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)
