1. Thomas, b. on Sabbath, January 11, 1779.---Family 9.
THOMAS HALL was born, January 11, 1779. He was born in Delaware, and was three years old when his father moved to the forks of Cheat river. He married Jane Bennett, February 21, 1799, and had by her six children, three boys and three girl. She died June 22, 1812, in giving birth to her seventh child. She was of a good family, who had settled on Ten-mile creek. Her parents were rather wealthy for that day. Her mother was a beautiful woman, and scrupulously neat in her housekeeping. Not being able to keep house without a wife, he was married again, February 18, 1813, to Elizabeth Stewart, the daughter of John and Mary (Robes) Stewart, of Stewart's run. By her he had four boys and four girls, making the large family of sixteen persons.
From the years of 1785 to 1799, he and his brothers, John, Nathan, Thomas Barns, and John Barns, sen., met on the farm of John Hall, on Sundays, for the purpose of learning to read and also to study the Bible, each one in turn teaching. From his l8th to 20th year, he made many trips to Winchester, Virginia, for the purpose of providing groceries and such other things as needed, taking maple sugar, linen, etc., for his purchases. In the year 1798, he joined the Presbyterian Church under Revs. Marshall and Dunlap, the missionaries here for that church. In the year 1815, he with Boaz Fleming and Jordan Hall, were ordained ruling elders, which he held until his death in the year 1869.
The son of a farmer, he at his first marriage, purchased a part of his father's farm, and for years followed that occupation. In the year 1828 he built a mill on his farm, opposite Houlttown, and for years occupied the position of miller. Being unable to further attend the mill, he hired John Hays and S. W. C. Davis (afterward postmaster at Mannington, West Virginia, for 20 years, to attend the mill. The mill becoming old and needing repairs, he abandoned it, and in the year 1852 it was swept away the great flood.
His hospitality was unbounded, and many who came, and had to wait for their grinding, were fed by him, the work oftentimes not making him half as much as he gave to them. His fine orchard did his family but little good, as it was free for all who chose to go and help themselves.
His second wife died December 23, 1848.
He died July 28, 1869, of erysipelas, aged 91. His funeral was attended by a large concourse of relatives and friends. Rev. James E. Snowden, of the Methodist Protestant Church, officiated at the funeral, the Presbyterian minister being absent. He is buried in the Jones cemetery. Following is a part of the obituary published in the Fairmont paper: AMr. Hall was one among our oldest citizens---an honorable, upright, christian gentleman. Having lived out more than the average complement of years allotted to man, he was willing to answer the summons; and has passed to the tomb! Morsomnibus communis.
He was attended in his last illness by his faithful maiden daughters Rachel and Harriet.
His farm of 160 acres was sold to John Q. A. Meredith, Esq., who now resides upon it. Near the house is a magnificent spring, known all over this section as the Hall spring. The flow of water is abundant and the quality is superb.
