Title: Hall, Zimmerman and Viebahn Family Papers
Inclusive Dates: 1808-1966

Creators:

• Hall family
• Zimmerman family
• Viebahn family

Call Number: Mss 1053; PH 6579

Quantity: 8.8 c.f. (22 archives boxes) and 56 photographs (1 archives box)

Repository:

Wisconsin Historical Society, Division of Library, Archives, and Museum Collections

Archival Locations:

Wisconsin Historical Society (Map)

COLLECTION MAY BE STORED OFF-SITE: see catalog entry to request materials and for additional information.

Abstract:

Papers of various members of the Hall, Zimmerman and Viebahn families of Watertown and Madison, Wisconsin, documenting the daily lives and activities of three generations of upper-middle class Wisconsin families. The papers consist primarily of family correspondence, including commentary on travel, recreation, college life at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, politics, domestic concerns, financial struggles, family events, and events local to Watertown and Madison. Also includes: Daniel Hall's papers documenting his professional role as a lawyer and State Assemblyman during the 1870s; the papers dating from before circa 1851 document the activities of family members in Lockport, New York, and include a small series of family photographs.

Language: English

URL to cite for this finding aid: http://digital.library.wisc.edu/1711.dl/wiarchives.uw-whs-mss01053

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Titus Hall was born in Pittstown, New York in 1788. He relocated to Lockport, New York in 1827, where he and his wife Sarah Sybrandt raised six sons. Titus was an abolitionist and was one of several involved in the establishment of a Methodist Church in Lockport in 1834. He died in Watertown, Wisconsin in 1853, presumably having followed his son Daniel to the west.

Daniel Hall was born in 1819. He graduated from Union College in New York in 1845 and became a lawyer. Daniel courted Elizabeth Flagler, a schoolteacher and family friend, during the 1840s. The two married in 1846, but Elizabeth died in childbirth one year later. In 1851, Daniel decided to settle in Wisconsin. Leaving his new fiancée, Lucy Newhall, in Lockport, he headed west to seek employment along with Lucy's brother and fellow lawyer Elbridge G. Newhall. Daniel and Lucy soon married and settled in Watertown, where Daniel established a successful practice (Hall & Skinner, Attorneys at Law). He served as the district attorney of Jefferson County in 1857 and 1858, and he went on to become a member of the State Assembly from 1870 to 1872. During the latter term, Daniel was chosen Speaker of the Assembly. As a Wisconsin legislator, Daniel was most recognized for his role in resolving a conflict between creditors and the bond holders who had invested in the Milwaukee Watertown Railroad, which went bankrupt during the Panic of 1857. Daniel was involved in defending the city of Watertown in various permutations of this case for over thirty years, more than once in cases heard by the United States Supreme Court. He succeeded in having the creditors' case dismissed in favor of the Watertown city government in 1889. Lucy E. Hall was involved in various social activities in and around Watertown. She frequently hosted guests and social events. She was also a member of the Women's Missionary Society at First Congregational Church in Watertown.

Daniel and Lucy had one son: Arthur D. Hall, born in 1856. Arthur attended the University of Wisconsin-Madison and also became a lawyer. He married Josephine Ruebhausen, also of Watertown, in 1879. Josephine's parents had immigrated to Wisconsin from Germany. Her father owned a saddle and harness store and was at one time the mayor of Watertown. Arthur and Josephine had two daughters: Katharine A. Hall, born in 1881, and Lucy E. Hall, born in 1883. Eleven days before Lucy was born, Arthur suddenly passed away. Josephine, Katharine and Lucy resided with Daniel and the elder Lucy until Josephine married C.F. Viebahn in 1895. Viebahn was principal of Watertown High School from 1888 to 1904 and was an influential educator state-wide until his death in 1915. Throughout her life, Josephine participated in social activities in Watertown, was an avid gardener, and maintained an interest in socialism and progressive politics.

