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CHARLES M. HALL

"Far from the rugged Pine Tree state comes Charles M. Hall, a well known citizen of Oelwein, who is a scion of sterling New England ancestry and where he himself was nurtured, receiving those lessons of fortitude and persistency that never fail to win whatever vocation is followed or wherever the individual's lot may be cast. He was born in Kennebec county, Maine, October 12, 1849, and he is the son of Isaac B. and Elizabeth (Hutchison) Hall, the former being the son of Benjamin Hall, who came to America from Ireland when a young man and located in Maine, where he married a native girl. Elizabeth (Hutchison) Hall is of Scotch and English parentage, her mother being from England and her grandfather from Scotland.

Charles M. Hall grew to maturity on the home farm in Maine, which he worked during the summers and received a somewhat limited education in the district schools, remaining under his parental roof-tree until he was seventeen years of age, when he gratified his ambition to grow up in the West, believing that greater opportunities existed here for a man of his tastes, and he accordingly located in Delaware county, Iowa, where he secured employment on a farm. He save his money and three years later rented a farm and began life for himself, and, being a hard worker and having learned how to manage a farm from his father, he gradually gained a competency.

On March 29, 1871, Mr. Hall married Ruth King, daughter of William and Rhoda (Durson) King, the daughter of a well-established family. Twelve children have been born to this union, namely: Hattie married John Steil, living on a farm one mile east of Westgate, and they are the parents of two children, Merle A. and Roy C.; Isaac C. is living near Seattle, Washington; Lizzie May married Will Karsten and lives a mile east of Sumner, on the edge of Fayette county, Iowa; William F. married Lizzie Wahner and lives two miles south of Maynard, Iowa, on a farm, and they are the parents of two children, Harry and Mabel; Lottie Pearl married Charles Kaune, living tow miles northwest of Oelwein; Maude Mary is living at home with the family in Oelwein; Archa M. and Isaac, in the state of Washington, running a steamboat; Ruth Amelia married Frank Winkler and they live in Westgate, Iowa, and are the parent s of one child, Ruth; Mabel Estella is a teacher in the public schools of Banks township; Wyatt Lee is employed at Scott Center, Scott township, this county; Emma is married, living west of Oelwein; Augusta, who attended high school in Oelwein, is a teacher now in the public schools. One child died in infancy; the others are all enjoying good health and are fairly well started in life's material affairs. On July 15, 1908, Mrs. Hall died and was buried in Oaklawn cemetery at Oelwein. On May 24, 1910, Mr. Hall married Eva M. Glew, daughter of Ernest L. and Irene (Warren) Glew, of near Alexandra, South Dakota. In 1908 they came to Fayette county and Mr. Glew is engaged as janitor of the city hall at Oelwein.

After his marriage Charles M. Hall continued farming in Delaware county for two years, then moved three miles north of Oelwein on the J. C. Bennett farm, and there he remained until 1877, when he bought a farm of eighty acres, seven and one-half miles northwest of Oelwein. Prospering all the while, he purchased, about seven years later, another eighty acres, and about 1889 he bought one hundred and eighty acres more, making three hundred and forty acres in all, of as fine land as the county can boast. He continued farming there successfully until February, 1902, when he bought a splendidly located, attractive and commodious residence at No. 417 North Frederick street, in Oelwein, where he has since resided, practically retired from active life. Fraternally, he is a member of the Masonic order. He is a plain, substantial, hospitable and congenial man whom everybody likes and his family is highly respected wherever its several members have lived." 

~transcribed for the Fayette Co IAGenWeb Project by Richard Smith