Biographical Sketch of Dr. Harvey Jethrow Hall
March 15, 1881 – November 12, 1969
Harvey Jethrow Hall was born March 15, 1881 four miles east of Scotland, Van Buren County, Arkansas the sixth child of farming family John A. and Margaret Lucinda Webb Hall. “He graduated from the Scotland Academy and the Clinton High School and then took advance courses which he completed in 1902. He taught school for several years and served as principal for the Scotland School in 1905 and1906. He also became the Van Buren County Examiner of Education.”1 “Without financial backing, he embarked on a college medical course, going one year to Hendrix College, Conway, one to the University of Arkansas, Fayetteville, before entering the Arkansas School of Medicine in Little Rock in September, 1906. He graduated in June, 1910 and started practice in Higdon, which was to be his home for 27 years. Dr. Hall spent many nights, and portions of days and nights in the saddle, going to his far-flung patients. During his long career he delivered 2,996 babies.”2
On June 16, 1912 he and Sallie Cottrell were married in Van Buren County. They became the parents of three sons and a daughter.
“Dr . Hall recalls many, narrow escapes in the early years of his career. Perhaps the narrowest occurred on a cold January day in 1918 when he was crossing a frozen river on horseback. The weight of the horse broke the ice and Dr. Hall went under. He swam in the freezing water until his horse broke enough of the ice for him to swim to the horse and catch its stirrup.”3 “Again in 1920 when the rivers were high, he was walking across a railroad trestle when a train approached. He crawled under the bridge and hung by his hands while the train passed over.”4
Dr. Hall died Wednesday, November 12, 1969. He had practiced medicine in Van Buren and Cleburne Counties since 1910. “He was a member of the Higden School Board for 25 years, Van Buren County coroner for ten years and was medical advisor of the Selective Service Board for 28 years.
Dr Hall was a member of the Searcy County and Arkansas Medical Societies, the American Medical Association, First United Methodist Church, the Woodmen of the World and the Masonic Lodge.”5
1 Genealoghy with Mary Jean Hall, Life in The Ozarks, September 1, 2008, Page 7
2 Career of Dr. H. J. Hall Reviewed for Historians, Van Buren County Democrat, April 15, 1965
3 Clinton Masons Honor Doctor For Service, Van Buren County Democrat, June 16, 1960
4 Doctor Recalls Days When He Doubled as Stunt Man, Arkansas Gazette, Little Rock, December 2, 1949, Page 6
5 Dr. Harvey J. Hall Dies, Practiced In Area Since 1910, Van Buren County Democrat, November 20, 1969
John T. Mitchell, BBA
April 17, 2021