purchased a small farm in Lime Creek Township, where he resided until his death in 1882. He was a man of rather a reserved disposition, but was highly respected by all who knew him. Mrs. Hull is still, at the age of sixty-four years, and is residing at Wellman. They were the parents of six children, of which number three are yet living: Ada, wife of Wilson Stafford, residing near Battle Creek, Mich.; J. W., a druggist in Alexandria, Dak.; and the wife of our subject.

Three children have blessed the union of Mr. and Mrs. Hull: William, born May 14, 1866, died Sept. 13, 1874; A. Duroe, born Oct. 28, 1869, resides in Adair County, Mo.; Minnie, born July 11, 1876, in Washington County, Iowa.

For about two years our subject was engaged in a carshop in Erie, Pa., and worked while standing on his crutches. In 1868 he started for Adair County, Mo., by team, and was on the road five weeks and two days, passing through Ohio by way of Maumee, thence through Logansport, Ind., then to Peoria, Ill., and crossed the river at Warsaw, Ill., stopping at Kirksville, Mo., where he bought a small farm, for which he paid $500. He commenced to improve the farm by breaking prairie, fencing and planting an orchard. Here the family remained about five years, when he sold the farm to the original owner and came to Washington County, Iowa, where he purchased forty acres of land upon section 18, Lime Creek Township, to which he has since added ten acres. He has improved this farm until it is now in fine condition, with a nice story-and-a-half house, with a good barn and out-buildings, all of which is the result of his own industry and good management. He is now turning his attention to the raising of Short-horn cattle.

Mr. Hull is a member of the Ed Hamlin Post No. 112, G. A. R., of Wellman, Iowa. Politically, he is identified with the Republican party, and takes a lively interest in all public affairs.

Source: Portrait and Biographical Album of Washington County, Iowa (1887). Excerpt from Biographical Sketch of A. A. Hull, pages 542-543.