John Hicklin Hall

John Hicklin Hall (July 17, 1854 – July 27, 1937) was a politician and attorney in the U.S. state of Oregon. A native of the Portland area, he served in the Oregon House of Representatives in the early 1890s before appointment as the United States District Attorney for Oregon. As the federal prosecutor, he became involved in the Oregon land fraud scandal, in which several high-profile public officials conspired to defraud the government in acquiring land for a private entity. Hall was convicted, but subsequently pardoned, for failing to prosecute some of the participants.

Hall was also the father of Oregon governor John H. Hall.

Early life John Hall was born in Multnomah County, Oregon, east of the city of Portland on July 17, 1854. He was the son of Benjamin F. and Emily Hicklin Hall, though both parents died when he was ten, leaving him the family farm. When he turned 21 he returned to the family farm to run it, and in 1877 was married to Olive I. Powell. A Republican, Hall was uncooperative in the investigation, and was removed from office by President Theodore Roosevelt on January 1, 1905. Hall returned to private legal practice in Portland after being forced out of office. He also was involved with the banking industry, owned three farms, and was an investor in power generation projects in Deschutes County.

John Hicklin Hall died in Portland, Oregon, on July 27, 1937, at the age of 83 and was interred at River View Cemetery in Portland. His son, John Hubert Hall, was also active in Oregon politics, serving briefly as governor following the deaths of the first three elected officials in the state's line of succession.