Willard Preble Hall
Encyclopedia
William Willard Preble Hall (May 9, 1820 November 2, 1882) was an American
lawyer and politician. He served as the 17th Governor of Missouri
from 1864 to 1865 during last years of the American Civil War
.
, then in Virginia
. He attended a private school in Baltimore, Maryland, and graduated from Yale University
in 1839.
He accompanied his father to Randolph County, Missouri, in 1840. He studied law and was admitted to the bar at Huntsville
in 1841, commencing his law practice in Sparta
in 1842. He was appointed circuit attorney in 1843 and served for several years. He was a presidential elector on the Democratic
ticket in 1844.
During the Mexican-American War, Hall enlisted as a private in the First Missouri Cavalry Regiment and later was promoted to lieutenant
. He was appointed by General Kearny
, together with Col. Alexander Doniphan
, to construct the code of civil laws known as the Kearny code
in both English and Spanish for the territory annexed from Mexico. In October he accompanied the famous Mormon Battalion
on its march to California, thereafter he returned to Missouri and assumed his seat in Congress.
Hall was elected as a Democrat to the Thirtieth, Thirty-first, and Thirty-second Congresses, serving from March 4, 1847 to March 3, 1853. During his Congressional service he was the chairman of the Committee on Private Land Claims (Thirty-first Congress), and of the Committee on Public Lands (Thirty-second Congress).
He moved to St. Joseph, Missouri in 1854 and continued practicing law. He was an unsuccessful candidate for the United States Senate
in 1856.
) that Missouri would remain in the Union but would not send troops or supplies to either side.
When Missouri Governor Claiborne Jackson, with the support lieutenant governor Thomas C. Reynolds, refused an order from Abraham Lincoln
to send troops to support the Union
cause, Federal General Nathaniel Lyon
sought to depose the governor and captured Jefferson City, Missouri
. The constitutional convention
then was reconvened minus the pro-Southern legislators and the Unionists declared the office of governor and lieutenant governor vacant.
Hamilton Rowan Gamble
was named provisional governor and Hall made lieutenant governor. Hall succeeded Gamble when the latter died from pneumonia after a fall in 1864.
Hall was also a brigadier general
in the pro-Union Missouri Militia. He commanded the northwestern Missouri district until 1863.
.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
lawyer and politician. He served as the 17th Governor of Missouri
Missouri
Missouri is a US state located in the Midwestern United States, bordered by Iowa, Illinois, Kentucky, Tennessee, Arkansas, Oklahoma, Kansas and Nebraska. With a 2010 population of 5,988,927, Missouri is the 18th most populous state in the nation and the fifth most populous in the Midwest. It...
from 1864 to 1865 during last years of the American Civil War
American Civil War
The American Civil War was a civil war fought in the United States of America. In response to the election of Abraham Lincoln as President of the United States, 11 southern slave states declared their secession from the United States and formed the Confederate States of America ; the other 25...
.
Early years
Hall was born in Harpers FerryHarpers Ferry, West Virginia
Harpers Ferry is a historic town in Jefferson County, West Virginia, United States. In many books the town is called "Harper's Ferry" with an apostrophe....
, then in Virginia
Virginia
The Commonwealth of Virginia , is a U.S. state on the Atlantic Coast of the Southern United States. Virginia is nicknamed the "Old Dominion" and sometimes the "Mother of Presidents" after the eight U.S. presidents born there...
. He attended a private school in Baltimore, Maryland, and graduated from Yale University
Yale University
Yale University is a private, Ivy League university located in New Haven, Connecticut, United States. Founded in 1701 in the Colony of Connecticut, the university is the third-oldest institution of higher education in the United States...
in 1839.
He accompanied his father to Randolph County, Missouri, in 1840. He studied law and was admitted to the bar at Huntsville
Huntsville, Missouri
Huntsville is a city in Randolph County, Missouri, United States. The population was 1,553 at the 2000 census. It is the county seat of Randolph County.-Geography:...
in 1841, commencing his law practice in Sparta
Sparta, Missouri
Sparta is a city in Christian County, Missouri, United States. The population was 1,144 at the 2000 census. In 2006 the population was estimated to be around 600...
in 1842. He was appointed circuit attorney in 1843 and served for several years. He was a presidential elector on the Democratic
Democratic Party (United States)
The Democratic Party is one of two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Republican Party. The party's socially liberal and progressive platform is largely considered center-left in the U.S. political spectrum. The party has the lengthiest record of continuous...
ticket in 1844.
During the Mexican-American War, Hall enlisted as a private in the First Missouri Cavalry Regiment and later was promoted to lieutenant
Lieutenant
A lieutenant is a junior commissioned officer in many nations' armed forces. Typically, the rank of lieutenant in naval usage, while still a junior officer rank, is senior to the army rank...
. He was appointed by General Kearny
Stephen W. Kearny
Stephen Watts Kearny surname also appears as Kearney in some historic sources; August 30, 1794 October 31, 1848), was one of the foremost antebellum frontier officers of the United States Army. He is remembered for his significant contributions in the Mexican-American War, especially the conquest...
