Some of this has been posted before but putting together here to analyze.
1) Charlton HALL
This is an
interesting sidelight. The 23 December 1802
session of the Smith County
Court showed the administration of
the estate of Elizabeth HALL with William WALTON appointed administrator. During the same court session, guardians were appointed for two minor children: Joel DYER
was appointed guardian for six-year-old Reuben
HALL and Isaac JOHNS was appointed guardian for nine-year-old Margaret HALL. DYER was to teach Reuben HALL the
blacksmith trade. It seems almost
certain
that Elizabeth HALL was the mother
of these two children and that their father may have already been deceased.
Question:
So who was the husband of Elizabeth HALL and father of Reuben and Margaret
HALL? The only real possibility seems to have been Charlton HALL.
Smith County, Tennessee was formed
in 1798 from Sumner County. The 1798 tax list of Sumner County Tennessee lists Charlton Hall in “A list of the free
tithable inhabitants in the districts of
Captain WILIAMS, BRADLEY’s, MURRY’s, CARR’s & HARPOLE’s Companies. (this is the area of county that became Smith
Co. in 1799).
Charlton HALL’s name (spelled
Charleton) does appear on the 30 September 1799 petition of Sumner County residents asking the state
legislature to create a new county (which
became Smith). The names Joel DIER and
Joel DYER, Jr. appear on this tax list as
well. The residents are identified as
eastwardly of Rocky Creek. The petition discusses the difficulties of traveling 60
-70 miles to court, etc.
Presly, David
Hardison, Gabriel
Cage, Wilson
Young, Samuel
Carr, William
Stephenson, William
Hall, Charelton
Cooper, John
Gwin, James
Strain, James
Sulyvan, Isom
Sulyvan, Daniel
Miles, John
Dancey, Henry
Hensley, Charles
Cooper, James
Hensley, Harmon
Fisher, James
Fisher, John
Johnson, James
Stratton, Owen
Box, Isaac
Box, Stephen
Sadler, Henry
Bower, Richard
Enochs, Shadrick
Furgerson, Alex
Burk, John
Eubanks, William
Galbraith, W.
Dyer, Joel Jr.
Morgan, James
Dier, Joel [Dyer]
Chambers, John
Chambers, James
Loving, William
NOTE: I excerpted those around HALL and DYER – there are
many others but Charlelton HALL is the only with surname HALL.
Charlton
HALL’s name does NOT appear in the 1799 Smith County Tax list but it is curious
that Joel DYER’s entry that years has two white polls.
1799 Tax List, Smith Co. TN,
Tennessee State Library and Archives, Nashville
“A
list of Capt. Jas. BELEW’s Company their taxable property and poles for the
year 1799
David
COCHRAN – 2 black poles
Joel
DYER – 2 white poles; 2 black poles
James
MORGAN – 1 white pole
(all
these are consecutive)
I
have found NO other references at this point to Charlton HALL in Sumner County
or Smith County records.
Question:
So how did Charlton HALL get to Sumner Smith County, Tennessee? He seems to have come from South Carolina
(See Reuben HALL entries later). Who did
he come with?
Question:
So what happened to the children Margaret and Reuben HALL?
2)
Margaret HALL, born ca. 1793
Margaret
HALL’s guardian Isaac JOHNS died on 2 February 1809 at age 32 according to the
11 February issue of the Carthage Gazette. If she was nine years old in 1802, that
gives an approximate birthdate of 1793 for Margaret. Isaac JOHNS’ widow Anne WEST then remarried
to Jonathan KEY
Unsure
if this is the same Margaret HALL
11 May
1809 Carthage Gazette and Friend of the People, Thursday, May 11, 1809,
Vol. I, No. 22
A
list of letters remaining in the Post office at Lebanon on the first day of
April which if not taken out against the first of July, will be sent to the
General Post Office as dead letters.
Margaret
HALL
NOTE: Unsure if this is the same
Margaret HALL
Assuming
Margaret remained in Smith County, in checking the 1850 census, the match that
most easily fits is Margaret BEASLEY, age 57, born Virginia. She was the widow of Johnson BEASLEY who died
1847 in Smith County. She is listed as
Margaret BEASLEY, age 69, born Virginia, living in District 3 of Smith County
in the 1860 census. She is not there in 1870.
