Person:Asa Hall (3)

[Vol 2, p 457 - ]
HALL - The remotest ancestor of this family, of whom anything definite is known, is Thomas Hall, who was descended from Scotch-Irish ancestors. There is a tradition in the family that this branch was started from a marriage between a Hall and a Spencer, one of whom was Scotch, the other Irish. Thomas Hall was born September 24, 1724, and he had two brothers, Moses, whose son Jesse was a soldier in the revolution, and David, an old sea captain. Early representatives of the Hall family settled at Snow Hill, Maryland, and in Delaware. Thomas Hall died at or near Duck Creek Cross Roads, Delaware, May 29, 1772. He married Rebecca Story, a woman of English birth, who long survived her honored husband, her death having occurred December 15, 1812.

After the death of Thomas Hall, in 1772, his widow remained with her children in Delaware until the close of the revolutionary war. In 1781, Isaac Mason, who had married the eldest child, and Jordan Hall, the third child, emigrated westward, and in the following year, 1782, the family followed to the forks of Cheat river, a few miles below Morgantown, West Virginia. Those who left Delaware, were Rebecca Hall, Asa Hall, with his wife and the latter's mother, Mrs. Margaret White, Nathan, Jordan, Rynear, Allen, and Rebecca. Children of Mr. and Mrs. Thomas Hall : Parthena : Asa, mentioned below : Jordan, Rynear, Nathan, Allen, Rebecca.

[p 458 - ]

(II) Asa, second child and eldest son of Thomas and Rebecca (Story) Hall, was born in Delaware, January 20, 1758, died suddenly, June 9, 1815. As noted above he accompanied the family to West Virginia. Shortly after arriving at Cheat river he purchased a tract of land containing five hundred acres at the mouth of Buffalo creek. For this land he paid at the rate of twenty-five cents an acre, the payment consisting of a horse, a gun, a pair of leggings and a pair of saddle bags. Asa Hall and several neighbors met and studied the Bible, in addition to which they taught each other to read and write. They met in an old house, known as the Beall schoolhouse, on Sundays. He married, March 26, 1778, Sophia, daughter of James and Margaret White. She died August 25, 1818. Children: Thomas, born January 11, 1779 ; Reuben, September 18, 1780, died April 19, 1791 ; Elisha, September 29, 1782 ; Nathan, July 25, 1784 ; Elixabeth, September 1, 1786 ; John, mentioned below ; Silas, December 14, 1790, died May 5, 1807 ; Allen, June 3, 1793 ; Phebe, September 28, 1798.
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[Identifies Asa as a son of Thomas Hall and Rebecca Story and husband of Sophia White.]

[Last accessed 20130707. Digital image of land grant available.]
1786 18 Dec - Asa Hall, a/o Matthew Hammon, a/o Alexander Clagg. For 35 shillings, 277 acres on Monongalia River at the mouth of Buffaloe Creek, adjoining Saml Bowen. [CRS. Land survey, 12 Jun 1785.]
Source: Land Office Grants No. 7, 1786-1787, p. 332 (Reel 73).

[p 13 - Letter from Hon. E. B. Hall, SANTA BARBARA, CAL., Dec. 26, 1878.]
... Asa, the next eldest, married a Miss White, and settled a on the farm at Barnesville, Marion county, as it now is, and lived here till his death. ...

[p 16 - Letter from James Hall (son of Jordan Hall). Browntown, Harrison Co., W. VA., Aug., 20, 1884.]
... Asa died January 9, 1815 ...

[p 30 - ]
ASA HALL, the second child, and eldest son, of Thomas and Rebecca Hall, was born in the State or Delaware, January 20, 1758. He married, March 26, 1778, Sophia, daughter of James and Margaret White. Two children wore born to them before they came west. He soon came from Cheat river, and bought a tract of land containing five hundred acres, at the mouth of Buffalo creek. The price paid was 25 cents an acre, and payment was made with a horse, gun, a pair of leggings, and a pair of saddlebags. The same tract which is now owned by S. W. Hall, J. Q. A. Meredith, J. R. Fleming, J. F. Barns, Wm. E. Miller, and others. He built a large log house near the present site of the Jones house, where he lived until he died.

Very little information is to be had of the children of the second generation. They were happy and contented in their new homes, and did not think it worthwhile to while to leave any written account of their lives, or ancestors. Asa Hall, and several neighbors, met and studied the Bible, and taught each other to read and write. They met in an old house, known as the Beall schoolhouse, on Sundays. He died, suddenly, June 9, 1815. His wife survived him, and died, August 25, 1818. They both rest in the Jones cemetery, and suitable tombstones mark the spot. Before children her death, she aided her children in preparing and publishing a record of the family prior to 1816, a fac simile of which appears under this cover.

Mrs. Margaret White, the mother of Asa Hall’s wife, came to the West with the party that emigrated, and made her home at her daughter's. She was born in Philadelphia. One daughter married Elisha Bratton, who, for a while, lived near Morgantown. Asa Hall named his son, Elisha, for him. We know no more of the Brattons. Mrs. White died, April 21, 1796, and is buried in the Jones cemetery. She was in her 80th year.

Asa Hall sunk a well near his house, which was allowed to fill up, after being used for many years. It has but lately been opened up.