Person:James Hall (102)

James Hall - Parents

• cos1776 note: It has long been thought that the parents of James Hall are DAR Patriot A049540 Thomas Hall and Nancy (Bartlett) Chinn. Hopefully this is true, BUT solid evidence for this relationship has yet to be presented here. One of the goals of this research is to either prove or disprove this family connection and settle this question.

Working Timeline

1788 - Fayette County, VA (later KY) - father (Thomas Hall) is on Tax List

1790 - Harrison County, VA ^1,3 - James Hall is born

1810 - Harrison County, VA - James Hall marries Mary Johnstone, d/o Corp. Peter Johnston ²

per Family Bible ³, he was a Methodist Minister and there were 9 children born

1820 - Harrison County, VA - son Thomas Hall is born and supposed dau Minerva Hall is born

Note: something troubling here ... from dates attached to them, Thomas and Minerva were born 8 1/2 months apart! More research needed.

1821 - Decatur County, IN - Rev. James Hall locates in Fugit Township. ⁴

Note: A Robert Hall of Nicholas County, KY settles there as well. He is NOT related!. He is the son of Family:James Hall and Elizabeth Johnston (1) who are originally from Rowan County, NC, whose children owned large tracts of land and slaves in Kentucky and Indiana. However, note that the parent's surnames are the same as our family which has caused considerable confusion over the years.

1825 - Unknown County, KY - dau Amanda Hall is born

1830 - Decatur County, IN⁵ - POSSIBLE MATCH

1830 - Montgomery County, KY - son Amos Hall is born

The father of Rev. James Hall is known to be living in Montgomery county, KY, so perhaps wife Mary gave birth there.

1832 - Montgomery County, KY - Rev. James Hall dies.^2,3 Aged 42 years.

• if true, then he pre-deceased his father (d. 1836)
• in her Bible, dau in law Emily (Sutton) Hall wrote that his last words were, "All is well. All is well." This must have been told to her (perhaps by her husband), because she never met Rev. James Hall or his wife Mary.
• Emily also wrote that he was buried "in Shilo Cemetery on Kingston River". A stone has not been found. Caution: there are numerous Shilo(h) Cemeteries that could be a candidate. Research in progress.

Additional Research Questions

Research Notes on Rev. James Hall

• 1st Note of Caution: Not to be confused with Methodist Rev. James Hall of the Genesee Conference (NY/PA), who was also born in 1790, but in Vermont.

• 2nd Note of Caution: Not to be confused with Presbyterian Rev. James Hall who was authorized to preach the gospel in the Natchez country (Mississippi) in May 1800. He appears to have been from SC.

• In the Autobiography of Rev. W.B. Godbey, p17, there is a story about Methodist circuit rider Rev. James Hall who had been given the entire state of Kentucky as his circuit by Bishop Asbury at the Baltimore Conference (no dates given). There is also a nice story about James Hall saving the deceased baby of a Roman Catholic family from purgatory and eventually converting the family to Methodism. Is this our guy?

• Needs more investigation: photo of "James Hall" [1] and Nancy Hall and Lizzie Hall Taylor in Lyle Family Photographic Collection at KY Digital Library. The Lyles were a Presbyterian family of ministers in early Kentucky.

Was James Hall Married to Nancy Prunty before Mary Johns(t)on(e)?

• A marriage record exists for James Hall and Nancy Prunty in Harrison, West Virginia on 15 Nov 1810, approximately one month prior to his documented marriage to Mary Johnson.
  • Possible clue: Here is an OLT for a Nancy Prunty, b. 14 Feb 1793, Harrison, (W)Va]. The OLT documents that she married Edward J. Fleming on 12 Nov 1810 in Harrison co. (Clarksburg, Harrison County, West Virginia, Bk. 2 Pg. 363) -- 3 days prior to the James Hall record above -- so it doesn't seem that it could be the same Nancy. BUT - what is also interesting about this Nancy is that her father's mother was supposedly a Hall, namely Mary M. Hall (1718- ), wife of Barnabas Prunty of County Down, Ireland.
  • Does the James Hall/Nancy Prunty record belong to the same James Hall? And, if so, what happened? Needs further research.

Is this a child of James Hall?

