The daily gazette., 1876-05-24
The Late Judge Hall.

THE HISTORICAL eoCIETY's TRIBUTE TO
HIS AEMoRY-ADDRRss ON HIS LIFE
AND CHARACTER By HON. DANIEL NJ.
BATES.
About two hundred people attended
Hanover Presbyterian church, last
evening, to listen to Hon. Daniel M.
Bates address to the Historical Society
upon the life, character and public SER
vices of the late Judge Hall. Rev. J.
M. p. OTIS opened the meeting with
prayer,
Rev. John Wilson, President of the
Historical Society, introduced Mr..
Bates, and in doing so, stated that the
Historical Society had gathered to-
gether to pay tribute of respect to
worthy and distinguished citizen of
Delaware, who had been identified
during his life time with every great
and important public interest of the
State. 1t is proper and necessary that
the character of such man be fitting
ly presented to the rising generation,
and the Historical Society, revering
him AS their first President, bad
thought it titing TO bold this memo
rial service. For the portrayal of the
Judges character and the narration of
the leading events of his life they had
secured the services of gentleman
well qualified to properly present the
character of Judge Hall, and relate its
most prominent traits. Mr.. Wilson
then introduced Hon. Dan'l nj. Bates.
MIR. Bates, In opening, apologized
for the necessary length of his effort,
saying that on account OF the impor-
tance Of his subject, and its variety
and extent of details, it could not be
compressed within the limits of an Or
dinary address. He then proceeded to
read the biography.
Opening with the announcement of
Judge Halls birth in Westford, Mid
dlesex county, Mass, on December
"a, 1850. the biography proceeded to
refer with considerable minuteness, to
the able and progressive character of
his ancestors. On his fathcrs's side
his ancestors were traced back.to the
| Willards (from whom he was named),
of Kent, England, who were known
to be settlers there as early as the Con
quest. In 1884, they crossed the ocean
and settled in Cambridge. The head
of the family was Major Simon Will
lard, man of vigor and ability, whose
services to the young colony, as judge,
councillor and leader in the Indian
wars were beyond compare. He died
in 1876, leaving seventeen children
His sister, Margery Willard, married
Stephen Hall, and from these united
families have sprung many famous
and distinguished citizens, who reside
in various parts of our country to>day.
But little is known of Judge Halls
early school days, but 1t is certain that
the intellectual and mental attain.
mcnts that so marked his life, were
the natural results of his early culture
and training. His mother was wo-
man of much force of charcter and
fervent piety, and much of this char
actcr and piety she transmitted to her
son. She died in 1902
After two years at Wcstfortl Acade.
my, under the tutorship of Levi Hedge,
who assisted him greatly in his studies
and who he remembered with affection
until death, young Hall entered as
Freshman at the Harvard University,
but without commencing the course,
returned to Westford and remained
two more years. Then he returned to
Harvard, and graduated in 1900, Du
ring his studies he displayed great
proficiency, particularly in the ancient
classics, as he was selected to deliver
a Latin grafton during his Junior
year. His associates in Harvard at
this time were Horace Binney, Joseph
Story, Washington Allston, and others,
who afterwards became leading and
distinguished men.
After his graduation, in 1900, he en-
tered the law office of Samuel Dana.
who at that time was associated with
Timothy Bigelow and Samuel Ray,
two OF the most eminent lawyers of
that day. With these lawyers he
pursued the studies of his profession,
and how he profited by such associa.
tions the sequel of his life we'll shows.
He was first admitted to the bar of
Haycsboro county, New Hampshire.
The speaker then referred to young
Halls removal to Delaware, to which
move he was influenced by reading
from a speech by the elder James A,
bayard, an extract referring to the
christian character and high moral
standing of the Delaware Bar. He
reached here on April 18th, 1900, and
opened an office in Dover, soon after
wards. He was Secretary of State ir
1912 10; was elected to Congress in
| 1918, and was again Secretary of State
in 1924. In 1881 he was unanimously
elected member of the state Consti.
tutional Convention,and served in that
body with marked distinction and sig.
nal ability. In 1928 he received from
President Monroe his appointment as
Judge of the U. s. Courts for the dis
trlct OF Delaware, which appointment
he continued to hold for forty eight
years, being in his 91st year at the
. time of his resignation. His judicial
career was eminent for probity. up
rightness, and the strictest justice for
the Government and the people.
The sketch then referred at length
to Judge Halls connection with our
publ. schools. He framed the first
schoo! law for the State, and was the