St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1894-03-10
STORY OF A BUSY LIFE.
EfGHTY-SLXTH BIRTHDAY oFA VET
ERAN EDITOR.
A PERIOD OF NOTABLE EVENTS

Covered by One Mans Life - A
Record Which Few Men Have
Made-His Acquaintance and
Relations With Prominent
Men, and His Quiet but Earn.
est Labors-How He Brought
Garfield Into Public Life-Let
ter of Acknowledgment from
the Late President.
There are few men whose span of life
covers so long and eyentful an era as
that of Lyman Wolcott Hall, who cele-
brated his eighty-sixth birthday vester-
day. Mr.. Hall resides with two of his
daughters at 1O2 Western avenue, and.
notwithstanding his advanced age, en-
joys comfortable health, with mental
faculties unimpaired.
The period of his life from 1908 to
1894 almost covers the history of the
country outside of the Revolution. His
life antedates the railroad, the tele-
graph and the use of electrical appli-
ances. or even the use of steam, except
in crude and clumsy form. Ii ante
dates the second great event in Amer
lean history-the war of 1Sl2-and en-
tirely covers the period OF the anti
slavery agitation which led up to the
Rebellion and emancipation.
That one mans life can Include so
much of such important history and
advancement seems almost incredible,
and it Is hardly possible that another
eighty-siX years can follow with events
so frdught with veal or woe to mankind
as that represented by the period of
Mr.. Halls existence.
He came from Purit an and Reyolu-
tionary stock, having been born in
Lanesboro. Berkshire county, Massa-
chusetts, March 9, 1908. Both his
grandfather and his great grandfather
served in the Revolutionary war. his
great grandfather being captain of the
same company in which his grandfather
was lieutenant. His father served in
the war of 1872, doing duty at Sacketts
Harbor. n. Y, which was then on the
frontier, and also in Canada, contract
ing an illness in the service of his coun-
try which proved fatal.
Though originally fitting himself for
the practice of law, his life work has
been in the editorial profession. He
studied law in the Office of Gov. Briggs.
In his native town, his preceptor be-
coming governor at later period and
being noted for refusing to pardon
Prof. Webster, Of Harvard university.
for the murder of DR.. Parkwan, of
Boston. a cause celebre which has
never had Its counterpart in this
country
When Connecticut secured the great
"Western Reserve, nnow the most pros
porous portion of Northern Ohio, The
New England states sent their young
men to spy out and occupy
the land. and among them was
the subject of this sketch. He
was an only son, bnt even at that early
day Massachusetts was becoming TOO
crowded for him, and III September.
1850. be became a resident of Ohio, first
locating at Ravenna, Portage county.
about thirty-fve miles south of Cleve-
land. The journey was accomplished
by stage to Albany, by the Erie canal
from Albany to Buffalo. and, lake nav
igation being so uncertainty stage from
Buffalo TO his destInatlon-a period of
over week being required for a Jour
ney which can now be made in less than
twenIyfour hours.
He cast his first presidential vote be-
fore going West.and has never failed 10
vote at presidential election since that
time. His first presidential vote was
for tho National Paput,Iioo, oo,i;1,.o
John Quincy Adams. He did not affiliate
with the Wing party when it came upon
the scene. but joined the Liberty
party, which was subsequently
merged into athe Free Soilers,
and finally became the Republican
party. Though an ardent anti-slavery
man when that was an issue, it is notable
that he joined the much-maiIgned army
of mugwumps, and has given three votes
for Grover Cleveland for president.
His first newspaper work was in 1886,
as editor Of the Argus at Ohio City, now
the West side of Cleveland. In short
time he returned TO Ravenna and be-
came editor of the Ohio Star in 1883.
and from that period until 1875
when he followed his children to
st. Paul, he was continuously in
the editorial harness. and for time
also in st. Paul. He left the Star for a
few years, to edit the Western Reserve
Cabinet and Visitor, family rather
than a political paper, but the attraction
OF politics brought him back to the
Ohio Star to engage in the burning
qnestion-slavery- the period.
AS an incident of his newspaper ca