The well known physician and surgeon to a brief review of whose career the following lines are devoted has attained worthy distinction in tile line of his calling and today he ranks among the eminent members of his profession, not only in the field to which the larger part of his practice has been confined, but he also enjoys a wide reputation throughout the state. While easily the peer of any of his professional associates in the general practice, he stands especially high in surgery, to which branch of the profession his fame securely rests.

Dr. Andy Hall is a native of Hamilton county, Illinois, as Is also his father, Col. H. W. Hall, the latter for many years a successful farmer, but now living a retired life in the city of McLeansboro.

Col. H. W. Hall served through the Mexican war in General Taylor's command, took part in all the battles in which his regiment was engaged and at the expiration of his period of enlistment retired from the army with the rank of quarter-master sergeant. At the breaking out of the great Rebellion he was among the first of the patriotic men of Hamilton county to respond to the call for volunteers and in that dread struggle he also earned an honorable record as a brave and gallant soldier. He was mustered into the army as captain Company A. Fortieth Regiment Illinois Volunteer Infantry, and at the close of the war was mustered out as lieutenant-colonel of his regiment. He was with his command through all of its varied expenences of campaign and battle, participating in many of the most noted engagements of the war, including Fort Donelson, Shiloh, Corinth, Vicksburg, Jackson, Mississippi; Missionary Ridge and Kenesaw Mountain, the various engagements around Atlanta and after the fall of that stronghold marched with Sherman to the sea, thence through the Carolinas to the national capital, where he took part in the Grand Review, the closing scene of one of the greatest wars of which history has made record. At the battle of Missionary Ridge he was shot through the arm and in other actions had many narrow escapes as he was an intrepid soldier and ever ready to encounter danger while in the discharge of his duty. At the ripe old age of eighty-four, he is now spending the evening of a Long and useful life in comfort and content, honored and esteemed by all who know him.

John Hall, the doctor's grandfather, was a Kentuckian by birth, and among the early pioneers of Hamilton county. He too was a tiller of the soil, also worked for a number of years at the blacksmith trade and became one of the most respected and Influential citilens of the community in which he lived. He died at a ripe old age, but his memory is cherished as one who led the van of civiliiation into what is now among the most progressive and prosperous sections of Illinois. The maiden name of the doctor's mother was Julia McLean. She was born in Franklin county, lllinois, where her father settled many years ago, moving from his native state of Ohio. Mrs. Hall, who is of Scotch descent, is still living and hand in hand with her aged husband is moving onward toward the twilight of the journey's end, honored and esteemed by a large circle of friends.

Col. H. W. and Julia (McLean) Hall are the parents of nine children. Six of whom are living. namely: John C.. a practicing attorney. of McLeansboro; C. M. Hall, a farmer, of Dahlgren, Illinois; Mrs. R. M. Knight, of Hamilton county, Illinois; Dr. W. W. Hall, of McLeansboro Mrs. John Norris, also of that city. and the subject of this review. The deceased members of the family were Dr. W. F., Maggie. and James P. Hall, all of whom grew to maturity, the first named becoming a successful physician and highly esteemed in his profession.

Dr. Andy Hall. whose birth occurred on January 10. 1865 was reared on a farm south of McLeansboro, and until seventeen years of age lived at home and assisted his father in varied duties of agriculture. After attending the country schools and the schools of McLeansboro until about eighteen years old he taught one year and then took a literary course in the Northern Illinois Normal School at Dixon.

In 1887 he entered the medical department of the Northwestern University, Chicago. where he prosecuted his studies until 1890, in April of which year he was graduated with an honorable record, and the following June entered upon the practice of his profession at Mount Vernon, where in due time he gained recognition and his proportionate share of patronage.

At the breaking out of the Spanish-American war he was appointed surgeon of the Ninth Illinois infantry, with which he served with the rank of major and surgeon until the cessation of hostilities. While with the army he was stationed for a time at Springfield, Illinois, and Jacksonville, Florida, later at Savannah, Georgia, thence was transferred to Havanna, Cuba, where he remained four months, during which period his duties were very arduous and his success gratifying. He was mustered out of the service at Augusta, Georgia and returning to Mount Vernon, resumed the practice of his profession, but at the expiration of five weeks closed his office and again joined the army and was sent to the Philippine Islands as a surgeon.

