Erasmus Darwin Hall (April 12, 1812October 2, 1878) was an

American American(s) may refer to: * American, something of, from, or related to the United States of America, commonly known as the "United States" or "America" ** Americans, citizens and nationals of the United States of America ** American ancestry, p ...

merchant from

Wisconsin Wisconsin ( ) is a U.S. state, state in the Great Lakes region, Great Lakes region of the Upper Midwest of the United States. It borders Minnesota to the west, Iowa to the southwest, Illinois to the south, Lake Michigan to the east, Michig ...

, who served in the

1st Wisconsin Legislature The First Wisconsin Legislature convened from June 5, 1848, to August 21, 1848, in regular session. Members of the Assembly and Senate were elected after an election on February 1, 1848, that ratified the proposed state constitution. Wisconsi ...

as a Whig, representing Winnebago County in the

Wisconsin State Assembly The Wisconsin State Assembly is the lower house of the Wisconsin Legislature. Together with the smaller Wisconsin Senate, the two constitute the legislative branch of the U.S. state of Wisconsin. The Assembly is controlled by the Republican ...

Biography

Hall was a native of

Vermont Vermont () is a U.S. state, state in the New England region of the Northeastern United States. It borders Massachusetts to the south, New Hampshire to the east, New York (state), New York to the west, and the Provinces and territories of Ca ...

, and came to

Wisconsin Territory The Territory of Wisconsin was an organized and incorporated territory of the United States that existed from July 3, 1836, until May 29, 1848, when an eastern portion of the territory was admitted to the Union as the State of Wisconsin. Belm ...

in 1838. Hall and his wife became among the earliest settlers of the Waukau area, arriving there in 1845 along with other members of Hall's extended family (John M., J. R. and Uriah Hall), and accompanied by their son

Darwin Hall Darwin Scott Hall (January 23, 1844February 23, 1919) was an American Republican politician who served one term in the United States House of Representatives, representing Minnesota's 3rd congressional district. He also served in the Minnesota L ...

. He engaged in "mercantile pursuits". Hall held various public offices, including being elected the first

chairman The chair, also chairman, chairwoman, or chairperson, is the presiding officer of an organized group such as a board, committee, or deliberative assembly. The person holding the office, who is typically elected or appointed by members of the gro ...

of the newly organized

Town A town is a type of a human settlement, generally larger than a village but smaller than a city. The criteria for distinguishing a town vary globally, often depending on factors such as population size, economic character, administrative stat ...

Rushford, Wisconsin Rushford is a town in Winnebago County, Wisconsin, United States. The population was 1,561 at the 2010 census. The unincorporated communities of Eureka, Island Park, and Waukau are located in the town. The ghost town of Delhi was located in the ...

and a frequent member of the county's board of supervisors (1847, 1850, 1853, 1855). In 1848, he was elected as a Whig to the single Assembly seat allocated to Winnebago County. He was succeeded in 1849 by fellow Whig Thomas J. Townsend. In 1856, the Halls moved to

Grand Rapids Grand Rapids is the largest city and county seat of Kent County, Michigan, United States. With a population of 198,917 at the 2020 United States census, 2020 census and estimated at 200,117 in 2024, Grand Rapids is the List of municipalities ...

Wood County, Wisconsin Wood County is a County (United States), county located in the U.S. state of Wisconsin. As of the 2020 United States census, 2020 census, the population was 74,207. Its county seat is Wisconsin Rapids, Wisconsin, Wisconsin Rapids. The county is ...

; and later to

Milwaukee Milwaukee is the List of cities in Wisconsin, most populous city in the U.S. state of Wisconsin. Located on the western shore of Lake Michigan, it is the List of United States cities by population, 31st-most populous city in the United States ...

, where they stayed about five years. In 1870, the Halls (including a son) moved to

Mississippi Mississippi ( ) is a U.S. state, state in the Southeastern United States, Southeastern and Deep South regions of the United States. It borders Tennessee to the north, Alabama to the east, the Gulf of Mexico to the south, Louisiana to the s ...

, intending to plant

cotton Cotton (), first recorded in ancient India, is a soft, fluffy staple fiber that grows in a boll, or protective case, around the seeds of the cotton plants of the genus '' Gossypium'' in the mallow family Malvaceae. The fiber is almost pure ...

. After one season, they laid plans to return to Wisconsin, but Hall was offered the position of

postmaster A postmaster is the head of an individual post office, responsible for all postal activities in a specific post office. When a postmaster is responsible for an entire mail distribution organization (usually sponsored by a national government), ...

Okolona, Mississippi Okolona is a city in and one of the two county seats of Chickasaw County, Mississippi, Chickasaw County, Mississippi, United States. It is located near the eastern border of the county. The population was 2,692 at the 2010 United States Census, ...

. Due to health problems, he later moved to

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 ...

, where in 1878 both of the Halls succumbed to yellow fever.Our Own Reporter. "Fell Victims: Death of Pioneer Couple of this County in Mississippi" ''

Oshkosh Daily Northwestern The ''Oshkosh Northwestern'' is a daily newspaper based in Oshkosh, Wisconsin. The ''Northwestern'' is primarily distributed in Winnebago, Waushara, and Green Lake counties. History For the forty years preceding establishment of the newspa ...

'' October 2, 1878 Darwin Hall had already moved to

Minnesota Minnesota ( ) is a U.S. state, state in the Upper Midwestern region of the United States. It is bordered by the Canadian provinces of Manitoba and Ontario to the north and east and by the U.S. states of Wisconsin to the east, Iowa to the so ...

, and served in 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 ...

by this time; but his service 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 ...

and

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 ...

took place after their deaths.

References

External links

, - {{DEFAULTSORT:Hall, Erasmus D. 1812 births 1878 deaths Mississippi postmasters Businesspeople from Wisconsin County supervisors in Wisconsin Members of the Wisconsin State Assembly People from Waukau, Wisconsin Wisconsin Whigs People from Ocean Springs, Mississippi People from Okolona, Mississippi Mississippi Republicans People from Grand Rapids, Wisconsin Deaths from yellow fever 19th-century American businesspeople 19th-century members of the Wisconsin Legislature 19th-century mayors of places in Wisconsin