Person:Festus Hall (1)

... Mr. [William A.] Hall was born on the farm
which he now owns and operates, March 2, 1853, a son of Festus
and Maria (Abernathy) Hall, natives of the state of Ohio. Festus
Hall was engaged in agricultural pursuits throughout a long and
active career, principally in Rush county, where he was the owner
of 400 acres of valuable and productive land. He was also a man
of prominence and influence in his community, and in 1858 was
elected as representative of his district to the state legislature, in
which he served capably for one term, during which there was a
special session of the House. He at all times discharged faithfully
the highest duties of citizenship and friendship, and was accord-
ingly greatly esteemed among his fellow citizens. He and his wife
were the parents of five children, three of whom survive, J. Chal-
mers, Frank L. and William A. Two died in infancy. ...
After his father [Festus] died, in 1880, ....

MARIA AMANDA Abernathy ... m. Festus Hall June 17, 1845. He was son of Samuel Avery Hall. 5 children, viz:
423. Eucebeus Hall, b. Feb. 2, 1847; d. Feb. 15, 1847.
424. John Chalmers Hall, b. Oct. 10, 1850; m. Sept. 2, 1880, to Charlotte Elizabeth Barton. One child +.
425. William Abernathy Hall, b. Mar. 2, 1853; unmarried; resides near Knightstown, Ind., on the family homestead.
426. Frank Lucas Hall, b. May 18, 1856; unmarried; resides in Kansas City, Mo.
427. Harriet Lavinia Hall, b. May 5, 1859; d. Jan. 24, 1863.

Indiana
Rush County 1879
J. H. Beers, 1879

Festus Hall, son of Samuel A. and Allida (Hoes) Hall, was born in Jackson County, Ohio, February, 1808. He married Maria A. Abernathy, June 17, 1845. Maria is the daughter of John and Lavinia (Logan) Abernathy, natives of Virginia. Mr. Hall's father was a native of Connecticut, near New Haven. He came to Ohio in 1790; here he remained thirty-three years, and afterward moved to Hancock County, where he died in 1835. Festus, at the age of twentv-two, entered eighty acres of land in Hancock County, and purchased eighty acres of land in Rush County. He bought and sold several times, and in 1855 he bought the farm on which he resided during the rest of his life, having built a most comfortable and commodious brick residence in 1870. When a lad, the subject of this sketch had but few advantages for securing an education, the pioneer school house and the teacher of those days were not always sufficient to inspire the young people with much zeal for prosecuting their studies. In 1829, Mr. Hall attended a short term of school in Rushville, and while there witnessed the execution of Swanson. In 1858, he was the Republican candidate for Representative from Rush County and was elected by a decided majority. He was in the Legislature with Dr. Stanley Cooper, of Noble Township, this county.

His children are :
- Eusebius (deceased),
- John Chalmers,
- William A.,
- Frank L. and
- Hattie Lavinia (deceased).

Mrs. Hall's father and mother came to Rush County, Center Township, in 1839, and owned the farm just south of the Soldiers' Orphans' Home, known as the Abernathy farm, which now belongs to the estate of Festus Hall. In 1838, he was tax collector for Rush County, and traveled about from house to house collecting the taxes. On January 3, 1880, our subject laid down the battle of life, having been in delicate health for several months. He had served his time and his people well, was universally respected, a kind neighbor and a good friend. His widow, and son William still live on the old farm, made hallowed by so many cherished memories.

[Includes headstone photo]