Van B. Hall

Businessman

OBITUARY -- from the Wheeling Intelligencer, Jan. 21, 1887

DEATH OF VAN B. HALL.
A Well Known Citizen Gone -- A Sketch of His Life

Van B. Hall, of this city, for a numbers of years past Secretary of the Citizen's Street Railway Company, died yesterday morning at the State insane Asylum at Weston. His remains were brought here last evening and taken to his late residence on Fifteenth street, where the funeral services will be held this afternoon, the interment taking place at Greenwood. The sad circumstance of his losing his mind is only of recent date; he was taken to the Asylum and strong hopes were entertained that he would soon be restored to his family, but a few days since he was stricken with paralysis and never rallied.

The deceased was a native of Harrison county, coming from Whig and anti-slavery stock, and was an ardent Unionist from the earliest prospect of trouble between the North and the South. He first entered the volunteer Union service in 1861 as a member of the regimental band of the old Third Virginia. Returning from the field he, in conjunction with James W. Moffatt raised a company which became Co. G 12th Va., Moffatt being captain and Mr. Hall first lieutenant. He continued in active service until 1865, serving at times as brigade quartermaster; he was on Colonel Thoburn's staff at Cedar Creek and continued to do quartermaster's service at Newport News later.

On returning home after the close of the war, he was appointed by Auditor [...] first clerk in that official's office. In 1868 he left that office and engaged in the mercantile business in Harrison county. He returned to Wheeling two years later and became book-keeper in the INTELLIGENCER office. In 1877 he was appointed Secretary of the Railway Company, and continued in that position until disabled by an illness that resulted eventually in his death.

He was a man of fine mind and well informed and had he been differently situated in early life, would have made his mark in the world. He was an extensive reader and had a discriminating taste, being especially fond of the finer kinds of current literature; he also had a turn of mind both in the direction of mechanics and speculative philosophy. With strangers he was rather reserved in his manner, but was genial with his friends and well liked by all who knew him.

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