, together with Col. Alexander Doniphan
Alexander William Doniphan
Alexander William Doniphan was a 19th-century American attorney, soldier and politician from Missouri who is best known today as the man who prevented the summary execution of Mormon founder Joseph Smith, Jr. at the close of the 1838 Mormon War in that state...
, to construct the code of civil laws known as the Kearny code
Kearny code
The Kearny Code is a legal code named after General Stephen W. Kearny. The Kearny Code was promulgated in Santa Fe, New Mexico on 22 September 1846 for use in the New Mexico Territory, as occupied by the United States Army during the U.S.-Mexican War. Four days later General Kearny left for Alta...
in both English and Spanish for the territory annexed from Mexico. In October he accompanied the famous Mormon Battalion
Mormon Battalion
The Mormon Battalion was the only religiously based unit in United States military history, and it served from July 1846 to July 1847 during the Mexican-American War. The battalion was a volunteer unit of between 534 and 559 Latter-day Saints men led by Mormon company officers, commanded by regular...
on its march to California, thereafter he returned to Missouri and assumed his seat in Congress.
Hall was elected as a Democrat to the Thirtieth, Thirty-first, and Thirty-second Congresses, serving from March 4, 1847 to March 3, 1853. During his Congressional service he was the chairman of the Committee on Private Land Claims (Thirty-first Congress), and of the Committee on Public Lands (Thirty-second Congress).
He moved to St. Joseph, Missouri in 1854 and continued practicing law. He was an unsuccessful candidate for the United States Senate
United States Senate
The United States Senate is the upper house of the bicameral legislature of the United States, and together with the United States House of Representatives comprises the United States Congress. The composition and powers of the Senate are established in Article One of the U.S. Constitution. Each...
in 1856.
Civil War
In 1861 Hall was a member of the constitutional convention of Missouri that affirmed a policy of armed neutrality (first put forth by outgoing governor Robert Marcellus StewartRobert Marcellus Stewart
Robert Marcellus Stewart was the 14th Governor of Missouri from 1857 to 1861, during the critical years just prior to the American Civil War.-Early years:...
) that Missouri would remain in the Union but would not send troops or supplies to either side.
When Missouri Governor Claiborne Jackson, with the support lieutenant governor Thomas C. Reynolds, refused an order from Abraham Lincoln
Abraham Lincoln
Abraham Lincoln was the 16th President of the United States, serving from March 1861 until his assassination in April 1865. He successfully led his country through a great constitutional, military and moral crisis – the American Civil War – preserving the Union, while ending slavery, and...
to send troops to support the Union
Union (American Civil War)
During the American Civil War, the Union was a name used to refer to the federal government of the United States, which was supported by the twenty free states and five border slave states. It was opposed by 11 southern slave states that had declared a secession to join together to form the...
cause, Federal General Nathaniel Lyon
Nathaniel Lyon
Nathaniel Lyon was the first Union general to be killed in the American Civil War and is noted for his actions in the state of Missouri at the beginning of the conflict....
sought to depose the governor and captured Jefferson City, Missouri
Jefferson City, Missouri
Jefferson City is the capital of the U.S. state of Missouri and the county seat of Cole County. Located in Callaway and Cole counties, it is the principal city of the Jefferson City metropolitan area, which encompasses the entirety of both counties. As of the 2010 census, the population was 43,079...
. The constitutional convention
Missouri Constitutional Convention (1861-63)
The Missouri Constitutional Convention was a constitutional convention held in the state of Missouri during the American Civil War. The convention was elected in early 1861, and voted against secession...
then was reconvened minus the pro-Southern legislators and the Unionists declared the office of governor and lieutenant governor vacant.
Hamilton Rowan Gamble
Hamilton Rowan Gamble
Hamilton Rowan Gamble was the chief justice of the Missouri Supreme Court at the time of the Dred Scott Decision in 1852, when his colleagues voted to overturn the 28-year precedent in Misssouri of "once free always free". He wrote a dissenting opinion...
was named provisional governor and Hall made lieutenant governor. Hall succeeded Gamble when the latter died from pneumonia after a fall in 1864.
Hall was also a brigadier general
Brigadier General
Brigadier general is a senior rank in the armed forces. It is the lowest ranking general officer in some countries, usually sitting between the ranks of colonel and major general. When appointed to a field command, a brigadier general is typically in command of a brigade consisting of around 4,000...
in the pro-Union Missouri Militia. He commanded the northwestern Missouri district until 1863.
Later years
After leaving his unelected office at the war's end, Hall resumed his law practice in St. Joseph. He died there in 1882 and was buried in Mount Mora CemeteryMount Mora Cemetery
Mount Mora Cemetery is the oldest public cemetery in St. Joseph, Missouri. Among those who are buried in the cemetery are three governors, a U.S. senator, soldiers from both sides in the American Civil War and riders of the Pony Express....
.