Affectionately called “Father Hale” . After retirement, citizens of Springfield subscribed a fund for his salary “to do general and necessary work among the down and out of the city”, from which he became known also as “Pastor of the Highways and Hedges”
Pastor of “Lincoln’s Church” in Springfield Illinois.
1799 – born the son of Matthew and Ruth (Stevens) Hale of Glastonbury, CT.
1827 – Graduated Yale
1827 – Agent of the American Tract Society, spent 2 years in South Carolina, Florida and Georgia,
1829 – returned to Yale, was licensed and ordained to preach in
1830 – ordained to preach by the New Haven Association East – Congregational.
1830 – Preached in the vicinity of Boston, making his home with Rev. Lyman Beecher (see below).
1831 – Fall – came to Illinois as member of the “Yale”
1832 – Jan – Bethel Church in Bond county, Illinois for eight years with the last two years primarily spent visiting new settlements through the midwest to preach and aid in forming churches, such as First Presbyterian of Macomb.
1839 – Married Abiah Chapin, a teacher at Monticello Academy, at Godfrey, Illinois
1839 Nov – Jan 1867 – pastor of the Second Presbyterian Church (now called Westminster), Springfield, Illinois Chaplin in the Illinois State Legislature, Minister to President Abraham Lincoln and officiated at Lincoln’s funeral in Springfield. “The congregation soon became known as the “abolitionist” church as the minister, Rev. Albert Hale, was an outspoken supporter of the anti-slavery movement.”
Three children: Catharine, Sophia and Albert F.
References:
- Find A Grave <https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/24552077/albert-hale>
- History of Westminster <https://www.wpcspi.org/history-of-westminster.html>
Rev. Lyman Beecher (1775-1863), father of Harriet Beecher Stowe and Henry Ward Beecher. Attended Yale, ordained in 1799 as Presbyterian pastor. In 1832, first President of Lane Seminary in Cincinnati. Preached abolitionism and temperance.