Milford chronicle., 1892-01-29
John Wood HI
DEATH OF THE STATE sENA
Ex. GOVERNOR AT HIS HoME
FREDERfcA


Ex.Governof Hall died at his home
Frederica at g as o'ciobk Saturday evening f
he was taken i'll the Sunday previous but
his condition was not at frst considered
serious and few persons in tue state were
aware ofhis illness. Death was due to
conpiication Of diseases in which heart
troable predomiuated. His three children, |
Samuel " Hall, Of Dover John W Hall, Jr,
of Frederica, and Mrs. Lister, of Philaeel-
phia we're with him when he died.
John Wood Hall was born in Frederiea on
January /. 1877. He was the son Of John
Han aud Henrietta Hail, who previous to
her marriage was Henrietta Bowman the
daughter of Nathaniel Bowman, 80
county farmer. His ancestors on both siN
were among the earliest settlers Of Kett
county
he was nine wears old aud he remaineo with
an uncle, who was his guardian, With he
was y years of age when he beea9ie cl X
IN the store Of Clement Mastq6. By his
agreement with Mastou he wasf q work eight
months for the sum Of $40 aud was to have
the privilege Of conducting the confectionery
business on his oyvn acco6ut The confec-
tiouery business paid wel aud at the end
of his term Of service he fentered the store
of Solomon Townsend, where he was to en-
JOY the same privilege. with the profits he
enjoyed from the candy business he bought
out cabinet makers shop. He did not
himself understand the business and so he
hired experienced iourneYpien to do the
practical worf.ghile he managed the bust
ness. The town mahogany furniture ever
made in Frede4, deqyas made in his shop.
When Mr.. Hat reached the age ofaT years
he purchased the store of his former em-
ployer, and having 10 time to devote to the
cabinetmakiug business he sold the business
and received a new house in exchange. He
engaged in a general merchandising business
in addition 10 his store, and dealt largely in
wood coal lime, fertilizers and lumber.
His business soon required vessels to do
transporting and in 1898 he built his first
vessel. At the time Of his death lie owned
more vessels than any other man in the
state. The exact number is not known, but
il is said that he was interested in probably
tweatv, rangiuS in tonnage from $50 to 1900
tons. In 1861 he took into partnership with
him lanes B. Anderson in the merchandise
business In 1867 he retired, John W. Hall,
IT,, taking his place, and the firm name re
mained Hall & Anderson. john w. Hall,
r., retired in 1884.
Mr.. Hall inherited three farms, but at
different times purchased others until at the
time Of his death he owned twenty farms,
aggregating {, 900 acres ofvaluable land.
On November IS, 1912, MI Hall married
Miss Caroline Warren the only daughter of
Samuel and Sarah N Warren, of Murderkill
Neck. Mrs Hall dihd on March Io, 1887,
after an illness of only four days. OF their
four children there are living, Samuel War
zen Hall, Of Dover, John W. Hall, Jr., of
Frederica, and Mrs Sarah H. Lister, wife of
Charles c Lister, Philadelphia lawyer
Caroline Warren Hall died in her sd year.
Mr.. Hall joined the Methodist Episcopal
Church on March 20, 1912. and had held
number Of important church Offices
Mr. Hall in politics was originally a Wing
but when that party cea9ed to e,$l he be-
came Democrat. In 1861 he N>Scoiected
one of the state directors of thSe Feioiers'
Bank, which position he held untGSSSsa9 In
1865 he was elected state senator. Serving
ior four years. In 1874 he came within
three votes ofbeing nominated for governor.
In 1876 he was delegate to the National Con-
vention that nominated Tilden. IN 1873 he
was nominated for governor of the state by
acclamation He was elected by a majority
of :, ,8o7, there being no determined opposi-
tion to him. He served the regular term of
four years aud at the end of that time 4tired
from Office until 1890, when he was elected
senator from Kent County While the last
Legislature was in session. ne enjoyed the
distinction Of being one of the men that
would vote against his party rather than be-
come party to any mean political scheme.
Personally, he was we'll liked. To his
friends at the least session ofth Legisla-
ture, he is reported to have said that he had
probably attended his last session. Two
years of his term remain, and at the next
election Kent county will elect his successor,
thus making two senators to elect inst cad of
one.
Tae death of Ex-Governor Hall leaves four
ex governors Lying, Benjamin T. Biggs,
John W. Cochran, James Ponder and Charles
c. Stockley.