Liberty Hall

Narrative:

      Liberty Hall was born on 27 Jul 1826 in Peru, Maine.^5,6
     He was probably the male under age 5 listed in the household of his father, Jeremiah Hall, in the 1830 Federal Census of Peru, Oxford Co., Maine.¹⁵ He was probably the male age 10 to 15 listed in the household of his father in the 1840 Federal Census of Peru, Oxford Co., Maine.¹⁶
     Liberty and his first cousin Jonathan Hall opened a store in Peru. Since neither of them had any capital, their goods were furnished by John M. Deshon, who Jonathan's mother had married after the death of his father. The business did poorly, and Liberty withdrew after a short time, but did eventually pay off his share of the debt owed Deshon.¹⁷
     Liberty married first Lenora Ricker, daughter of Joseph Ricker and Elisa S. Walker, in Aug 1849 in Peru, Maine.^1,7
     Liberty and Lenora appeared on the 1850 Federal Census of Peru, Oxford Co., Maine, enumerated 15 Jul 1850, in the household of his first cousin Johathan Hall and his wife Rebekah.²
     His wife died on 12 Aug 1852 in Peru, Maine.¹⁸
     In 1853 Liberty moved to Concord, New Hampshire, with his parents.¹⁹ He was employed as a traveling book agent by a Boston firm in 1854.¹⁹
     Liberty married second Maria Cobb, daughter of Gideon Cobb and Roxana Worden, on 6 Jun 1854 in Rochester, New York.^8,9,10
     After their marriage, Liberty and Maria Cobb lived for a time at his father's home in Concord, New Hampshire.¹⁹
     Liberty and Maria moved to Rochester in 1856.¹⁹ He established a business in there as agent for D. Appleton & Co. of New York, a large book publishing firm.^19,20
     Liberty and Maria appeared on the 1860 Federal Census of Rochester, Monroe Co., New York, enumerated 25 Jun 1860, reporting real estate valued at $2,700. Their children Clifford and Charles were listed as living with them, as was Ann Gallagher, an 18-year-old domestic from Ireland.²¹
     Liberty and Maria and their two surviving sons moved to Glencoe, Minnesota, in the fall of 1868, with his brother Virgil and his family. His parents followed them in 1870.^13,22 Liberty and Maria appeared on the 1870 Federal Census of Helen, McLeod Co., Minnesota, enumerated 11 Jul 1870, reporting real estate valued at $4,000 and personal estate of $1,000. Their children Clifford, Harry and Weenona were listed as living with them.²³
     He was a farmer in Minnesota. In the 1870 census he reported having 65 acres of improved land, 40 of woodland, and 215 of "other unimproved" land. The property was valued at $4,000 and tools and implements at $300. He had paid $400 in wages the prior year. He reported four horses, four milch cows, seven other cattle, and one swine, valued at $605. He reported that he had produced 350 bushels of spring wheat, 200 of corn, 300 of oats, 10 of Irish potatoes, 20 lb. of wool, and 300 lb. of butter in the year ending 1 Jun 1870. He had also produced 50 tons of hay and slaughtered $56 worth of livestock, for a total value of $500.^24,25
     He was also the agent for D. Appleton in the northwest for 23 years. In the last few years he was there he opened a drug store, and published the Glencoe Register, the official newspaper of the county.^13,26
     Liberty and Maria appeared on the 1880 Federal Census of Glencoe, McLeod Co., Minnesota, enumerated 12 Jun 1880. Their children Clifford, Harry and Weenona were listed as living with them. Also listed were his parents, Jeremiah Hall and Sarah Knight, her cousin Willard G. Cobb, son of her brother Gideon, and Jerimmie Ebbert, a 20-year-old German servant.⁴
     Failing health prompted Liberty to seek a warmer climate, so in 1887 he and Maria joined their sons Clifford and Harry in Kansas City, Missouri. His mother, now widowed, moved there with them.²⁷
     He was the publisher of the Real Estate Record after he came to Kansas City, and later owned and published the Improved Trade Jouranal.^28,29
     The climate in Missouri did not prove beneficial, so Dr. Greaves, his sister's husband, took him to Denver, Colorado. After six weeks he felt so improved he felt he could return to business, and wrote his wife that he would be back in a few days. That day he walked two miles, and shortly after returning, died.¹³
     Liberty died on 21 Jun 1891 in Denver, Colorado, at age 64.^11,12 He was buried on 29 Jun 1891 in Glencoe, Minnesota, beside his parents and son Charley.^13,14