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Ernest Hall (Arizona politician)

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Ernest Hall
Hall, ca. 1920
3rd Secretary of State of Arizona
In office
January 2, 1921 – January 2, 1923
Preceded byMit Simms
Succeeded byJames H. Kerby
Member of the Arizona State Senate
from the Maricopa County district
In office
January 1917 – June 1918 (resigned to join U. S. Army)
Preceded byO. S. Stapley
Sam F. Webb
Succeeded byC. C. Green
Personal details
Born(1880-02-10)February 10, 1880
Creston, Iowa, U.S.
DiedMarch 29, 1959(1959-03-29) (aged 79)
Prescott, Arizona, U.S.
Political partyRepublican
SpouseLillian
ProfessionPolitician, farmer

Ernest R. Hall (February 10, 1880 – March 29, 1959) was an Arizona politician who served a single term in the Arizona State Senate during the 3rd Arizona State Legislature.[1] He ran several other times for the state legislature, mostly for the State Senate, but once for the State House of Representatives. He also ran three times for Arizona Secretary of State, winning in the 1920 election. Other offices he held were justice of the peace and postmaster, both in the Salome, Arizona area. He was a combat veteran of World War I, and was a very successful farmer in Maricopa County for several decades.

Early life

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Hall was born on February 10, 1880, in Creston, Iowa. He was the brother of Dick Wick Hall, and came to Flagstaff, Arizona, in 1899, before moving to Phoenix the following year.[2] In 1901 Hall, along with his brother Dick, moved to Wickenburg, where they began the Wickenburg News Herald, which became the largest newspaper in Wickenburg.[3][4]

Political career

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In the late 1890s and 1900, Hall was a deputy in the office of the Secretary of Arizona Territory, Charles H. Akers.[5][6] In December 1906 he was elected to serve as the justice of the peace in the Harrisburg precinct of Yuma County.[7] He served in that capacity until April 1908.[8] During the Arizona State Constitutional Convention, while Hall was not an official delegate, Hall was there and was responsible for writing many provisions of the document.[2]

In 1914 Hall announced his candidacy for the State House of Representatives from Maricopa County, running on the Bull Moose Party ticket.[9] However, he removed himself from the Bull Moose ticket in early October, and later was added to the Republican ticket, replacing Garrett P. Schuller, who retired.[10][11] In the November general election, he came in 8th place, with 3140 votes, the top 6 vote getters who filled the 6 spots in the House, all Democrats, received between 5745 and 6870 votes.[12] 1916 saw Hall running for the Republican ticket for the State Senate. In the primary there were three candidates, and Hall and H. B. Wilkinson, became the Republican nominees.[13][14] Hall and Wilkinson defeated O. S. Stapley, an incumbent, and H. A. Davis, who had served in the first Arizona State Senate, in the November general election.[15][16] During the special session of the legislature, Hall announced his resignation and enlisted in the U. S. Army.

In August 1920 Hall announced his candidacy for the Secretary of State of Arizona.[17] He was unopposed in the Republican primary.[18] He defeated Democrat Harry S. Ross in the general election, 31,328 to 29,658.[19] Hall was the first Republican elected as secretary of state in Arizona.[20] As secretary of state, Hall often had to step into the role of governor, whenever Governor Campbell was out of the state.[21][22][23] Hall declared his intention to run for re-election in July 1922,[24] and he faced off and defeated Wesley A. Hill in the Republican primary.[25][26] However, he was defeated by James H. Kerby in the November general election.[27][28] Despite his statement that he was forever finished with politics, in 1926 Hall announced his candidacy to once again run for the State Senate.[29] The two Republicans ran unopposed in the primary, but were defeated by Dan P. Jones and Harlow Akers in the November general election.[30][31]

In July 1930 Hall announced his candidacy for the state legislature once again. However, this time he was running for a seat in the House of Representatives, in Maricopa District 16.[32] He defeated Mrs. Belle Butler in the Republican primary, but lost to J. F. Jennings in November's general election.[33][34] In 1932 he ran for one of two seats on the State Tax Commission, going up against the two Democrat incumbents, Frank Luke and Thad M. Moore. The two incumbents easily won re-election, by a more than 2-1 margin.[35] In 1932 he ran for one of two seats on the State Tax Commission, going up against the two Democrat incumbents, Frank Luke and Thad M. Moore. The two incumbents easily won re-election, by a more than 2-1 margin.[36] In 1934 he was recruited to run for the Secretary of State position again.[37][38] His opponent was incumbent James H. Kerby, who defeated him in the 1922 election. In the November rematch, Kerby once again came out on top, easily defeating Hall 59,113 to 33,170.[39]

