... William Henry the first, married, on January 27, 1788, Margaret Gassaway Watkins, daughter of Colonel Gassaway Watkins, of Revolutionary fame, by Dinah his wife. We do not know what Dinah’s last name was.
Margaret Gassaway Watkins was born November 15, 1760, so she was two years older than her husband. She died in 1829. We do not know much about her. My father told me that she was a great sufferer from neuralgia, and that for sixteen years before she died she was confined to her room, and could not have a breath of air in it. Even the doors and windows had to be stuffed with cotton, to keep the air out. I have often heard my father say that he never understood how his grandfather, who was such a vigorous open-air person, could have slept in that room without any air for sixteen years.
The following children were born to this union:
Ann Hall, born November 4, 1788, died December 5, 1788.
John Gassaway Hall, born November 23, 1789, died January 23, 1790.
Harriet Hall, born February 25, 1792, died December 17, 1794.
Dinah Hall, born August 24, 1793, died November 23, 1794.
William Henry Hall, born February 10, 1796, died November 21, 1877.
Mary Ann Hall, born May 25, 1799, died June 11, 1799.
Thomas John Hall, born June 24, 1800, died October 30, 1880.
Gassaway Hall, born May 11, 1804, died December 19, 1804.
Elizabeth Hall, born September 7, 1805, died September 24, 1805.
My father always said there were twelve children, ten of whom died in infancy. I judge the other two died at birth and were not baptised. The two that survived infancy, certainly lived to ripe old ages. They evidently had all the vigor that should have belonged to the others. ...
