John Hall (Presbyterian pastor)

Reverend John Hall, D.D., L.L.D. (1829-1898) was Pastor of the Fifth Avenue Presbyterian Church, New York City, from 1867 until his death in Bangor, Northern Ireland. The landmark New York church, that still stands today on Fifth Avenue at 55th Street, was built during his tenure.

John Hall was born in Ballygorman, County Armagh, Ireland. His was the eldest son of William Hall and Rachel McGowan - descendants of Scottish Presbyterians. His education began in a local school before he attended Belfast College in 1841. In 1845 he entered theological college under Dr. John Edgar and Dr Henry Cooke. In 1848 his father died; despite financial hardships his mother insisted he complete his religious studies and in 1850 he was ordained a Presbyterian missionary. During his time at college, Hall supplemented his income by teaching at a girls’ school.

From 1849 he spent three years as a student missionary in Connaught, a west coast province of Ireland that had been badly affected by both the Great Famine and the fever; small tenant farmers were being evicted by landlords and many of the young men were emigrating to escape the deprivation and poverty. The area was predominantly Catholic and the local priests mistrusted the Presbyterian missionaries and questioned their motives. Hall’s work included school inspections, preaching, distributing religious literature and establishing Sunday-schools. One scheme involved creating industrial schools where women could be taught new skills such as knitting and needlework. Much of the effort was non-denominational, with financial contributions from Methodists, Episcopalians, Quakers and Catholic teaching staff. During this period Hall started writing poems and articles for weekly newspapers, a practise that he continued for many years.

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