Katharine Hall graduated from Watertown High School and went on to attend the University of Wisconsin-Madison. She graduated in 1904 with a Bachelor of Arts in Artistic Bookbinding. During her time as a student, she became involved in women's suffrage campaigns and was elected to Phi Beta Kappa. She continued to reside in Madison following her graduation, working as a bookbinder. In 1919, Katharine had a house designed by architect Frank Riley on Van Hise Avenue. With an unconventional design, it soon became known locally as “the storybook house.” Shortly after moving into her new house in the 1920s, Katharine reunited with her college sweetheart, James G. Zimmerman. The two were married in 1923 and had a son, James Hall Zimmerman, in 1924. James G. was an electrical engineer and inventor, but he achieved little success with his various inventions and was frequently away from home seeking employment. Katharine continued to work following her marriage. The family experienced significant financial struggles during the 1920s and 1930s. For a time, they relied heavily on financial assistance from Josephine and Lucy. James G. died suddenly in 1939; by this time, he had been living out of state for several years. Katharine and her son continued to reside in their home until Katharine died in 1966. James Hall Zimmerman graduated from the University of Wisconsin-Madison and went on to become a noted professor of landscape architecture at his alma mater. He was also a naturalist at the University of Wisconsin-Arboretum. He passed away in 1992.

Lucy E. Hall (1883-1955) also attended the University of Wisconsin-Madison beginning in 1903, but her studies were interrupted by illness. She returned to Watertown and remained there for the rest of her life, living for many years in her childhood home with her mother Josephine. She was interested in progressive politics during the post-WWII era, and participated in a few political advocacy groups.

Genealogy Chart, Hall Family

• Titus Hall (1788 - 1853) m. Sarah Sybrandt
  • ch. Daniel Hall (1819 - 1895)
    • m. Elizabeth Flagler (circa 1815 - 1847)
    • m. Lucy Newhall (circa 1830 - 1898)
      • ch. Arthur D. Hall (1856 - 1883)
        • m. Josephine A. Ruebhausen (1859 - 1939)
          • ch. Katharine Hall (1881 - 1966)
            • m. James G. Zimmerman (circa 1880 - 1939)
              • ch. James Hall Zimmerman (1924 - 1992)
          • ch. Lucy Hall (1883 - 1955)
            • m. Charles F. Viebahn (second husband, d.1915)

The records in this collection date from 1808 to 1966, with the bulk of the materials documenting the period from about 1870 to 1960. The majority of the collection consists of correspondence exchanged between family members over this period, but the collection also contains financial records, legal documents and certificates, school papers, professional writings, and photographs. The collection most prominently documents the daily lives and activities of three generations of upper-middle class Wisconsin families. The extensive correspondence between family members over time documents family structure, social activities, courtships and marital relationships, financial concerns, education, travel and recreation, and the cycle of family events such as births, illnesses, celebrations, and deaths over many decades. The materials relating to Daniel Hall also document the political and legislative affairs of Watertown from the 1870s through the 1890s. In order to facilitate researcher use, the materials in this collection have been arranged by family member. The eleven series within the collection are as follows: TITUS HALL, ELIZABETH FLAGLER, DANIEL AND LUCY HALL, ARTHUR HALL, JOSEPHINE A. VIEBAHN, KATHERINE HALL ZIMMERMAN, LUCY A. HALL, JAMES G. ZIMMERMAN, JAMES HALL ZIMMERMAN, GENERAL FAMILY MATERIALS, and VISUAL MATERIALS. These series are arranged in loosely chronological order according to the approximate birth dates of the family members.

The following describes only the series with the greatest bulk and strongest subject documentation; please see the container list for details on series not found here.

The papers of DANIEL AND LUCY HALL serve to document the activities of a prominent upper-middle class Watertown family during the late 1800s. In the earliest series of long-distance letters exchanged between Daniel and Lucy in 1851-1852, Daniel describes his travels in “the west” before he and Lucy married and settled in Watertown. However, the period from about 1853 to 1870 is only documented by the family's financial records. Family events such as Arthur's birth and Daniel's rise to prominence as a lawyer and governmental figure are thus left largely undocumented. The majority of the collection documents Daniel and Lucy's lives from about 1870 through the late 1890s. Much of the incoming correspondence is from relatives; Lucy maintained regular correspondence with several of her eight siblings and many nieces and nephews in New York and elsewhere. Also contained in these papers is a series of Daniel's professional writings, including drafts of speeches given to the citizens of Watertown and to the State Assembly.

