Gov. Willard P. Hall

The hearts of the St. Joseph people are sad indeed to-day, and never was there more reason for this heartfelt grief, for Gov. Willard P. Hall is dead. For two or three years the people have been apprehensive that the governor was "passing away," and that the grim reaper would soon gather him to his fathers, but the blow which fell upon them yesterday when the actual event took place was as keenly felt as it would have been under other circumstances, although it did not create as much surprise. The cause of the governor's death was what the doctor's term "infusion to the lungs," brought about by softening of the brain. It will be remembered that he has had two or three attacks of an apoplectic order, and the general belief has been that he would go off in one of them. He did not die suddenly, however, as was expected for Doctor Heddens, his family physician, says he was from Wednesday morning until half past one o'clock yesterday dying. He never lost consciousness but passed peacefully away at his own home surrounded by his family and a number of his friends and in complete possession of his mental faculties. Governor Hall was born in the year 1818, and was therefore sixty-four years of age. He was born in Jefferson county, Virginia, at Harper's Ferry, and was educated partly at Baltimore, afterwards graduating at Yale College. His education was thorough and ample, coming from such a well known institution. The widowed mother of Governor Hall moved to Randolph county, Missouri, shortly after he graduated, with her family of children, when he studied law with his brother, Judge William Hall of that judicial district. He entered the practice and at once took an active part in the business and rapidly advanced in his profession. He succeeded Governor Burnett as prosecuting attorney in his district and was an exceedingly efficient officer. In 1844, he was elected by the state Democratic convention as one of the electors and conducted the canvass with marked ability. Gaining an enviable reputation for oratory and sound political judgement in the canvass, he was afterwards nominated for congress and was opposed by the independent candidate, the late Judge James H. Birch of Clinton county. Governor Hall volunteered as a private in the First regiment of Missouri cavalry in the Mexican war and went with his command as far as Santa Fe, New Mexico, when he received a letter which stated that he had been elected to congress. General Harney released him from duty and himself and one other man prepared a code of laws for the government of New Mexico, which congress reenacted when that portion of the country was annexed as a territory to the United States. He then went with Col. Cook who took command through to California and returned with General Kearney in the spring to the states. He took his seat in congress in the winter of 1847, and remained until March 1853, having been elected three times. He declined to become a candidate again and returned to the practice of the law, devoting himself closely thereto. He obtained as high a reputation as any man in the state as a lawyer and was especially popular. In February 1861, he was elected to the state convention which was called by an act of the general assembly, for the purpose of ascertaining the position of the state on the question of secession. He took his seat as an avowed union man, and after the state was abandoned by Gov. Claiborne F. Jackson and a provisional government was organized, Governor Hall was elected lieutenant governor, Hon. Hamilton R. Gamble being elected governor. Governor Gamble dying, Governor Hall became governor in fact for the remainder of the term. It was a trying time, but Governor Hall transacted his duties well and gave general satisfaction. At the expiration of his term, he returned to the practice of law in this city, where, we should have said above, he had resided for many years before. Since that time, he has been in private life and paying all his attention to the law practice. He has been employed in nearly all the important cases since then in this city and added much to his reputation as a lawyer of exalted ability. He has sought no office since that time and although Governor Hardin offered him the supreme judgeship twice after the death of Judge Vories he respectfully declined the position.

Willard Hall graduated from Yale University in 1839. He established his legal career in Sparta, MO. He served as Lt. Governor (1841-1845). When Gov. Hamilton Gamble died, Hall was sworn in as the seventeenth Governor of Missouri. He returned to a legal career in private practice in St. Joseph.