Darwin Scott Hall (January 23, 1844February 23, 1919) was an

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Republican politician who served one term in the

United States House of Representatives The United States House of Representatives is a chamber of the Bicameralism, bicameral United States Congress; it is the lower house, with the U.S. Senate being the upper house. Together, the House and Senate have the authority under Artic ...

, representing

Minnesota's 3rd congressional district Minnesota's 3rd congressional district encompasses the suburbs of Hennepin and Anoka counties to the west, south, and north of Minneapolis. The district, which is mostly suburban in character, includes a few farming communities on its far w ...

. He also served in the

Minnesota Legislature The Minnesota Legislature is the bicameral legislature of the U.S. state of Minnesota consisting of two houses: the Senate and the House of Representatives. Senators are elected from 67 single-member districts. In order to account for decenn ...

Biography

Hall was born in Mound Prairie, in the town of Wheatland,

Kenosha County, Wisconsin Kenosha County () is located in the southeastern corner of the U.S. state of Wisconsin. As of the 2020 census, the population was 169,151, and was estimated to be 168,754 in 2024, making it the eighth-most populous county in Wisconsin. Its c ...

, on January 23, 1844. Darwin was the son of Erasmus D. Hall, who served in the first session of the

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. Darwin moved with his parents to Waukau, Wisconsin, in Winnebago County, and in 1847 moved to

Grand Rapids, Wisconsin The Town of Grand Rapids is located in Wood County, Wisconsin, United States. The population was 7,801 at the 2000 census. The census-designated place of Lake Wazeecha is located in the town. The unincorporated community of Kellner is located ...

. In 1856 Darwin attended the common schools being the local academy at

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, and Markham Academy in Milwaukee. While at Milwaukee, Hall enlisted as a private in Company K of the 42nd Wisconsin Infantry Regiment for service in the

American Civil War The American Civil War (April 12, 1861May 26, 1865; also known by Names of the American Civil War, other names) was a civil war in the United States between the Union (American Civil War), Union ("the North") and the Confederate States of A ...

. The 42nd Wisconsin Infantry mustered into service in August 1864 and was assigned to

Cairo, Illinois Cairo ( , sometimes ) is the southernmost city in the U.S. state of Illinois and the county seat of Alexander County, Illinois, Alexander County. A river city, Cairo has the lowest elevation of any location in Illinois and is the only Illinoi ...

, to guard supply routes against guerillas in southern Illinois and western Kentucky. They saw no combat and mustered out in June 1865, following the end of the war. In 1866 Darwin settled near Birch Coulee,

Renville County, Minnesota Renville County is a County (United States), county in the U.S. state of Minnesota. As of the 2020 United States census, 2020 census the population was 14,723. Its county seat is Olivia, Minnesota, Olivia. History The Minnesota Territory legis ...

, and engaged in agricultural pursuits until 1868. He was auditor of

Renville Renville may refer to: Places in the United States * Renville, Minnesota * Renville County, Minnesota * Renville County, North Dakota Renville County is a County (United States), county in the U.S. state of North Dakota. As of the 2020 United ...

County from 1869 – 1873; clerk of the district court from 1873 – 1878; member of the

Minnesota House of Representatives The Minnesota House of Representatives is the lower chamber of the U.S. state of Minnesota's Minnesota Legislature, legislature. It operates in conjunction with the Minnesota Senate, the state's upper chamber, to write and pass legislation, whic ...

in 1876, and editor of the Renville Times, which he founded in 1876. Darwin's parents both died in 1878 of yellow fever in

Ocean Springs, Mississippi Ocean Springs is a city in Jackson County, Mississippi, United States, approximately east of Biloxi, Mississippi, Biloxi and west of Gautier, Mississippi, Gautier. It is part of the Pascagoula metropolitan area. The population was 18,429 at th ...

. He was registered at the United States land office at

Benson, Minnesota Benson is a city in Swift County, Minnesota, United States, along the Chippewa River. The population was 3,480 at the 2020 census. It is the county seat. History Benson was platted in 1870 when the railroad was extended to that point. As the ...

, from 1878 – 1886 and served in the

Minnesota Senate The Minnesota Senate is the upper house of the Minnesota Legislature, Legislature of the U.S. state of Minnesota. At 67 members, half as many as the Minnesota House of Representatives, it is the largest upper house of any State legislature (Unite ...

in 1886. He became elected as a Republican to the 51st congress, from March 4, 1889 – March 3, 1891 and was not reelected in 1890 to the

52nd congress The 52nd United States Congress was a meeting of the legislative branch of the United States federal government, consisting of the United States Senate and the United States House of Representatives. It met in Washington, D.C., from March 4, 1891 ...

. Darwin went on to be appointed chairman of the Chippewa Indian Commission by President

Benjamin Harrison Benjamin Harrison (August 20, 1833March 13, 1901) was the 23rd president of the United States, serving from 1889 to 1893. He was a member of the Harrison family of Virginia—a grandson of the ninth president, William Henry Harrison, and a ...

in 1891 and served until 1893, and again in 1897. He was also delegate to the

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in 1892 and a member of the board of managers of the

Minnesota State Agricultural Society The Minnesota State Fair is the state fair of the U.S. state of Minnesota. Also known by its slogan, "The Great Minnesota Get-Together", it is the largest state fair in the United States by average daily attendance and the second-largest state f ...

from 1905 – 1910, and again a member of the state senate in 1906. He was engaged in agricultural pursuits near

Olivia Olivia may refer to: People and fictional characters * Olivia (name), including a list of people and fictional characters with the name * Olivia (singer), American singer Olivia Longott (born 1981) * Olívia (basketball), Brazilian basketball playe ...

, until his death there on February 23, 1919; interment in Olivia Cemetery.

References

Sources

Minnesota Legislators Past and Present
{{DEFAULTSORT:Hall, Darwin 1844 births 1919 deaths People from Olivia, Minnesota People from Kenosha County, Wisconsin People of Wisconsin in the American Civil War Republican Party members of the Minnesota House of Representatives Republican Party Minnesota state senators Republican Party members of the United States House of Representatives from Minnesota Editors of Minnesota newspapers Farmers from Minnesota People from Benson, Minnesota People from Waukau, Wisconsin People from Grand Rapids, Wisconsin 19th-century members of the United States House of Representatives 19th-century members of the Minnesota Legislature