William Brooks Hall (1867-1936)

William Brooks Hall was the last child born to John Charles Hall and Selina DeGrey. He was born on May 2, 1867 at Salt Lake City, Utah. He was but a small lad when his mother left Rockville and returned to Salt Lake City. On her arrival William's mother found employment and William stayed at the home of Mariah Rossiter (daughter of Charlotte DeGrey, William's Aunt Charlotte) after school was over for the day. Then after his mother finished her work she would take her son home with her. Consequently, during the early years of his life he was deprived of the constant love and companionship of his mother. He seldom saw his father because he lived so far away. He did have one fond remembrance of his father and that was when his father baptized him at Rockville in the Virgin River in June 1876 when he was nine years old.

At first, William felt different from other children because he had only his mother and grandmother DeGrey at home with him. There were also some of his brothers and sisters who had returned to Salt Lake City. Some of his brothers and sisters remained in Rockville with their father. Naturally, life seemed a trifle mixed up to William, but his growth and physical development were not hindered in any way by the situation.

He lived his entire life in Salt Lake City and not much is known of his youth. He probably received more schooling than some of his brothers and sisters since he was living in a larger community where the schools were bound to be of higher standard.

As William grew to the age of responsibility, he also found employment and helped to lighten the burden on his mother's shoulders. He became a plumber and timer by trade and soon felt capable of supporting a wife and family. So he courted and married a young pretty lass in his home town by the name of [Rosa] Lena Meyers.

They made their home in Salt Lake City and had five sons and daughters born to them, namely: Roselyn, born December 1873; Earl DeGrey, who moved to Los Angeles in 1930; Clarence 0.; Thelma Louise, born January 3, 1904, who met and married Carl Yowell and moved to Los Angeles; and Florence, born September 12, 1910, baptized on April 24, 1920 and who died at the age of twenty on July 6, 1930.

William was a thin man, usually weighed about 130 pounds. He never did any rough and rugged work during his life. Sometimes he found it difficult to find employment as a plumber and make a living for his family. One winter he was unable to find work which he was able to do, so he went to Nephi to work. He had relatives of his brother, Charles Alma, living there. One nephew, John Charles Hall, often sent flour and meat to the family to help them during times of need.

William was always quite religious. He had been from faithful, goodly parents, and his mother had tried to instill the foundation for a testimony of the gospel in William during his impressionable years. He had attended Sunday School and Mutual during his childhood and youth, but was probably a trifle backward in participating in the active phase of his church. After his marriage, because of his wife's lack of interest and uncooperation, William became slack in his church duties. He was the type of man who needed someone to urge him forward and go along by his side; his wife did neither, so it was natural for William to neglect the things he knew he should do.

During the later years of his life, William was the janitor of the Wells Ward. The family lived in a small home beside the church. It was during this time that William found it difficult to do for his family as they should have. The pay for his work was meager and he was not able to do much more work. His wife blamed William for their poverty and was always complaining. All these things, along with the teasing he received from young boys in the ward, had a tendency to make William become more reserved and quieter in manner. He became slack in his church duties and work as a janitor and finally was dismissed.

At the age of sixty-nine, William passed away at his home on Wednesday, July 29, 1936 at Salt Lake City of causes incident to age. He was survived by his widow, Lena Meyers Hall, two sons, Earl D. Hall of Hollywood California and Clarence 0. Hall of Salt Lake City; and one daughter, Mrs. Carl Yowell of Los Angeles; one grandchild, [and] two brothers, Charles Alma Hall of Nephi and John Thomas Hall of St. George, Utah.

To those who remained to mourn his passing was left the memory of a slight, unreposing man who had worked hard and diligently in behalf of his family. As far as his personality would allow, William had been faithful in his religious standards. Though he had been reluctant to participate actively, his life had been based on honest and hardworking thoughts and actions. The descendants can well be proud of this quiet man who fulfilled his measure in life to the best of his ability.