Life outside politics

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In 1905 Hall and his brother Dick, along with C. H. Pratt and Charles Caldwell, the latter two both of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, developed the townsite of Salome, Arizona. They drilled a well on the site, the first well drilled in northern Yuma County.[40][41] The four men also incorporated the Arizona Contracting Company, which was formed to develop the townsite, as well as to engage in mineral exploration.[42] In 1906 Hall was splitting his time between Wickenburg, where he had a home, and Salome, where he was appointed postmaster, with his brother Dick being vice-postmaster.[43][44] Early in 1908, he became an agent for the fruit tree company, Stark Brothers, of Louisiana, Missouri.[45] Later that year, he and his father, Thomas, had begun a fruit farm in Maricopa County, southwest of Phoenix, named the Blue Ribbon Ranch.[46][47] The two continued to be the local representatives for the Stark Brothers.[48] By 1910 they were exporting fruit to other states.[49]

Hall served as the superintendent of the agricultural division of the Arizona State Fair in 1910 and 1911.[50][51] He married Lillian M. Knall in Phoenix on February 28, 1912.[52] In 1917, after the regular session of the legislature, Hall returned to Wickenburg to oversee the operations of the Glory Hall Mine, which he co-owned with his brother, Dick.[53] In October of that year, he put his Blue Ribbon Ranch up for sale, and became the editor of the Wickenburg Miner.[54][55] In 1917, after the regular session of the legislature, Hall returned to Wickenburg to oversee the operations of the Glory Hall Mine, which he co-owned with his brother, Dick.[53] In October of that year, he put his Blue Ribbon Ranch up for sale, and became the editor of the Wickenburg Miner.[54][55]

When the United States entered World War I, he volunteered for the army and served with the American Expeditionary Forces in Europe for nine months.[2] He resigned from the State Senate in June 1918 and enlisted in the 27th Engineers Battalion, which saw action at both the Battle of Saint-Mihiel and the Meuse–Argonne offensive.[56][57] He attained the rank of sergeant.[58] After the war, Hall returned to Phoenix in April 1919, where he met up with his brother, Dick.[59] The two traveled to northern Texas where they engaged in the oil exploration business, along with their partner, Ernest Douglas, at first working in the interests of Aritex Oil Company.[60] By May they were offering people the chance to invest in the burgeoning oil industry, through their mutual membership trust, the Texhall Oil Syndicate, which had interests in several oil properties in Texas.[61] This venture was profitable, and short-lived, and the two brothers were headed home by June.[62] On his return to Arizona he began working for the state highway department until June 1920, when he resigned to take over the cotton and fruit operations of the Elias and Pool ranch, of Arizona Securities Company.[58][17]

After his defeat in the 1922 election for Secretary of State, Hall stated that he was officially retired from politics.[63] He went into a mining venture with his brother Dick near Salome.[64][65] In addition, he went back to farming with his father, this time focusing on pecans, although they still continued to grow fruit.[66][67][32] His wife, Lillian, had been involved in selling real estate since 1925, and in 1927 Hall joined her and opened up his own real estate agency, Ernest R. Hall Realty Company.[68] While running his real estate practice, he still was involved in farming, becoming one of the largest fruit and pecan producers in the Phoenix area.[32] In 1953 he returned to Salome, and was their justice of the peace until just prior to his death.[69][2] Hall died on March 29, 1959, in Prescott, where he had been living in the Arizona Pioneers' Home. He had been ill for several years.[2]

