His grandfather was a Baptist preacher, and his father, Jonathan Hascall, was a lawyer and a presidential elector for the state of New York in the election of 1844.

[2] He set up a law practice in Omaha in 1865 at 15th and Farnam Streets,[3] and in the summer of 1865, he was appointed as Probate Judge of Douglas County, Nebraska, and was later elected to the position in his own right.

[3] Hascall resigned his position as Probate Judge in August 1867 in order to travel West to Cheyenne, Wyoming.

[3][4] Hascall made this declaration based on Section 17 of Article III of the Nebraska Constitution of 1866, which read, "If, during the vacancy of the office of Governor, the Secretary of State shall be impeached, displaced, resign, die, or be absent from the State, the powers and duties of the office of Governor shall devolve upon the President of the Senate.

When he arrived back in Nebraska on February 13, 1872, Acting Governor James issued his own proclamation revoking the one put out by Hascall.

One senator permitted himself to be arrested in order to produce a test case that could come before the Supreme Court of Nebraska to settle the issue.

Based on this decision, the grounds justifying a special session ceased to exist, and the attempt was abandoned by Hascall and others.

[8] After leaving the Nebraska State Senate in 1873, Hascall mostly focused his time on local politics in the city of Omaha.