William Willard Preble Hall (May 9, 1820November 2, 1882) was an American lawyer and politician. He served as the 17th Governor of

Missouri Missouri is a state in the Midwestern region of the United States. Ranking 21st in land area, it is bordered by eight states (tied for the most with Tennessee): Iowa to the north, Illinois, Kentucky and Tennessee to the east, Arkansas t ...

from 1864 to 1865 during the last years of the

American Civil War The American Civil War (April 12, 1861 – May 26, 1865; also known by other names) was a civil war in the United States. It was fought between the Union ("the North") and the Confederacy ("the South"), the latter formed by states ...

Early years

Hall was born in

Harpers Ferry Harpers Ferry is a historic town in Jefferson County, West Virginia. It is located in the lower Shenandoah Valley. The population was 285 at the 2020 census. Situated at the confluence of the Potomac and Shenandoah rivers, where the U.S. stat ...

, then in

Virginia Virginia, officially the Commonwealth of Virginia, is a state in the Mid-Atlantic and Southeastern regions of the United States, between the Atlantic Coast and the Appalachian Mountains. The geography and climate of the Commonwealth ar ...

. He attended a private school in

Baltimore, Maryland Baltimore ( , locally: or ) is the List of municipalities in Maryland, most populous city in the U.S. state of Maryland, fourth most populous city in the Mid-Atlantic (United States), Mid-Atlantic, and List of United States cities by popula ...

, and graduated from

Yale University Yale University is a Private university, private research university in New Haven, Connecticut. Established in 1701 as the Collegiate School, it is the List of Colonial Colleges, third-oldest institution of higher education in the United Sta ...

in 1839. He accompanied his father, John H. Hall, to

Randolph County, Missouri Randolph County is a county in the northern portion of the U.S. state of Missouri. As of the 2010 census, the population was 25,414. Its county seat is Huntsville. The county was organized January 22, 1829 and named for U.S. Representative a ...

, in 1840. He studied law and was admitted to the bar at

Huntsville Huntsville is a city in Madison County, Limestone County, and Morgan County, Alabama, United States. It is the county seat of Madison County. Located in the Appalachian region of northern Alabama, Huntsville is the most populous city in th ...

in 1841, commencing his law practice in

Sparta Sparta ( Doric Greek: Σπάρτα, ''Spártā''; Attic Greek: Σπάρτη, ''Spártē'') was a prominent city-state in Laconia, in ancient Greece. In antiquity, the city-state was known as Lacedaemon (, ), while the name Sparta referre ...

in 1842. He was appointed circuit attorney in 1843 and served for several years. He was a presidential elector on the Democratic ticket in 1844. During the

Mexican–American War The Mexican–American War, also known in the United States as the Mexican War and in Mexico as the (''United States intervention in Mexico''), was an armed conflict between the United States and Mexico from 1846 to 1848. It followed the 1 ...

, Hall enlisted as a private in the First Missouri Cavalry Regiment and later was promoted to

lieutenant A lieutenant ( , ; abbreviated Lt., Lt, LT, Lieut and similar) is a commissioned officer rank in the armed forces of many nations. The meaning of lieutenant differs in different militaries (see comparative military ranks), but it is often ...

. He was appointed by General Kearny, together with Col.

Alexander Doniphan Alexander William Doniphan (July 9, 1808 – August 8, 1887) was a 19th-century American attorney, soldier and politician from Missouri who is best known today as the man who prevented the summary execution of Joseph Smith, founder of the Church ...

