History of Iowa From the Earliest Times to the Beginning of the Twentieth Century/4/Benton J. Hall
BENTON J. HALL was the son of Judge J. C. Hall who was one of the early judges of the Iowa Supreme Court. Benton J. was born at Mount Vernon, Knox County, Ohio, on the 13th of January, 1835, receiving his education at Knox College and the Miami University in Ohio. In 1839 his father came with his family to the newly organized Territory of Iowa, opening a law office in Burlington, where his son, Benton J., began the study of that profession and was admitted to the bar in 1857. In 1871 he was elected, on the Democratic ticket, to the House of Representatives of the Fourteenth General Assembly, his colleague being John H. Gear. In 1881 he was elected to the Senate, serving four years. In 1884 he was elected to Congress in the First District, serving one term, being the first Democrat chosen from that District for thirty years. In 1886 he was appointed by President Cleveland Commissioner of Patents, and conducted the affairs of that office with distinguished ability. As a lawyer Mr. Hall ranked high and as a citizen he commanded the respect of all classes. He died on the 5th of January, 1894.