This gentleman is the able editor of the Boone Banner, one of the best country journals of which the State of Arkansas can boast. It is published in Harrison, one of the busiest and best towns of north Arkansas, and has an extended circulation throughout one of the largest and richest zinc and lead regions in the United States, and has a rapidly growing field to cover. It finds its way into the homes of the best class of people, who can always glean something useful and interesting from its columns, and it is essentially a paper of, by, and for, the people. He is a native Arkansan, having been born in Marion County, Arkansas, April 20, 1858.
His father is Hon. John E. Hull, who was a captain in the Confederate Army, in the support of which cause he laid down his life when A. C. was but seven years old. Hon. John E. Hull was born in Miami County, Ohio, March 10, 1827, and there attained manhood, after which he went to Memphis, Tennessee, where he secured employment as a telegraph operator and made his home for nine years. He then came to Arkansas and settled in the eastern part of Marion County, on White River, where he opened up a rich farm of many acres and became one of the substantial, prominent and wealthy men of the county. He was a man who loved learning for learning’s sake, was finely educated, became the owner of a well-selected and extensive library, and wielded a wide influence on all matters of a public nature throughout the section in which he resided. Prior to the opening of the Civil War he was elected to the State Legislature and was often urged to make the race the second time, but always declined to do so, as he was of a naturally retiring disposition, and loved his home and family far better than the strife and turmoil of the political arena. In politics he always supported the measures of Democracy, and when the great strife between the North and South came up he espoused the Southern cause, enlisting in the Confederate service, holding the rank of captain at the time of his death, which resulted from an accidental shooting. He was married in Marion County, Arkansas, to Miss Matilda A. Killough, whose mother lived in Marion County. She made her home a part of the time with her uncle, Judge W. B. Flippin, an old pioneer of the county. She was born in Kentucky, makes her home now with her son, A. C. Hull, and although she has attained the age of sixty years, is still energetic and active, and is in the enjoyment of good health. She bore her husband five children, three of whom reached maturity, but of whom A. C. is the only surviving member. The others were William C. who died at the age of twenty-eight years, at Harrison, Arkansas, was a dealer in books and stationary, and was also for a time in the newspaper business; Charles T., died two years after his brother William, also at the age of twenty-eight years.
The paternal grandfather of these children was John C. Hull, who was an early pioneer, presumably from one of the New England States, although his birth occurred in Ireland. He traced his ancestry back to John Hull, who owned an estate called Free Hall in County Londonderry, Ireland, which descended to his only son, Thomas Hull. The latter married Sarah Cowan and settled on the Free Hall estate, where he was for some time engaged in merchandising. He became involved in the Rebellion of 1799, for which offense he was imprisoned for several weeks, but as he had many wealthy and influential relatives who were royalists, his acquittal was obtained through their influence and he was permitted to emigrate to America on condition that he would never return, and his property was confiscated, except a small portion which was left to his wife. After coming to this country he lived twelve years in Maryland, but his death occurred somewhere in the West. His wife’s father, John Cowan, also owned a large estate near Londonderry, Ireland. John C. Hull, the son of Thomas and Sarah (Cowan) Hull, was fitting himself for the ministry at the time his father was banished from his native land, and he shared his exile and gave up his ministerial ambitions. He assisted his father in his mercantile operations in Elkton, Md., for some time and later embarked in various business ventures. At one time he was the owner of the stage route from Baltimore to Wheeling, W. Virginia, and at other times followed the calling of an agriculturist. He was an early settler of Ohio, there reared his family, his wife being a granddaughter of Alex. Thompson, a brother of Charles Thompson, who was secretary of the First Continental Congress. He was a soldier of the War of 1812, and a man of upright principles. Owing to the fact that most of his father’s property was swept away during the war.
A. C. Hull was forced early in life to shift for himself, and right nobly did he fight his way to the front. He and his widowed mother and two younger brothers continued to reside on the old home farm until the close of the war, then moved to Flippin Barren in the same county, a much more thickly settled district. Here he and his younger brothers battled with the forces that are always against the poor, aspiring and ambitious boys, and he succeeded in acquiring a good English education. To assist her sons in this respect, their faithful mother kept boarders, and she eventually received her recompense for her early toil and cares by seeing her sons attain honorable and intellectual manhood. Since 1885 she has made her home in Harrison and during this time has gathered about her many warm friends. Up to the age of eighteen years A. C. Hull resided on a farm, but even at that early time his fine business qualities were recognized, and his business career began several years before he reached his majority. He clerked for some time in a mercantile establishment, and his first experience in public affairs was three years’ service as deputy clerk of Boone County in 1878-9-80. The three succeeding years he was editor and proprietor of the Baxter County Citizen, then during Cleveland’s administration he discharged the duties of chief clerk of the United States Land Office at Harrison, and the records of that office attest his superiority as an official.
Upon retiring from this position he engaged actively in newspaper work at Harrison as editor and proprietor of the Boone Banner, which journal is recognized as one of the most progressive, enterprising and breezy county papers in the State. During the seven years of his journalistic career he has not only kept his paper in the van of public enterprises and progress, but has earnestly, faithfully and fearlessly labored to advance the best interests of Democracy in county and State. Mr. Hull was a prominent candidate for Secretary of State before the State Democratic Convention of Arkansas in 1892, was second man in the contest between four strong men, and came out of the convention, although defeated, with a record that was creditable to him in the highest degree. At the next election in 1896 he will again make the race for this office, and it is a recognized fact almost that he will succeed, and that no better material in the State can be found for the position than he. He is a useful member of the Arkansas Press Association, having served it as historian, executive committeeman and on the programs of its meeting. In June, 1893, he was elected recording secretary of the association at Fort Smith, and reelected without opposition in 1894 at Little Rock. He was a delegate to the National Editorial Associationat Chicago in 1893, and attended. In October, 1893, he was appointed by the Governor as expert accountant, to examine and report on the condition of the state treasurer’s office, and discharged the responsible duties of the position with marked ability and to the satisfaction of all concerned. In 1884 he was happily married to Miss Lucy M. Cory of Harrison, Arkansas, the accomplished daughter of A. B. Cory, one of the oldest and best newspaper men in the State today, and to their union three little sons have been given: Hugh C., Ralph A. and Howard K.
Mr. Hull is a man of sterling qualities, is full of energy and pluck, and is a conscientious Christian, possessing all the elements that go to make up a true man and a public-spirited and progressive citizen. Perhaps no young man in the State has a brighter future before him than Mr. Hull. His career thus far has been one of usefulness and in a measure successful, but more has been accomplished by his life’s work, perhaps, for his friends and his country than for himself, directly. But his State will yet honor him.