, to construct the code of civil laws known as the Kearny code in both English and Spanish for the territory annexed from Mexico. In October he accompanied the famous

Mormon Battalion The Mormon Battalion was the only religious unit in United States military history in federal service, recruited solely from one religious body and having a religious title as the unit designation. The volunteers served from July 1846 to July ...

on its march to California, thereafter he returned to Missouri and assumed his seat in Congress. Hall was elected as a Democrat to the Thirtieth, Thirty-first, and Thirty-second Congresses, serving from March 4, 1847, to March 3, 1853. During his Congressional service he was the chairman of the Committee on Private Land Claims (Thirty-first Congress), and of the Committee on Public Lands (Thirty-second Congress). He moved to

St. Joseph, Missouri St. Joseph is a city in and the county seat of Buchanan County, Missouri. Small parts of St. Joseph extend into Andrew County. Located on the Missouri River, it is the principal city of the St. Joseph Metropolitan Statistical Area, which includ ...

in 1854 and continued practicing law. He was an unsuccessful candidate for the

United States Senate The United States Senate is the upper chamber of the United States Congress, with the House of Representatives being the lower chamber. Together they compose the national bicameral legislature of the United States. The composition and pow ...

in 1856.

Civil War

In 1861 Hall was a member of the constitutional convention, which affirmed the policy of armed neutrality put forth by outgoing governor

Robert Marcellus Stewart Robert Marcellus Stewart (March 12, 1815 – September 21, 1871) was the 14th Governor of Missouri from 1857 to 1861, during the critical years just prior to the American Civil War. Early years Stewart was born in Truxton, New York, but mov ...

: that Missouri would remain in the Union but would not send troops or supplies to either side. Governor

Claiborne Jackson Claiborne Fox Jackson (April 4, 1806 – December 6, 1862) was an American politician of the Democratic Party in Missouri. He was elected as the 15th Governor of Missouri, serving from January 3, 1861, until July 31, 1861, when he was forc ...

and lieutenant governor Thomas C. Reynolds refused the call from President

Abraham Lincoln Abraham Lincoln ( ; February 12, 1809 – April 15, 1865) was an American lawyer, politician, and statesman who served as the 16th president of the United States from 1861 until his assassination in 1865. Lincoln led the nation thro ...

for troops to put down secession, and conspired with the Confederacy.

Union Union commonly refers to: * Trade union, an organization of workers * Union (set theory), in mathematics, a fundamental operation on sets Union may also refer to: Arts and entertainment Music * Union (band), an American rock group ** ''Un ...

General

Nathaniel Lyon Nathaniel Lyon (July 14, 1818 – August 10, 1861) was the first Union general to be killed in the American Civil War. He is noted for his actions in Missouri in 1861, at the beginning of the conflict, to forestall secret secessionist plans of th ...

seized the state capital and deposed Jackson. The constitutional convention reconvened, minus pro-Southern delegates, and declared the office of governor and lieutenant governor vacant.

Hamilton Rowan Gamble Hamilton Rowan Gamble (November 29, 1798 – January 31, 1864) was an American jurist and politician who served as the Chief Justice of the Missouri Supreme Court at the time of the Dred Scott case in 1852. Although his colleagues voted to over ...

was named provisional governor and Hall made lieutenant governor. Hall also became a

brigadier general Brigadier general or Brigade general is a military rank used in many countries. It is the lowest ranking general officer in some countries. The rank is usually above a colonel, and below a major general or divisional general. When appointed ...

in the

Missouri Militia The Missouri Militia is a private militia in the U.S. state of Missouri. The Missouri Militia is not a part of the Missouri State Defense Force. which is the state defense force for the state of Missouri."Of these high-risk states, Arizona, Florid ...

, as formed under Union control. He commanded the northwestern Missouri district until 1863. Hall succeeded Gamble as governor when Gamble died in 1864.

Later years

After leaving his unelected office at the war's end, Hall resumed his law practice in St. Joseph. He died there in 1882 and was buried in

Mount Mora Cemetery Mount Mora Cemetery is the oldest public cemetery in St. Joseph, Missouri. Among those who are buried in the cemetery are three governors, a U.S. senator, soldiers from both sides in the American Civil War and riders of the Pony Express. In Octo ...

References

External links

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Hall, Willard Preble 1820 births 1882 deaths People from Harpers Ferry, West Virginia Governors of Missouri Lieutenant Governors of Missouri Yale College alumni People of Missouri in the American Civil War Union (American Civil War) state governors Democratic Party members of the United States House of Representatives from Missouri Missouri Republicans Republican Party governors of Missouri 19th-century American politicians People from St. Joseph, Missouri