US Senator. William Hall Milton was born in the rural area of Florida called the Panhandle. He was the first son of William Henry and Lucy Hall Hearn, and the grandson of Governor John Milton II and his first wife Susan Cobb. He was barely one year old when the Confederacy lost the war, his grandfather committed suicide, and the wealthy Milton family became almost penniless. The Reconstruction years in Jackson County, FL were a bloodbath with over 150 killings of Northern Republicans, freed slaves, and anyone who disagree with the one who had a gun. This was Milton's early childhood, and he was much more fortunate than some of his peers as he did receive an education. He attended the public schools of in Jackson County, Marianna Academy, and the Agricultural and Mechanical College at Auburn, Alabama. From 1885 to 1893, he was the city clerk and treasurer of Marianna, Florida. Becoming interested in state politics, he served in Florida State House of Representatives from 1889 to 1891. After studying law, he was admitted to the Florida Bar in 1890. He became involved in banking in Jackson County in 1890 through 1918. He was a presidential elector on the Democratic ticket in 1892. In 1893 this young lawyer married Sallie Baker, and they started a family, which became 6 children. In 1894 Milton was appointed to the post of United States surveyor general for three years. From 1897 to 1902, the State of Florida's reform school, located in Marianna, appointed Milton to be the president of the board of managers. Following in his father's footsteps, he was also elected to the office of Mayor of Marianna 1892 to 1899. His attempts to become Florida's governor in 1900 and again 1912 failed. He was appointed as a Democrat to United States Senate on March 27, 1908 after the death of William James Bryan and served for almost one year. He was not a candidate for the reelection in 1908, thus resumed his law practice in Marianna along with a real estate and insurance business. He served as a member of the city council 1916 for one year. In 1923 he was appointed United States commissioner for the northern district of Florida and reappointed in 1927. At his death in 1942, he had served as the district member of State Board of Social Welfare for five years.