Willis Hall (New York)
Encyclopedia
Willis Hall was an American lawyer and politician.
in 1824, studied law in New York City and Litchfield, Connecticut
. He was admitted to the bar in 1827, and practiced in Mobile, Alabama
from 1827 to 1831, and then in New York City.
He was a Whig member of the New York State Assembly
from New York County in 1838, and from Albany County
in 1843. He was New York State Attorney General
from 1839 to 1842, elected by the New York State Legislature after the Whigs obtained the majority at the 1838 elections.
In 1847, he was elected Corporation Counsel of New York City
. In 1848, he opposed the nomination of General Zachary Taylor
as the Whig candidate for the presidency and supported Henry Clay
, and retired from professional and political life after Clay's defeat. He resigned as Corporation Counsel in May 1849, and Henry E. Davies
was appointed to fill the vacancy.
Hall married Helen Haudley.
Life
He was the son of Rev. Nathaniel Hall (1764–1820) and Hannah Emerson Hall (1773–1832). He graduated from Yale CollegeYale College
Yale College was the official name of Yale University from 1718 to 1887. The name now refers to the undergraduate part of the university. Each undergraduate student is assigned to one of 12 residential colleges.-Residential colleges:...
in 1824, studied law in New York City and Litchfield, Connecticut
Litchfield, Connecticut
Litchfield is a town in and former county seat of Litchfield County, Connecticut, United States, and is known as an affluent summer resort. The population was 8,316 at the 2000 census. The boroughs of Bantam and Litchfield are located within the town...
. He was admitted to the bar in 1827, and practiced in Mobile, Alabama
Mobile, Alabama
Mobile is the third most populous city in the Southern US state of Alabama and is the county seat of Mobile County. It is located on the Mobile River and the central Gulf Coast of the United States. The population within the city limits was 195,111 during the 2010 census. It is the largest...
from 1827 to 1831, and then in New York City.
He was a Whig member of the New York State Assembly
New York State Assembly
The New York State Assembly is the lower house of the New York State Legislature. The Assembly is composed of 150 members representing an equal number of districts, with each district having an average population of 128,652...
from New York County in 1838, and from Albany County
Albany County, New York
Albany County is a county located in the U.S. state of New York, and is part of the Albany-Schenectady-Troy Metropolitan Statistical Area. The name is from the title of the Duke of York and Albany, who became James II of England . As of the 2010 census, the population was 304,204...
in 1843. He was New York State Attorney General
New York State Attorney General
The New York State Attorney General is the chief legal officer of the State of New York. The office has been in existence in some form since 1626, under the Dutch colonial government of New York.The current Attorney General is Eric Schneiderman...
from 1839 to 1842, elected by the New York State Legislature after the Whigs obtained the majority at the 1838 elections.
In 1847, he was elected Corporation Counsel of New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
. In 1848, he opposed the nomination of General Zachary Taylor
Zachary Taylor
Zachary Taylor was the 12th President of the United States and an American military leader. Initially uninterested in politics, Taylor nonetheless ran as a Whig in the 1848 presidential election, defeating Lewis Cass...
as the Whig candidate for the presidency and supported Henry Clay
Henry Clay
Henry Clay, Sr. , was a lawyer, politician and skilled orator who represented Kentucky separately in both the Senate and in the House of Representatives...
, and retired from professional and political life after Clay's defeat. He resigned as Corporation Counsel in May 1849, and Henry E. Davies
Henry E. Davies (judge)
Henry Ebenezer Davies was an American lawyer and politician from New York. He was Chief Judge of the New York Court of Appeals from 1866 to 1867....
was appointed to fill the vacancy.
Hall married Helen Haudley.
Sources
- www.famousamericans.net/willishall/ Bio from Appleton's Encyclopedia, at Famous Americans
- http://politicalgraveyard.com/bio/hall9.html Political Graveyard
- Google Book A Centurial history of the Mendon Association of Congregational Ministers by Rev. Mortimer Blake (short bio on page 245, Boston, 1853)
- http://www.oag.state.ny.us/previous_aglist.html List of New York Attorneys General, at Office of the NYSAG