The citizens of Clay County have twice honored by election to the office of county recorder of deeds John Will Hall, whose fitness for such responsibility and honor is unquestioned and exceptional. Mr. Hall is one of the oldest native sons of Clay County, was a soldier in the war between the states, has been an efficient business man, and in all his relations has been noted for his honesty and integrity.
John Will Hall was born on a farm two miles west of the City of Liberty, January 28, 1845, the only child of Robert E [sic] and Mary (Thomason) Hall. The Hall and Thomason families were pioneers, came to Northwest Missouri from Kentucky, and the work and influence of the various members of those families went into the very fibre of early life and institutions in Clay County.
Robert E. Hall was born in Jessamine County, Kentucky, in 1821 and died in 1847. His wife was born in Scott County Kentucky in 1823 and also died in 1847. The grandparents on both sides were natives of Kentucky. The paternal grandparents were John R. and Mary Laffoon Hall, while the maternal grandparents were William and Susan (McQuiddy) Thomason. The Hall family came to Missouri in 1828, locating east of Liberty, while the Thomason family were likewise early settlers and established a seven miles west of the county seat.
Left an orphan at the age of two years, John Will Hall was in the home of his paternal grandparents, on whose farm he lived fourteen years of age. His grandfather then moved to Liberty, and boy was educated in the country schools and subsequently became student at the William Jewell College
The outbreak of the war him a student in that old institution, and even before the actual of hostilities he had responded to the call for troops and enlisted Company C of the Seventh Missouri Infantry, a regiment that went under Gen. Sterling Price. He fought in all the skirmishes and of his command, was wounded in the left leg at Pea Ridge and in right leg at Helena, Arkansas, was captured at Pea Ridge and River, but both times escaped. In February, 1865, Mr. Hall was to the blockade running service, and on April 24, 1865 was at New Orleans on the steamboat Webb while trying to through the encircling line of Federal ships. He was held in prison confined in Hickman cotton press at New Orleans until June 6, 1865, when granted a parole. He then returned to his old home in Liberty.
Probably few men passed through such eventful experiences as Mr. Hall so early in life. Left an orphan at the age of two, he enlisted for the war at the age of sixteen, and was with the Southern army four years and three months, was twice wounded, three times captured, and was still under twenty-one when the war closed and he returned to civil pursuits.
At Liberty Mr. Hall took up the trade of carpenter, and soon became the leading contractor and builder of Liberty. Ever since the close of the war Mr. Hall has been one of the honored citizens of old Liberty. In November, 1906, he was elected on the democratic ticket as county recorder, was reelected in the fall of 1910, and is the logical candidate for further service at the present time. Other honors of a public nature have been accorded him, and he has served as mayor two terms and also as a member of the City Council. Always an active democrat, he has done much to further the party cause in Clay County. Mr. Hall is an active member of Camp No. 729 of the Confederate Veterans and is present commander of the post, and is also affiliated with the Knights of Pythias.
On March 5, 1871 Mr. Hall married Mary E. Burdett, who was born at Spencer, Roane County, West Virginia, May 24, 1851, a daughter of Jonathan A. and Sarah Burdett, who came to Clay County, Missouri in 1865. Her father was born October 7, 1829, and her mother May 16, 1831; they were married in June, 1850, and are both living in Liberty, having recently celebrated their sixty- fourth wedding anniversary - a couple remarkable for the length and felicity of their married companionship. They were the parents of eleven children, three of whom are living, as follows: Mrs. Hall, Mrs. Elizabeth Holtzclaw, and Thomas D. of Clay County.
Mr. and Mrs. Hall are the parents of six children:
Oscar B., deceased;
R. E., of Liberty;
Harry L., of Liberty;
Sarah, wife of Willard P. King, of Jefferson City Missouri;
Nell Will, wife of Morris D. Gordon, of Jefferson City; and
Flora, deceased.
Mr. Hall and family are members of the Christian church.
