HALL

hall, james (1793-1868), american judge and man of letters, was born at philadelphia on the 19th of august 1793. after for some time prosecuting the study of law, he in 1812 joined the army, and in the war with great britain distinguished himself in engagements at lundy's lane, niagara and fort erie. on the conclusion of the war he accompanied an expedition against algiers, but in 1818 he resigned his commission, and continued the study of law at pittsburg. in 1820 he removed to shawneetown, illinois, where he commenced practice at the bar and also edited the _illinois gazette_. soon after he was appointed public prosecutor of the circuit, and in 1824 state circuit judge. in 1827 he became state treasurer, and held that office till 1831, but he continued at the same time his legal practice and also edited the _illinois intelligencer_. subsequently he became editor of the _western souvenir_, an annual publication, and of the _illinois monthly magazine_, afterwards the _western monthly magazine_. he died near cincinnati on the 5th of july 1868. the following are his principal works:--_letters from the west_, originally contributed to the _portfolio_, and collected and published in london in 1828; _legends of the west_ (1832); _the soldier's bride and other tales_ (1832); _the harpe's head, a legend of kentucky_ (1833); _sketches of the west_ (2 vols., 1835); _tales of the border_ (1835); _notes on the western states_ (1838); _history of the indian tribes_, in conjunction with t. l. m'keeney (3 vols., 1838-1844); _the wilderness and the war-path_ (1845); _romance of western history_ (1857).