William Halls

William was born in April of 1867 in Huron County, Ontario, Canada. He had seven brother and sisters. He was the son of John Halls and Annie Kettlewell. Early in his life he emigrated to the United States, eventually settling in what is now Bottineau County, North Dakota. He died in 1953.This page has the original text from a Compendium of History and Biography of North Dakota, published 1900, and a synopsis of the text from The People of Bottineau County 1884-1984, published 1984. From a Compendium of History and Biography of North Dakota

WILLIAM HALLS. This gentleman, the popular and efficient sheriff of Bottineau county, now a resident of Bottineau, presents in his own interesting and remarkably successful career, a striking illustration of the fertile field a new country oilers to ability and ambition. Coming here a few years ago with no friends but his own strength and character, he holds a leading position in the community today, is a man of influence far beyond his own county, and if not wealthy, is certainly possessed of ample resources. And all this has been accomplished before a man in the older sections of the country would be considered old enough to assume any serious responsibilities.

Mr. Halls is a native of Ontario, Canada, where he was born in 1866. His father, John Halls, was a mechanic who came to Canada from his native England in 1827. His mother was Anna Kettlewell, and was of mixed Irish and English blood. Her father was born in Ireland and her mother in England. William was the third child in their family, and was reared on a farm. They had eight children, and the older members of the family had to do their full share of the common house and farm work. When Mr. Halls was seventeen years of age he had finished his schooling at the common school, and was ready to shift for himself. He worked two years at the trade of bricklaying, but did not think it best to remain in Canada. Accordingly in 1885 he came into North Dakota, and settled on a farm in Bottineau county, which he had selected even before it was ready for entry. He put up a sod shanty, 10x12 feet, and as he had brought nothing with him he could only occupy it enough to keep his claim good. For the next two years he put in the most of his time working for others, and in 1887 bought his first team, which consisted of a yoke of oxen. The next summer he began farming on his account, and that year harvested his first crop. It was killed by the frost, and he did not get his seed off of one hundred acres. In 1891 he had his first good crop, his wheat going twenty bushels to the acre, and amounting to over three thousand two hundred bushels. He continued on his farm until 1893, and during that time traveled extensively through Dakota, Minnesota and Montana. He did considerable work on the railroad and on the cattle ranges, but found no better location than the one he had selected.

In July, 1894, another chapter in the history of Mr. Halls was opened, and that consisted in his appointment as sheriff of Bottineau county. He proved a capable official, and was regularly elected to that position in 1896, and again in 1898. He has always taken an active interest in politics, attends numerous county and state conventions, and is a wide-awake and pushing character. He owns a farm of four hundred and eighty acres, and has furnished it with buildings amply sufficient to all its needs. He has also provided it with good machinery, and has three hundred and fifty acres under cultivation. He was married in the spring of 1895, to Miss Maggie Miles. She was born in Canada. Her father, John Miles, is an old settler in North Dakota. He came from Ireland at an early day, and has done well in the new world. Mrs. Halls is the mother of one child, Alva J. Her husband is classed among the oldest settlers of this portion of the state. He drove overland from Devils Lake, and has hauled supplies from that distant mart on many occasions. He has endured every kind of privation, and well deserves the abundant success that has come to him.The following is from The People of Bottineau County 1884-1984

Bill Halls, born April 25, 1865, was the son of Mr and Mrs John Halls of Elimville, Ontario. In 1884 he left home and walked and boated across Michigan and the Dakota Territory until he arrived in an area that later became Cecil township, where he dug a hole in the side of a hill which he finished as best he could at the time to keep out the elements.

Over the following years he worked the land during the summer, and worked the mines in Montana in the winters. One year he helped to lay the railroad between Rugby and Bottineau, getting $1.25/hour to work from sunrise to sunset.

1894 was a busy year. He married Margaret Miles (Myles) who was also from Ontario. He was also appointed sheriff on the resignation of the previous sheriff of Bottineau. He must have done a good job as he was re-elected as sheriff in both 1896 and 1898.

In 1903 Bill was at the hanging of William Ross. He received a piece of the hanging rope, but burned it, saying he never wanted to see another hanging.

He retired from farming in 1925, and died in 1953. Margaret moved to California, and later Colorado where she died. They had two children Alva of Bottineau, and Aressa, address unknown [Aressa died in Colorado in 1994 - JH]