from History of Union County, Kentucky – Perrin, 1886

John Wesley Hall, a farmer and stockman of Spring Grove, is the son of Shadrack and Mary (Greathouse) Hall.  Shadrack was a tanner born in Virginia, January 19, 1789; married in Nelson County when quite young and died in Rockport, Indiana, in 1853.  His wife, Mary, was born in Nelson County, March 8, 1799, and died in Rockport, Indiana, in 1844.  They had five children, James W., a doctor, who died in California; Buckey W., a farmer in Oregon; our subject, and Isaac, the old bachelor, farming in California.  Subject’s paternal grandfather was Shadrack Hall, a farmer and preacher, born in Scotland.  His maternal grandfather, Harmon G. Greathouse, born in Wheeling, Virginia, and who married Massey Ann Bukey of the same place, lived to be one hundred and four years old.

John WesleyHall was born in Nelson County, Kentucky, June 28, 1819.  His education he gained by hard study at night, having never gone to school a day in his life.  Our subject was a noted river pilot and flat-boatman; following this from 1840 to 1860, save the short time he kept a store in Cairo, Illinois, which store was burned down by an Irishman eighteen days after commencing business.

In December, 1860, Mr. Hall was married to Miss Fannie P. Owen, daughter of Austin and Catherine (Runamus) Owen of this county.  Mrs. Hall was born, two miles from where she now lives, in 1835.  Their children are Robert F., now collecting taxes, and John A., assisting his father on the farm.

Subject in politics was a Whig, but is now a Democrat.  He has a farm of 160 acres near Spring Grove, and owns a nice farm of 160 acres in Kansas.  He is one of the best stock men in the country.  His house is a neat frame, well arranged, with nine rooms and three porches.  For ten years he has been a member of M. E. Church and for the same length of time a Mason, having held the office of Secretary and Treasurer in the latter.  Mr. Hall’s life has been an eventful one and his travels extensive.  He has been through the states of Ohio, Kentucky, Tennessee, Missouri, Mississippi, Arkansas, Louisiana, Kansas, Iowa, Nebraska, Nevada, California and Illinois.  Mr. Hall is a hospitable man fond of company and a good joke.