• A probate record exists for a James Hall who died in Decatur, Indiana in 1848. (17 Feb 1848 Decatur County, Indiana Probate Order Book F, p 369). Jacob Anspach administered the estate. Richard Ayers was listed as his security. The widow relinquished her right as administrator. Widow and/or children were not named. No further information.
  • Who is this James Hall? Is he a possible son of our James Hall? Known sons (Thomas, John and Amos) are documented as living nearby in Fugit, Decatur, so it is a possibility. Needs further research.

1. ↑ ^1.0 1.1 Nellie Scheidler Biser, Nat'l #: 463970, in Daughters of the Amercian Revolution.

   ... James Hall born on - - 1790 at _____ died at Montgomery Co KY on 16 - Mar - 1832.

2. ↑ ^2.0 2.1 Marriage , in West Virginia, United States. West Virginia Marriages, 1853-1970.

   "West Virginia Marriages, 1853-1970," index, FamilySearch, 2009. Digital images of originals housed in County Courthouses in various counties throughout West Virginia. Marriage records. FHL microfilm, Family History Library, Salt Lake City, Utah.
   -----
   groom: James Hall
   marriage type: Marriage
   marriage date: 11 Dec 1810
   marriage place: Harrison, West Virginia
   bride's father: Peter Johnstone
   bride's mother:
   groom's marital status: Unknown
   groom's previous wife:
   bride's marital status: Unknown
   bride's previous husband:
   film number: 847274
   digital folder number: 4011518
   image number: 227
   reference number: v 2 p 364
   source: County Records

   Marriage record of James Hall and Mary Johnson.
3. ↑ ^{3.0 3.1 3.2 3.3} Family Bible - Hall, Mrs. Patience Emily (Sutton).

   ..."James Hall was born in 1790-was married to Mary Johnson, who was near the same age. They lived in Harrison Co., West Virginia, until they moved with family of nine children to Montgomery Co., Ky. They lived there until his death, was buried in Shilo Cemetery on Kingston River. Died March 16, 1832. He lived a strictly honest life, always manifesting a strong faith in God. His last words were 'all is well, all is well.'
   
   Mary Hall, his wife, then moved to Rush Co., Indiana, then to Shelby Co. where she lived until her death Feb. 1844. She and her youngest son were buried the same month and the same cemetery (being Brandwine). The son's name was William, aged 12 years. Both died very sudden of diptheria. She often expressed the desire to depart and be with her loved husband and her Savior." ...
   -----
   [cos1776 note: Information was posted to rootsweb 20120417 by user:wardma. I have not verified it.]

4. ↑ Harding, Lewis Albert. History of Decatur County, Indiana: its people, industries and institutions, with biographical sketches of representative citizens and genealogical records of many of the old families. (Indianapolis [Indiana]: B. F. Bowen, 1915)
   122.

   ... During the spring and summer of 1820 the land in this county was surveyed by
   Col. Thomas Hendricks and in October of that year it was placed on sale at
   Brookville. However, before the land was formally opened for settlement the
   settlers began to pour in at a rapid rate. In the summer and fall of 1820,
   the following families located in what is now Fugut township:
   Seth Lowe
   William Custer
   George and Samuel Donnell
   James Saunders
   Nathan Lewis
   James and Moses Wiley
   Robert Hall
   Rev. James Hall
   David Stout
   Joseph Rankin
   John Bryson
   Adam Rankin
   William, Joseph and James Henderson
   Joseph A Hopkins. ...

5. ↑ POSSIBLE MATCH FOR REVIEW, in Decatur, Indiana, United States. 1830 U.S. Census Population Schedule. (Washington D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration Publication M19).

   1830; Census Place: Decatur, Indiana; Series: M19; Roll: 26; Page: 406; Family History Library Film: 0007715
   -----
   
Name: James Hall
Home in 1830 (City, County, State): Decatur, Indiana
Free White Persons - Males - 15 thru 19: 1 [b 1811-1815: son?]
Free White Persons - Males - 20 thru 29: 1 [b 1801-1810: James or another son?]
Free White Persons - Females - 15 thru 19: 1 [b 1811-1815: dau/DIL?]
Free White Persons - Under 20: 2
Free White Persons - 20 thru 49: 1
Total Free White Persons: 3
Total - All Persons (Free White, Slaves, Free Colored): 3 [i.e. no slaves]
   -----
   [Note: age shown here for James Hall is too young! Could be a mistake or it is the wrong guy.]