McGill Library
McLennan Library Building3459 rue McTavish
Montreal, Quebec
H3A 0C9
Person
Hall, Fairman, 1840-1925
1840-1925
Fairman Hall was born on March 6, 1840, in Dudswell, Quebec.
He was a farmer, prospector, public servant, and poet. There is a Hall Creek in Dudswell Township named after him. He spent hours exploring the creek and surrounding hills in search of gold nuggets. One day, he discovered some and informed the government. Since the government wanted to take it, he refused to reveal the exact location and took his secret to the grave. The Hall Creek gold deposits were identified in 1851 and extensive exploration work was carried out during the 1890s. Hall also served as a city councilor for many years. He published his poetry in The Sherbrooke Gazette. One of his poems written on the occasion of the unveiling of a monument to the pioneers in 1900 was entitled "Historic Sketch in Verse". His poems earned him the name "Spirit of the Peak".
In 1863, he married Martha Sophia Gilbert (1841–1912). He died on January 23, 1925, in Dudswell, Quebec.