References

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  1. ^ "History of the Arizona State Legislature 1912–1966". State of Arizona. pp. 8–9. Retrieved March 3, 2022.
  2. ^ a b c d e "Ernest Hall, Ex-Arizona Official, Dies". Arizona Republic. March 30, 1959. p. 1. Retrieved May 25, 2022 – via Newspapers.com. Open access icon
  3. ^ Goff, John S. (1983). Arizona Biographical Dictionary. Cave Creek, AZ: Black Mountain Press. p. 45. OCLC 10740532.
  4. ^ "Gone Home". The Arizona Republican. November 13, 1901. p. 5. Retrieved May 25, 2022 – via Newspapers.com. Open access icon
  5. ^ "Untitled". Weekly Journal-Miner. June 26, 1901. p. 3. Retrieved May 25, 2022 – via Newspapers.com. Open access icon
  6. ^ "An Artist In Skins". The Arizona Republican. August 2, 1900. p. 5. Retrieved May 25, 2022 – via Newspapers.com. Open access icon
  7. ^ "Official Minutes". The Arizona Sentinel. December 12, 1906. p. 2. Retrieved May 25, 2022 – via Newspapers.com. Open access icon
  8. ^ "Official Minutes". The Arizona Sentinel. May 6, 1908. p. 1. Retrieved May 26, 2022 – via Newspapers.com. Open access icon
  9. ^ "The Candidates Of All Parties". The Arizona Republican. August 19, 1914. p. 9. Retrieved May 26, 2022 – via Newspapers.com. Open access icon
  10. ^ "Candidates Get Off The Moose Ticket". The Tucson Citizen. October 1, 1914. p. 4. Retrieved May 26, 2022 – via Newspapers.com. Open access icon
  11. ^ "Substitutions On Ticket". The Arizona Republican. October 10, 1914. p. 6. Retrieved May 26, 2022 – via Newspapers.com. Open access icon
  12. ^ "Complete Returns From Maricopa County". The Arizona Republican. November 9, 1914. p. 7. Retrieved May 26, 2022 – via Newspapers.com. Open access icon
  13. ^ "Here Are Men for Whom Parties Will Vote Today". The Arizona Republican. September 12, 1916. p. 4. Retrieved May 26, 2022 – via Newspapers.com. Open access icon
  14. ^ "Republican County Ticket". The Arizona Republican. October 15, 1916. p. 8. Retrieved May 26, 2022 – via Newspapers.com. Open access icon
  15. ^ "Olney's Lead Is Swelled By Late Returns". The Arizona Republican. September 15, 1916. p. 1. Retrieved May 26, 2022 – via Newspapers.com. Open access icon
  16. ^ "Who's Who In Legislature Of Arizona This Year". Tombstone Weekly Epitaph. November 19, 1916. p. 1. Retrieved May 26, 2022 – via Newspapers.com. Open access icon
  17. ^ a b "War Candidate Is Candidate For Secretary Of State". The Tucson Citizen. August 1, 1920. p. 3. Retrieved May 27, 2022 – via Newspapers.com. Open access icon
  18. ^ "Here's A List Of The Candidates On State Republican Ticket". The Arizona Republican. August 17, 1920. p. 3. Retrieved May 27, 2022 – via Newspapers.com. Open access icon
  19. ^ "How It Happened And What Will Happen Now". The Holbrook News. November 12, 1920. p. 3. Retrieved May 27, 2022 – via Newspapers.com. Open access icon
  20. ^ "It's Moving Day Tomorrow At Big State House". The Arizona Republican. January 2, 1921. p. 7. Retrieved May 27, 2022 – via Newspapers.com. Open access icon
  21. ^ "Ernest Hall Acting Governor Of State". The Arizona Republican. May 10, 1921. p. 6. Retrieved May 27, 2022 – via Newspapers.com. Open access icon
  22. ^ "Asks Requisition Of Man Charged With Assault". The Tucson Citizen. September 21, 1921. p. 8. Retrieved May 27, 2022 – via Newspapers.com. Open access icon
  23. ^ "Fock To Arrive At Grand Canyon Dec. 5". Bisbee Daily Review. December 1, 1921. p. 1. Retrieved May 27, 2022 – via Newspapers.com. Open access icon
