The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1912-07-26
JOHN n. HALL DEAD,
WAS EARLY PIONEER
From Thursdays Daily.

From thursdays Daily.
John Norris Hall, one of the best
known and oldest residents of Man
kato, and one who has held many
positions of prominence and trust in
the city, died this morning at six
o'clock, after an illness of several
/ months. The deceased had been fail
ing since last March, and during the
last two weeks he had been confined
to his house, and for the past seven
days be was confined to his bed.
His mind was clear to the last and
he did not lose consciousness, even
in his old age Death was due to
a general breakdown and old age,
deceased being ninety years of age
last May.
He is survived by son and two
daughters, Rev. John Norris Hall,
Jr., pastor of the Methodist church
at Berwin, ILL.,, and Miss Caroline C..
Hall and Miss Mary C. Hall, who
lived with their father at 327 East
Liberty street. No arrangements for
the funeral will be made until the
arrival of Mr.. Hall from Berwin.
Several years ago. the deceased re-
quested that when he died, his
friends kindly omit sending flowers,
and hence this request is made now.
Had An Active Career.
John Norris Hall was born in
Warren, Litchfield county, Connecti-
cut, May Is, 1922. He comes of ex-
cellent New England stock, Injured
to habits of industry, thrift and
temperance. Blessed with strong
constitutions, supplemented with
right living, his ancestors were a
long lived race. His maternal grand
mother reached the age of ninety
nine years. He was the youngest
of nine children, among whom no
death occurred for sixty-five years.
Two sisters lived to ripe old age,
one at eighty-five and the other
ninety years. His father was tan
ner and farmer, and young Hall
worked at both avocations during
the intervals of his school life and,
after graduation from Warren acad-
envy in 1886, until seventeen years
of age. In the spring of 1889, he
went to New Canaan, Conn. Here he
clerked in a store until the sum-
mer of 1S43, when his employer, hav-
ing opened branch store at Milan,
Ohio, sent him to take charge of
it. Returning to New Canaan the
next spring, he formed partnership
with his employer, which lasted un-
til January, 1850. In. the meantime
the firm had opened three additional
stores in Ohio-at gainesville, Fitch
vile and Sullivan, two of which
fell to Mr.. Halls share under the
dissolution agreement.
| Came West in 1857.
! In the summer of 1850 he started
in the mercantile business on his
own account at New Canaan, and
soon closed out his Ohio branches.
In 1857, he visited Minnesota, and
was so impressed with what he
heard of Mankato that he concluded
to locate here. Disposing of his
business at New Canaan, he left his
native state, on October 4, 1858, and
reached Winona on the ninth, and
Mankato on the 26th of the same
month, after a somewhat eventful
journey. He continued in the mer-
camille business at Mankato until
August, 1862, when he was appoint
ed by President Lincoln collector of
internal revenue for the first district
of Minnesota, embracing all the
country south of st. Paul, except
four or five counties. The district
was so large as to require fourteen
deputies. Mr.. Hall served for the
full term Of four years. during
which time, at request of the secre-
tary of war, he was designated to
receive from the drafted men in
his district, who wished to be re-
lieved from military service, the
Communication money $4,000, which
exempted them from the operation
j of the draft-receiving in that ca
pacity over 100000. .,.
Organized First National.
In the fall of 1866, in connection
with the late Senator M. S. Wilkin-
son, J. B. Hubbell and j. J. Thorn
! ton, he established the private bank
! of J. ]. Thornton & Co., of which
he was cashier. Mr.. Thornton was
| a Union man from Texas, and some
| time after the war-about 1867-he
returned to his own state, where he
| had interests to look after. The bank
continued in business until Septem-
Der, 1868. when it was succeeded by
the First National bank, which had
been organized by Mr.. Hall, J. B.
! Hubbell, J. A. Willard, J. F. Meagh-
, er, Daniel Buck, J. ]. Shaubut and
others. Mr.. Hall continued as cash
+, Ter of the new bank until March,
1880, when he purchased of j. B.
Hubbell, a set of Blue Earth county
, abstract books and was engaged in
the abstract. real estate and insur-
ance business up to the time of his
death. He was also engaged for a
! time earlier in selling farm machin-
cry. He has had H. c. Howard,
George H. Brewster and William P.
l.; hue