The papers of JOSEPHINE A. VIEBAHN are dominated by her letters to Katharine, which span Katharine's years in college from the early 1900s through Josephine's death in 1939. Particularly in the earlier years, the two often corresponded several times a week. Also included in Josephine's papers are letters to Daniel and Lucy while she was traveling, letters to her daughter Lucy when Lucy was in college, and a few letters to James G. Zimmerman. In her letters, Josephine discusses her daily activities such as attendance at lecture series, visiting with friends, trips to Milwaukee, and gardening and other domestic concerns, as well as her thoughts on current events. Her incoming correspondence consists of letters from other relatives, such as her many siblings and nieces, and letters from other friends and acquaintances.

The papers of KATHARINE HALL ZIMMERMAN constitute the most extensive series in the collection. A particular highlight of these papers is the series of letters that Katharine wrote to her parents during her years as a student at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, from 1900 to 1904. This series consists of almost weekly letters in which Katharine describes in great detail both her day-to-day educational and social activities. Letters to her mother make up a large portion of these papers and date from her days as a college student through Josephine's death in 1939. In combination with Josephine's letters to Katharine during these years, the correspondence very effectively documents their relationship over time as well as their respective daily activities. Additionally, Katharine's letters dating from about 1905 to the early 1920s document her experiences as a single, professional woman living in Madison. Katharine's courtship with and years of marriage to James G. Zimmerman, and the struggles they experienced, are also well-documented in these papers.

The papers of JAMES G. ZIMMERMAN include primarily a large series of correspondence to Katharine during their courtship in 1922-1923. These letters document his experience working as an electrical engineer in Milwaukee as well as his work on inventions. Letters written to Katharine following their marriage, as well as many letters written to Josephine during this time, provide evidence of James' trouble with finances and struggles with his inventions. A few incoming letters reflect matters relating to his business life, but the majority of this documentation is contained in the separate collection, James G. Zimmerman Papers, 1875-1941 (Mss 1054).

See James G. Zimmerman Papers, 1875-1941 (Mss 1054) for additional information about the Zimmerman family.

Acquisition Information

Presented by Elizabeth H. Zimmerman, Fort Atkinson, Wisconsin, September 2008. Accession Number: M2009-008

Processing Information

Processed by Erin Dix (Practicum student), May 2009.