  24. ^ "Ernest Hall Comes Out On Record For Secretary Of State". Weekly Journal-Miner. July 12, 1922. p. 1. Retrieved May 27, 2022 – via Newspapers.com. Open access icon
  25. ^ "Ward Petition Has Most Names Of Any State Candidate". The Copper Era and Morenci Leader. August 18, 1922. p. 8. Retrieved May 27, 2022 – via Newspapers.com. Open access icon
  26. ^ "Hunt's Lead Over Ward In The State Is 3,946 Votes". The Arizona Republican. September 15, 1922. p. 1. Retrieved May 27, 2022 – via Newspapers.com. Open access icon
  27. ^ "Ernest Hall Sends Congratulations To Democratic Victor". The Arizona Republican. November 13, 1922. p. 3. Retrieved May 27, 2022 – via Newspapers.com. Open access icon
  28. ^ "Official Summary Of Arizona's Vote". The Coconino Sun. December 15, 1922. p. 13. Retrieved May 27, 2022 – via Newspapers.com. Open access icon
  29. ^ "Ernest R. Hall And O. E. Schupp Seek Republican Nomination As Maricopa County Senate Members". The Arizona Republican. July 28, 1926. p. 2. Retrieved May 28, 2022 – via Newspapers.com. Open access icon
  30. ^ "Preparations Made To Print Primary Ballot". The Arizona Republican. August 10, 1926. p. 2. Retrieved May 28, 2022 – via Newspapers.com. Open access icon
  31. ^ "Democrats Get All County Offices In General Election". The Arizona Republican. November 3, 1926. p. 9. Retrieved May 28, 2022 – via Newspapers.com. Open access icon
  32. ^ a b c "Ernest R. Hall To Seek Seat In Legislature". The Arizona Republican. July 24, 1930. p. 2. Retrieved May 28, 2022 – via Newspapers.com. Open access icon
  33. ^ "Two Women Certain Of Legislative Seats, Maricopa Vote Shows". The Arizona Republican. September 21, 1930. p. 6. Retrieved May 28, 2022 – via Newspapers.com. Open access icon
  34. ^ "Official Election Returns Announced By Maricopa Board". The Arizona Republican. November 14, 1930. p. 17. Retrieved May 28, 2022 – via Newspapers.com. Open access icon
  35. ^ "Hall To Run For State Tax Commission". Tucson Daily Citizen. August 2, 1932. p. 1. Retrieved May 28, 2022 – via Newspapers.com. Open access icon
  36. ^ "Bill Reducing Legislature's Pay And Dry Repeal Passed". Arizona Daily Star. November 10, 1932. p. 1. Retrieved May 28, 2022 – via Newspapers.com. Open access icon
  37. ^ "Republicans Toss Hats Into Ring, But Recommend No One". Arizona Daily Star. September 23, 1934. p. 1. Retrieved May 28, 2022 – via Newspapers.com. Open access icon
  38. ^ "Last Minute Political Entries". Arizona Daily Star. October 14, 1934. p. 10. Retrieved May 28, 2022 – via Newspapers.com. Open access icon
  39. ^ "State Canvass Of Votes Made". Arizona Daily Star. November 27, 1934. p. 2. Retrieved May 28, 2022 – via Newspapers.com. Open access icon
  40. ^ "New Town On New Railroad". Weekly Journal-Miner. January 11, 1905. p. 1. Retrieved May 25, 2022 – via Newspapers.com. Open access icon
  41. ^ "Salome Remembers Dick Wick Hall". The Courier. Prescott, Arizona. September 2, 1986. p. 1C.
  42. ^ "Articles Of Incorporation". Weekly Journal-Miner. May 31, 1905. p. 1. Retrieved May 26, 2022 – via Newspapers.com. Open access icon
  43. ^ "Personal Mention". The Arizona Republican. January 27, 1906. p. 2. Retrieved May 25, 2022 – via Newspapers.com. Open access icon
  44. ^ "Salome Postmaster". The Arizona Republican. October 15, 1906. p. 4. Retrieved May 26, 2022 – via Newspapers.com. Open access icon
  45. ^ "Personal And Otherwise". The Arizona Republican. February 22, 1908. p. 10. Retrieved May 26, 2022 – via Newspapers.com. Open access icon
