Hall, Gilbert Pine (1859-1932) (1 of 6)

Unidentified Photographer, Portrait Photograph of Gilbert Pine Hall

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THE PHOTOGRAPHER/ PHOTOGRAPHIC STUDIO:

Photographer: unidentified

THE SITTER:

Name: Gilbert Pine Hall

Description: In this cased portrait, Gilbert Pine Hall, although a toddler, assumes a calm demeanor. He sits on the top of a studio prop that is covered with an embroidered cloth. With both hands, he holds an adult-sized straw hat. His dark hair has been side-parted and cut to one length just below the top of his ears. He is dressed in a dark jacket which fastens at the top and is trimmed in a plaid fabric. He also wears checkered pants and a white shirt.

Biographical Note: Gilbert Pine Hall was born on April 20, 1859, in Manchester, Missouri, the thirteenth and youngest child of Sarah Gibbons Thomas and Dr. James Henry Hall.  When he was about 11, his family moved to Petaluma, California.  Gil continued his education and graduated in 1878 from Petaluma High School in a class of six students, including Mary Louise Brown, aka Lulu Brown.  Over the next few years, Gil worked in a variety of positions.  In April 1880, he was teaching school in the San Antonio district, and two years later, he and former classmate Lulu were married by the Marin County Justice of the Peace.  The Brown parents soon arranged for Father Cleary of St. Vincent’s parish to repeat the ceremony for the couple, and the Petaluma Courier announced that “Cupid’s darts are flying fast.”

Gil Hall joined the National Guard in 1882, was appointed Postmaster of Petaluma in 1886, and in 1890 was voted in as County Auditor and Recorder.  In 1894, he was admitted to the California Bar and began practicing law in Sonoma County. Gil’s name appeared frequently in Petaluma newspapers throughout his life and many times years after his death.  He was described as eloquent, controversial, golden-tongued, unpredictable, fiery, and many more colorful terms.  Bill Soberanes, a Petaluma Argus-Courier columnist for many years, wrote frequently about Gil Hall’s courtroom tactics.  One story tells about Gil’s defense of a client charged with selling illegal whiskey during prohibition.  The evidence was in a bottle displayed in the courtroom.  Gil picked up the bottle and drank the contents.  “That’s not whiskey!” he exclaimed and won the case.  The evidence was gone.  

Gil and Mary Louise were the parents of five daughters: Aletha, Evelyn, Kathleen, Geraldine, and Dorothy.  An unnamed son died at birth in 1888.  The family lived in Petaluma for all but a few years while Gil was county recorder in Santa Rosa. Their marriage lasted just short of 50 years.  Gil and Mary Louise both died in 1932.  Gil died on January 24 and Mary Louise seven months later on August 25. Their graves are side-by-side in Calvary Catholic Cemetery in Petaluma.

*This biographical note was written by Annie Alexis Ferguson Brown’s descendant, Kathleen O’Brien Balestrini.

Family Affiliation: https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/42046069/gilbert-pine-hall. Search this archive and the Sonoma County Library photograph archive for additional portraits of the Hall family.

Bibliography: Petaluma Argus-Courier: August 25, 1932, p. 3 (obit); August 27, 1932, p. 3; Sept 29, 1899, p. 1; November 2, 1927, p. 8; November 8, 1927, p. 7; January 25, 1932, p. 3; March 10, 1932, p. 5. Petaluma Courier: May 29, 1878, p. 3; August 13, 1890, p.4. Petaluma Daily Morning Courier: August 28, 1911, p. 5; December 9, 1896, p. 2; March 8, 1897, p. 2; July 31, 1897, p. 1; November 2, 1897, p.1; July 12, 1911, p.2. Petaluma Weekly Argus: May 31, 1878, p. 3; April 2, 1880, p. 3; July 23, 1889, p. 3; June 2, 1882, p. 3; October 13, 1882, p. 3. Gilbert Pine Hall was referenced numerous times after his death in articles written by Bill Soberanes. The most extensive references include: Petaluma Argus-Courier: May 13, 1966, p.9; April 26, 1967, p. 11; September 14, 1979, p.11.

THE PHOTOGRAPH:

Format / Size:  sixth plate ambrotype, 2 3/4” x 3 1/4”

Medium: ambrotype

Case description: This portrait’s thermoplastic case, which is also called a Union case, is decorated with 34 stars indicating a date between 1861, when Kansas became the 34th state of the union, and 1863 then West Virginia became the 35th. This case has a floral brass mat and a floral/egg motif preserver which is the brass foil frame around the edge of the brass mat.

Date: 1861 or 1862

Condition: It appears that the case, brass mat, motif preserver, and the ambrotype are all original to each other.

Owner: From the collection of Kathleen O’Brien Balestrini, digital copy by permission.

Reproduction rights: The Petaluma Museum Association makes no assertions as to ownership of any original copyrights to the digitized images here reproduced.  These images are intended for personal or research use only. Any other kind of use, including, but not limited to commercial or scholarly publication in any medium or format, public exhibition, or use online or in a web site, may be subject to additional restrictions including but not limited to the copyrights held by parties other than the Association. USERS ARE SOLELY RESPONSIBLE for determining the existence of such rights and for obtaining any permissions and/or paying associated fees necessary for the proposed use.