John A. Hull

As printed in 1914

JOHN A. HULL.

The name of Hull has figured conspicuously in connection with the history of the bar of Boone county for many years, and the record of him whose name introduces this review adds new luster thereto. He began practice in 1894 and has advanced gradually as he has given proof of his ability to cope with the intricate and complex problems of law.

His birth occurred in Boonesboro, Iowa, on the 26th of March, 1871. and he is descended from Scotch, Welsh and German ancestry. The first of the family, of whom there is accurate record, was Uriah, and his wife's name was Isabelle. He was a soldier in the Revolutionary war from Virginia, and his state afterward gave him a land warrant in payment for his services and he located in Rockingham county, Airginia, on a high plateau. He owned the largest of three small prairies there, which the mountaineers called respectively, bull pasture, cow pasture and calf pasture, but about 1808 or 1809 he found settlers crowding him and sold his farm and moved further west, settling on the present site of Newark, Ohio, where his sons cut. the first trees. The journey to Ohio from Virginia, was made without wagon or cart and without either path or guide. The grandfather of our subject, the Rev. Samuel Hull, was a son of this pioneer settler in the mountains of Virginia and of Licking county. Ohio. Two brothers of Rev. Samuel Hull, Dr. James and George Hull, the latter born in 1779, came to Boone county, Iowa, in 1849, and another brother, Uriah, born in 1800, came in 1851. Numerous descendants of these brothers are still residents of this section. John A. Hull, father of John A. Hull, Jr., was born in Terre Haute, Vigo county, Indiana, in the year 1831 and pursued his education in the public schools and in Asbury University at Greencastle, Indiana. Taking up the study of law, he was admitted to the bar and engaged in the practice of his profession at Madison, Tennessee. He had read law for four months at Terre Haute with Colonel R. N. Thompson. His uncles, above mentioned, having ventured into Boone county a few years before, John A. Hull, Sr., joined them in 1854 and established a law office in Boonesboro. He rose to prominence as a representative of the bar and for many years ranked with the distinguished lawyers of his section of the state. His death occurred June 12, 1888. His wife, who bore the maiden name of Margaret Emeline Wear, was born in Madisonville, Tennessee, and died on the 15th of August, 1907, surviving her husband for ahiiost twenty years. They were the parents of eight children: Alice, now the widow of Henry H. Leib of Boone; Mary E., the widow of R. M. Hughes, also of Boone;. Mrs. Lillian C. Hostetter, deceased; Nannie M., the wife of Charles W. Barnes of Boone; Thirza, who became the wife of C. H. Bowen and has passed away; John A., of this review; and Samuel and Frank, who died in infancy.

John A. Hull has spent his entire life in Boone county, save for the period when he was pursuing his education elsewhere. At seventeen years of age he entered Simpson College at Indianola, Iowa, and his literary training served as an excellent foundation upon which to build the superstructure of his professional knowledge. After four years devoted to classical work he entered the law department of the University of Iowa and was graduated with the class of 1894. He then began practice in Boone, where he has now remained for twenty years, and throughout this period he has been accorded a liberal practice which has grown both in volume and importance as time has passed on. It is well known that he prepared his cases with thoroughness and care and that he manifests the most conscientious zeal in protecting the interests of his clients, yet he never forgets that he owes a still higher allegiance to the majesty of the law.

On the 7th of September, 1904, Mr. Hull was united in marriage to Miss (gladys Sigworth, a daughter of Dr. H. W. Sigworth, of Anamosa, Iowa. They have become parents of three children: Thirza, born October 9, 1905; [name withheld], born April 18, 1907; and [name withheld], born August 15, 1912. In his political views Mr. Hull is a democrat, always stanchly supporting the principles of the party, yet never active in seeking office for himself. Fraternally he is connected with the Benevolent Protective Order of Elks. He is well known in Boone county, and the fact that many of his warmest friends are those who have known him from his boyhood to the present time is an indication that his life has been well spent. He has made good use of his talents and opportunities and is today one of the prominent lawyers and highly respected citizens of his native county.-

As printed in History of Boone County, Iowa (1914). See the original pages. Wording is the original; obvious scanning errors have been corrected, and a few may remain.