Our Arklahoma Heritage: Arkansas's 16th Secretary of State was rooted in Harrison and Boone County culture

Alexander C. “Alex” Hull was a man shaped by the rugged Ozark hills of Arkansas, a self-made editor, businessman, and statesman who experienced the post-Civil War South with the Progressive Era’s push for reform.

Born on April 20, 1858, in Marion County, Hull’s journey from an orphaned youth to the 16th Secretary of State of Arkansas reflects grit, community leadership, and a commitment to public service. His 55 years left an indelible mark on Boone County and the state, culminating in his sudden death on January 28, 1914, in Harrison, where he rests today in Rose Hill Cemetery.

Hull’s early life was forged in adversity. His father, a Confederate captain killed in 1865 during the Civil War, left his mother, Matilda A. Killough Hull, to raise Alex and his two younger brothers, (William C. and Charles T)alone. With the family relocated to Flippin Barrens in Marion County, Matilda ran a boarding house to survive, instilling in Alex a fierce independence.

The loss of his father at age seven and the subsequent deaths of his brothers (both at 28) in Harrison underscored the fragility of life in the Ozarks, yet Alex persevered, self-educating through clerking jobs and local mentorship.

On February 14, 1884, at age 25, Hull married Lucy Minnie Cory, a 20-year-old from Harrison, daughter of newspaper man A. B. Cory. The couple settled in Harrison, Boone County, where they raised four children: Hugh Cory (b. 1887), Ralph A. (b. 1890), Howard Killough (b. 1892), and Lillian (b. 1895).

Lucy's Dallas, Texas, roots blended with Hull’s Ozark heritage, grounding their family in the region’s growing community. Hull’s role as a provider and father mirrored his public dedication to improving local life.

Hull’s career began humbly as a mercantile clerk, evolving into a deputy clerk of Boone County (1878–1880), where he mastered land records amid the mining boom. His entrepreneurial spirit emerged in 1881 when he founded the Baxter County Citizen in Mountain Home, later acquiring the Harrison Banner (renamed Boone County Banner) in 1887.

As editor, he championed Democratic ideals, railroad expansion, and education, earning a leadership role in the Arkansas Press Association (recording secretary, 1893–1894). During Grover Cleveland’s administration, he served as chief clerk of the U.S. Land Office in Harrison, managing federal land grants.

His auditing skills shone in 1893 when Governor William Fishback appointed him to audit the state treasurer’s office, a task he completed with distinction.

Hull’s political ascent began in 1892, when he narrowly missed the Democratic nomination for Secretary of State, finishing second. Undeterred, he won the office in 1896, serving from January 1897 to January 1901. As the 16th Secretary of State, Hull modernized state records and pushed voting reforms, aligning with Progressive Era goals to enhance transparency and access.

His administrative prowess and party loyalty made him a respected figure, though his tenure ended after two terms, typical of the era’s rotation of offices

After public service, Hull ventured into insurance, organizing the Security Fire Insurance Company in Little Rock and later managing businesses in Oklahoma City and Edmond, Oklahoma.

In 1912, he returned to Harrison, launching the North Arkansas Herald and opening an insurance and loan office. His community ties remained strong until January 9, 1914, when, at noon in his yard, he suffered a cerebral hemorrhage (misreported as heart failure in the Harrison Times).

Despite medical efforts, he died the next day, January 28, 1914, at age 55. His passing, front-page news, mourned a local icon.

Buried in Rose Hill Cemetery, Hull’s gravestone (Memorial ID 23512820) stands as a quiet tribute.

His children carried forward his legacy--Hugh and Ralph in business, Howard in law--while his reforms endure in Arkansas’s administrative history. A man of the people, Hull’s life was one o historical significance, from the Flippin Barrens to the state capitol, and forever tied to Harrison’s rolling hills.