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Posted on GenForum by Wanda DeGidio.
Francis Hall arrived in New Haven during the early spring of 1640, and signed the Planters Agreement at that time, he arrived with his wife, Elizabeth Thompson, daughter, Mary age 2, and the Whitehead boys, Thomas, age 11 and John age 14. He definitely was not present June 4, 1639, as the “History of Connecticut,” states, “John Clarke being absent when the covenant was made, doth now manifest his consent to it,” John Clark’s name was thirteen names above Francis Hall. It also lists eight others who were absent, all of them being above Francis Hall.
Francis Hall was associated with the Alcocks through Elizabeth Alcock Whitehead’s Uncle Darbie, who was a neighbor to Francis’ family in Bulkington, Warwickshire, England. Deacon George Alcock of Roxbury, MA (Elizabeth’s brother) requested Francis to accompany the Whitehead boys from England to Connecticut in 1640, to be given over to their Uncle George Alcock, who would reimburse him their travel and expenses at that time.
Francis Hall did not contact Deacon George Alcott immediately as he should (probably needing the boys to help him get settled). He probably waited until the fall of 1640 before he sent word to Deacon Alcott of the boys whereabouts. By this time, Dea. Alcott was probably ill and unable to travel, dying December 1, 1640 in Roxbury, MA. Francis Hall was notified of the passing of Deacon Alcott, but the person who notified him failed to give him information on George’s brother, Thomas Alcott of Dedham, MA. The notifier could have been Thomas Alcott, not wanting to take on the responsibility of raising his nephews and intentionally lead him to believe there were no other family members.
Francis Hall probably did try to contact their mother, Elizabeth Alcott Whitehead, regarding her sons whereabouts after learning of their uncle’s death, as he testified in court, but by the time his letter reached her, I believe she probably had already moved to Leamington County Warwick.
In December 1641, Francis got court approval to dispose of the children. Thomas was indentured to Mathias Hitchcocke for 5 years and 8 months, who then indentured him to David Atwatter for 4 years, 4 months. John, the oldest, remained with Frances Hall as a servant until the age of 21.
A letter from Elizabeth Alcock Whitehead ‘finally’ shows up on March 10, 1647 (seven years later) to her brother Thomas Alcock, begging for news of her children. Three months passed before her loving brother, Thomas, contacted his attorney, John Thompson (a possible relative to Elizabeth Thompson) to, “aske, demand, recover, and receive” the boys from Francis Hall and bring them onto him, their uncle.
On February 1, 1648, Francis Hall pleaded in court to be reimbursed for his expenses, stating he was at great charges for their passage and other occasions. The court said he was to be blamed for not locating their uncle and failing to contact their mother. He was ordered to set John free from this time, and to pay him 50 shillings, decided after the court weighed the advantages that the child had been to him as his servant, and his age being now 22. Thomas was ordered to remain with David Atwatter until he heard from his uncle, which would give Atwatter just satisfaction and Thomas was to be paid 3 pounds a year, meat, drink and clothes, Thomas was then 19.
In 1643, New Haven court ordered every planter to give the names of the heads or persons in his family, wherein his wife, together with himself and children were reckoned, with an estimate of his estate. Francis Hall listed three persons in his family, and that his estate was worth ten pounds. From this information we gather that in 1643, there was only Francis, Elizabeth and Mary in this family. Therefore, Isaac was not born until later that year. We also can gather from this information that Isabell and Bathsuah died at an early age, probably during the long trip to Connecticut.
This information places Isaac’s birth year much later then previously thought (1643 vs. 1629) and places Francis Hall of Bulkington Parish, Warwickshire, England, born February 1615, as the most likely candidate for our Francis Hall. It also makes more sense that Isaac married at the age of 23 instead of 37, not to mention his age is now closer to his spouse, Lydia Knapp who was born June 8, 1647.
Regarding John Knight, unfortunately it was most likely the Whitehead boys, and possibly Mary who would have been involved in the (WORD DELETED)abuse during the time period 1645-1648. Mary the oldest Hall family member would have been between 7-10 years of age. The Whitehead boys would have been teenagers. You may have noticed that Patricia Law Hatcher mistakenly said that Hall was eventually executed, instead of Knight, for abusing Peter Vincon in 1655, a 14 year old servant boy of William Judson.
In 1648, Francis Hall is taken to court by William Judson for denying him the service of John Knight, and desired the court to allow him to hire Knight as his servant immediately as his time was up with Hall. Francis stated he was not allowing Knight his freedom because Knight owed him money. Judson paid the money owed and obtained Knight as his servant. (I find it hard to believe that these two were actually fighting over this character after the first incident with Francis Hall’s children).
Again in 1648, Francis Hall was summoned by the court and appeared, and was complained of for refusing his watch, and for advising others to refuse theirs as well, he was ordered to pay a fine of twenty shillings. Thomas Fugill appeared in court and passed over to Francis Hall 7 and one-half acres of land, lying in the Yorkshire quarter, next to the West River, Francis then passed over to John Meggs the same 7 and one-half acres.
The final entry of Francis Hall in the New Haven Colony Records shows in 1648 that Mr. Crane had an attachment upon the corn and cattle of Francis Hall for a debt of 24 pounds. The court had the same appraised by men appointed by the court to clear this attachment. It appears Francis left New Haven shortly thereafter.
One thing I failed to mention in the previous document was in the Records of the Jurisdiction of New Haven, which I'm assuming included Stratford and Fairfield at that time, was a record concerning Isaac Hall in the last court of the year 1657. I'm somewhat confused as to when Isaac moved to Fairfield, as he is shown to have purchased property there on 4/12/1654, but he's shown to be a deputy for Stratford from 1661-1685, "Isack Hall, Thomas Weeden, John Brookes, and Mary Hitchcock were called before the court, and the said Isack was charged with writeing a papr, publishing a marriage intended betwixt Edward Neale and Mary Hitchcocke, and the said Thomas set it vp vpon the meeting-house, wher such things vseth to be sett, and yet ther was no such thing, wch is the publishing of a lye, a high contempt of authoritie and an abuse of the generall courts order. They both confessed their miscariage, as they had done before at Newhaven court, and now petitioned for favour to be showed to them. John Brookes was blamed that he suffered this to be written in his house in the night, and did not witness against it as he ought to haue done, and Mary Hitchcock knew of it yet acquainted not her master, nor tooke any other course to stopp it, she said she thought they would not haue set it vp; but both them were passed by wth a reproofe and warning to take heede of such cariages hereafter, but for Isack Hall and Thomas Weeden, the court ordered that they sitt in the stocks one houre, and that they make a publique acknowledgm of their miscariage in some towne meeting or otherwise, when called to it, and if hereafter they doe the like, they must expect more sharper dealing." Providing Isaac was born in 1643, he would have been age 14 at this time. Previously thinking Isaac, was born in 1629, I thought this to be such a childish prank for a man of 28. But again, this make sense now.
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