  46. ^ "Of Local Interest". The Arizona Republican. June 25, 1908. p. 6. Retrieved May 26, 2022 – via Newspapers.com. Open access icon
  47. ^ "Halls Get Mixed". The Arizona Republican. August 8, 1915. p. 6. Retrieved May 26, 2022 – via Newspapers.com. Open access icon
  48. ^ "25% Discount To Mail Order Buyers". The Arizona Republican. November 17, 1909. p. 7. Retrieved May 26, 2022 – via Newspapers.com. Open access icon
  49. ^ "Phoenix Pears For Kansas City Market". The Arizona Republican. October 14, 1910. p. 5. Retrieved May 26, 2022 – via Newspapers.com. Open access icon
  50. ^ "Retrospective View Of Territorial Fair". The Arizona Republican. November 14, 1910. p. 1. Retrieved May 26, 2022 – via Newspapers.com. Open access icon
  51. ^ "Retrospective View Of Territorial Fair". The Coconino Sun. September 15, 1911. p. 1. Retrieved May 26, 2022 – via Newspapers.com. Open access icon
  52. ^ "Untitled". The Arizona Republican. March 3, 1912. p. 13. Retrieved May 26, 2022 – via Newspapers.com. Open access icon
  53. ^ a b "Who's Who In Legislature Of Arizona This Year". The Arizona Republican. March 28, 1917. p. 6. Retrieved May 26, 2022 – via Newspapers.com. Open access icon
  54. ^ a b "The Best Of Soil". The Arizona Republican. October 26, 1917. p. 9. Retrieved May 26, 2022 – via Newspapers.com. Open access icon
  55. ^ a b "Untitled". Casa Grande Dispatch. December 7, 1917. p. 4. Retrieved May 26, 2022 – via Newspapers.com. Open access icon
  56. ^ "Bill In Legislature To Put Capital Punishment Before Voters Next Fall". Arizona Daily Star. June 9, 1918. p. 1. Retrieved May 26, 2022 – via Newspapers.com. Open access icon
  57. ^ "Letters From Soldiers". The Arizona Republican. August 24, 1918. p. 7. Retrieved May 26, 2022 – via Newspapers.com. Open access icon
  58. ^ a b "A Splendid Candidate". The Tucson Citizen. July 11, 1920. p. 4. Retrieved May 27, 2022 – via Newspapers.com. Open access icon
  59. ^ "Tells Of Wealth At New Texas Oil Field". The Arizona Republican. April 6, 1919. p. 7. Retrieved May 27, 2022 – via Newspapers.com. Open access icon
  60. ^ "Three Arizonans In Possession Of A Promising Tract". Casa Grande Dispatch. April 25, 1919. p. 1. Retrieved May 27, 2022 – via Newspapers.com. Open access icon
  61. ^ "Texhall Oil Syndicate". The Arizona Republican. May 12, 1919. p. 5. Retrieved May 2, 2022 – via Newspapers.com. Open access icon
  62. ^ "Made Their Stake". Mohave County Miner and Our Mineral Wealth. June 14, 1919. p. 1. Retrieved May 27, 2022 – via Newspapers.com. Open access icon
  63. ^ "Ernest Hall Going Back To Mining". The Coconino Sun. December 8, 1922. p. 8. Retrieved May 28, 2022 – via Newspapers.com. Open access icon
  64. ^ "Former Secretary Here". The Arizona Republican. April 25, 1923. p. 6. Retrieved May 28, 2022 – via Newspapers.com. Open access icon
  65. ^ "New Incorporation". The Arizona Republican. April 28, 1923. p. 6. Retrieved May 28, 2022 – via Newspapers.com. Open access icon
  66. ^ "Trees Combine Utility With Great Beauty". The Arizona Republican. November 1, 1925. p. 16. Retrieved May 28, 2022 – via Newspapers.com. Open access icon
  67. ^ "See The Pecans". The Arizona Republican. November 15, 1925. p. 10. Retrieved May 28, 2022 – via Newspapers.com. Open access icon
  68. ^ "New Realty Office Opened On Adams By Ernest R. Hall". The Arizona Republican. May 29, 1927. p. 16. Retrieved May 28, 2022 – via Newspapers.com. Open access icon
  69. ^ "Salome Survives Era Of Boom-Bust Mining". Arizona Republic. February 15, 1953. p. 51. Retrieved May 28, 2022 – via Newspapers.com. Open access icon