author
Nathan Kelsey Hall
1810–1874
A close ally of Millard Fillmore, he moved from farm work and shoemaking into law and public service, later serving in Congress, running the Post Office Department, and sitting as a federal judge. His career offers a compact look at New York and national politics in the Whig era.
1 Audiobook
The postal service of the United States in connection with the local history of Buffalo
by Nathan Kelsey Hall, Thomas Blossom
About the author
Born in Marcellus, New York, in 1810, Nathan Kelsey Hall grew up in Erie County and began working life as a shoemaker and farmer before studying law in Buffalo under Millard Fillmore. He was admitted to the bar in 1832 and built a career that mixed legal practice with local public service.
Hall served as Buffalo's city attorney and then represented New York in the U.S. House of Representatives from 1847 to 1849. When Fillmore became president, Hall joined his administration as Postmaster General, serving from 1850 to 1852.
Later in 1852, Fillmore nominated him to the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of New York. Hall remained on the federal bench until his death in Buffalo in 1874, and his path from apprentice lawyer to congressman, cabinet officer, and judge makes him a notable figure in 19th-century American public life.