Mss 1053	Series: Titus Hall
Box   19 Folder   1	Legal documents, 1808-1839
Box   17 Folder   1	General papers, 1821-1843
	Series: Elizabeth Flagler	⇧
Box   1 Folder   1-3	Letters to Daniel Hall, 1842-1846, undated
Box   1 Folder   4	Writings, circa 1840s
	Series: Daniel and Lucy E. Hall	⇧
	Outgoing correspondence
	Daniel to Lucy
Box   1 Folder   5	1851-1852
Box   1 Folder   6	1869-1891
	Lucy to Daniel
Box   1 Folder   7	1851-1852
Box   1 Folder   8	1882-1889
Box   1 Folder   9	Arthur Hall, 1874-1876
	Incoming correspondence
	Hall and Newhall relatives
Box   1 Folder   10-11	1863-1883
Box   2 Folder   1-9	1884-1897, undated
Box   21 Folder   3	Undated
Box   3 Folder   1	Social invitations, 1870-1898
Box   3 Folder   2	Business correspondence, 1879-1895
	General
Box   3 Folder   3-9	1864-1897
Box   20 Folder   2	1888, undated
Box   4 Folder   1	Undated
	Daniel Hall writings
Box   4 Folder   2	Union School publications, circa 1840s
Box   17 Folder   2	Lockport papers, circa 1840s
Box   17 Folder   3-4	Professional writings, undated
	Financial records
Box   4 Folder   3-7	Receipts, circa 1850-1890
Box   5 Folder   1-2	Receipts, 1890-1898, undated
Box   17 Folder   5	Accounts, circa 1860-1890
Box   17 Folder   6	Tax receipts, 1861-1898
Box   20 Folder   3	Property records, undated
Box   20 Folder   7	Lucy E. Hall estate papers, 1898
	Series: Arthur D. Hall	⇧
Box   5 Folder   3	Outgoing correspondence, 1872-1882
Box   5 Folder   4	Incoming correspondence, 1874-1882
Box   20 Folder   1	Incoming correspondence, 1861
	School compositions
Box   17 Folder   8-9	circa 1865-1875
Box   18 Folder   1	circa 1875-1880
	Series: Josephine A. Viebahn	⇧
Box   20 Folder   6	Autograph book, 1878-1928
	Outgoing correspondence
Box   5 Folder   5	Daniel and Lucy Hall, 1881-1896
	Katharine Hall Zimmerman
Box   5 Folder   6-9	1906-1929
Box   6 Folder   1-2	1930-1939
Box   6 Folder   3	Lucy A. Hall, 1893-1906
Box   6 Folder   4	James G. Zimmerman, 1923-1939
Box   6 Folder   5	James Hall Zimmerman, 1929-1939
	Incoming correspondence
Box   6 Folder   6-8	1879-1915
Box   20 Folder   9	, 1879-1915 (continued)
Box   7 Folder   1-4	1916-1936, undated
Box   7 Folder   5	Correspondence with State Superintendent, 1915
Box   20 Folder   8	Finances while married to Charles, 1857-1953
Box   7 Folder   6	General papers, 1889-1932
Box   20 Folder   7	Marriage to Charles Viebahn, 1895
Box   20 Folder   10	Property records, 1903-1905
	Series: Katharine Hall Zimmerman	⇧
Box   20 Folder   7	Biographical information
	Outgoing correspondence
	Josephine A. Viebahn
Box   20 Folder   8-10	1897-1904
Box   8 Folder   1-7	1905-1914
Box   9 Folder   1-6	1915-1923
Box   18 Folder   2	1924-1926
Box   9 Folder   7-9	1927-1931
Box   10 Folder   1-3	1932-1939, undated
Box   10 Folder   4-10	James G. Zimmerman, 1922-1928
Box   11 Folder   1-3	Lucy A. Hall, 1900-1954, undated
Box   11 Folder   4	General, 1896-1959
	Incoming correspondence
Box   11 Folder   5-9	1900-1929
Box   12 Folder   1-9	1930-1962
Box   21 Folder   1	1944
Box   21 Folder   2	1951
Box   13 Folder   1-4	1963-1966, undated
Box   13 Folder   5	Financial records, 1900-1948
Box   20 Folder   11	Financial records, 1900-1948
	Series: Lucy A. Hall	⇧
	Outgoing correspondence
Box   13 Folder   6-8	Katharine Hall Zimmerman, 1923-1955, undated
Box   13 Folder   9	Josephine A. Viebahn, 1903-1922
	Incoming correspondence
Box   13 Folder   10	1897-1909
Box   14 Folder   1-4	1917-1954, undated
Box   21 Folder   4	Income tax, 1955
Box   21 Folder   5	School books, undated
Box   14 Folder   5	School papers, 1897-1906
Box   14 Folder   6	Writings, 1896-1954
	Series: James G. Zimmerman	⇧
	Outgoing correspondence
	Katharine Hall Zimmerman
Box   14 Folder   7-11	1922 - 1923 April
Box   15 Folder   1-5	1923 May - 1938
	Josephine A. Viebahn
Box   15 Folder   6-9	1923-1929
Box   16 Folder   1-4	1930-1939
Box   16 Folder   5	Incoming correspondence, 1923-1939
Box   20 Folder   5	Incoming correspondence, undated
Box   20 Folder   4	Property and financial, 1956-1958
	Series: James Hall Zimmerman	⇧
Box   20 Folder   6	Papers, 1931-1966
Box   20 Folder   7	Letters to Katharine Hall Zimmerman, 1953
	Series: General Family Materials	⇧
Box   20 Box   8	Charles F. Viebahn papers, 1895-1915
Box   20 Folder   9	Cornet family correspondence, circa 1900s
Box   18 Folder   3	Elbridge G. Newhall papers, 1850-1860
Box   18 Folder   4	Family legal documents, circa 1900s
Box   21 Folder   6	Family obituaries, undated
Box   19 Folder   2	Family property documents, circa 1850-1900
Box   18 Folder   5	Lincoln County land papers, 1880-1890
Box   18 Folder   6	“Matters concerning Goeldner home,” 1907-1942
Box   18 Folder   7	Ruebhausen family papers, 1880-1930
Box   21 Folder   7-12	Miscellaneous correspondence, undated
Box   22	Miscellaneous ledger book, undated
PH 6579	Series: Visual Materials	⇧
Box   1 Folder   1	Katharine Hall Zimmerman
Box   1 Folder   2	James G. Zimmerman
Box   1 Folder   3	James Hall Zimmerman
Box   1 Folder   4-5	General family photographs