Doctor Hall achieved high distinction as a surgeon in that far-off part of the world and performed many of the most difficult operations known to the profession, besides meeting with signal success in the treatment of diseases, not a few of which were peculiar to the trophical climate and difficult to combat. During his stay of a little more than a year he was stationed at San Isidro. Florida Blanca, Baler. Nova Liches and Mangatarem. serving in Funston's Brigade. Lawton's Division, and experienced many of the vicissitudes incident to military life in the tropics.

While serving as surgeon of the post at Baler he became a member of a scouting party which was scouring the forests for Filipinos. The doctor became separated from the balance of his party and while alone and unarmed with the exception of a revolver suddenly came upon a Filipino soldier armed with a Mauser rifle. who was standing guard over two priests of the Franciscan Brotherhood. The doctor got the drop on the Filipino and liberated the priests, who told him that they had been prisoners for more than a year. Their names were Juan Lopez and Felix Minaya.
Returning home via Japan and the Hawaiian Islands in the year 1900 the doctor reopened his office at Mount Vernon and it was not long until he was again at the head of an extensive and lucrative professional business, his ability as a surgeon and the prestige of his military service gaining for him a practice second to that of none of his compeers.

Sufficient has been stated to afford the reader an intelligent idea of Doctor Hall's eminent standing in the noble calling to which his life and energies are being devoted and it goes without the saying that he is now the peer of any of his professional brethren as a family physician, bringing into exercise all the gentleness, sympathy and moral rectitude required in such a nature. In the domain of surgery his success has gained for him almost a state wide reputation, as he is frequently called long distances to perform operations requiring a high degree of proficiency and skill and it is not extravagant praise to say that in his special line of practice he has few rivals and no superiors in the southern part of Illinois.

Among the most difficult and delicate of his professional work in Mount Vernon was the first successful ovariotomy operation, and the first successful operation for an intussusception ever performed in this part of the state, also the first successful removal of cataract by a local surgeon, besides a number of other operations calling for the highest order of surgical talent.

Although devoted to his profession and making it paramount to every other consideration, Doctor Hall has not been unmindful of his obligations to the community nor of the duties of citizenship. He takes an active interest in public affairs and for some years has been a recognized leader of the Republican party in Mount Vernon, having been elected Mayor of the city in 1897, but resigned the position the year following to enter the army. At this time he is a director of the Jefferson State Bank, a member of the City Library Board and a member of the local board of United States Pension Examining Surgeons, besides being identified with various other interests of more or less importance. Like the majority of enterprising public-spirited men, the doctor is an ardent Mason and stands high in the order, being a leading member of the Blue Lodge and influential in other branches, including the Chapter and Commandery degrees. Professionally he is identified with a number of medical societies and associations, among which are the Jefferson County Medical Association, the Southern Illinois Medical Association, Illinois State Medical Association and the American Medical Association, with 811 of which he keeps in close touch and in the deliberations of the first two especially, he takes an active and prominent part.

The married life of Doctor Hall dates from January I. 1892, at which time he chose a wife and helpmeet in the person of Miss Anna L. Glazebrook, daughter of Joseph Glazebrook, a native of Kentucky, but long a resident of Jefferson county. This union has been b1essed with three children, Marshall W., born August 17, l895 Andy, Jr., born April 14, 1896, and Wilford, who first saw the light of day August 12, 1904.

Doctor and Mrs. Hall have a very interesting family and with their children form a well-nigh ideal home circle. They belong to the Baptist church of Mount Vernon and are interested in all lines of religious work, and in the benevolent enterprises of the city. Their names are also well known in the best society circles of the community.

SOURCE: Wall's History of Jefferson Co., Il 1909
pages 518-523

Submitted by: Misty Flannigan Dec 1997