Some
Ancestry.com trees show the wife of Johnson BEASLEY as a Margaret “Peggy” GREEN
but they are unsourced. There are some GREENs
in Smith County but they do not seem to live anywhere near Johnson BEASLEY (in
1840 census or on the 1837 or 1838 tax lists – District 3 where he lived)
Another
theory for Margaret is proposed by Mary PAYNE (mwpaynetexas@yahoo.com). She suggest that after Isaac JOHNS’ death in 1809,
that perhaps Margaret HALL was married to Andrew PAYNE. That would explain why PAYNE was appointed
guardian to Reuben HALL when he was classified as a lunatic in 1835. This theory does have some plausibility. After the death of Isaac JOHNS, his widow Anne
WEST JOHNS married Jonathan KEY who was a near neighbor of Claiborne HALL. This
would make Margaret HALL the mother of Eusibius PAYNE, born ca. 1816 and
William PAYNE, born ca. 1812.
Mary
PAYNE suggests perhaps the 1830 census entry for Andrew PAYNE would be
explained in this fashion: 2 males 15 and under 19 (Eusibius, age 14 and
William, age 18); 1 male 40 and under 50 (Andrew, age 43); 1 female 30 and
under 40 (Margaret HALL age 37); 1 female 40 and under 50 (widowed wife Anna
BRIGGS of Collison PAYNE who would be age 47 is the same age as Collison); 1
female 50 and under 59 (Anne WEST JOHNS KEY, age 53 who was by now widowed from
her second husband Jonathan KEY who died in 1827). If this is Margaret HALL, she must have died
by 1840 census as Andrew PAYNE is now living alone.
Andrew
PAYNE’s son Eusibius PAYNE who died in 1840 is believed to have been the father
of Eusibius P. HALL, born 1838, to Susan Matilda HALL, daughter of Claiborne
HALL. Another of Claiborne HALL’s daughters Rebecca D. HALL (1822- 1907)
married Allen PIPER. PIPER purchased
land adjoining Andrew PAYNE in the 1840s (See Smith County, Tennessee Deed Book
P, pages 487-488 and Smith County Tennessee Deed Book Q, page 179. Interestingly, PIPER also owned land bordered
by Johnson BEASLEY. (above Book Q Deed, plus Deed Book T, page 234).
There
is an 1838 courtcase in Smith Co. in the loose papers at TN State
Archives
(microfilm)
or originals in Carthage in which Eusibius PAYNE and William M. PAYNE
sue
Boling HIGH, Allen PIPER and many others. (Smith Co. TN Loose Chancery
Records,
Box 36, # 1776). In the case, it states their father Andrew PAYNE became
very
much
embarrassed in October last (1837), absconded, left the county privately
leaving a
good
deal of property both real and personal but not enough for the payment of near
all
his
debts. Attachments were issued by many of his creditors. In
November 1838, a
record
in the file indicates that Eusibius PAYNE was living in Bradley County out of
the
Chancery
District. Andrew PAYNE was found living alone (age 40 - 50) in the 1840
census
of Bradley Co. TN - page 40, line 6.
Eusibius
PAYNE died by April 1840 supposedly leaving no issue. However, an
illegitimate
child would not have been an heir. His brother William M. was appointed
administrator
of his estate in Smith County - Smith Co. TN County Court Minutes, April
Term
1840, dated 6 April 1840, Book 17, page 452.
I
think this may be Andrew in the 1850 census - 1850 U.S. Census, Warren Co. TN,
14
Civil
District, page 55 (stamped), page 109 (written), lines 12 - 15, dwelling 718,
familiy
718
- Andrew PAINE, 54, Laborer, born NC; Ann, 40, born VA; Joel, 4, born TN; Susan
M.,
1, born TN. A birthdate of 1796 would make Andrew about 18 in 1814 -
still young
but
I suppose more plausible.
See
this link:
http://www.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~tnsmith/service/gillaspie_william_pension.htm
- this
indicates
Ann GILLESPIE, widow of Mexican War veteran William P. GILLESPIE
married
Andrew PAYNE of Warren Co. TN on 16 Sept 1847 in Warren Co. TN. Her maidn name was ADCOCK.
Andrew
PAYNE was listed as age 83 in the 1870 census of Warren Co. TN.
Some
have Andrew PAYNE as the son of John PAYNE who died 1821 in Smith County. Some have his first wife as Anna PHILLIPS and
show a death date for her of 1837 however I have found no source citation for
this.
Question:
Was Margaret HALL the wife of Johnson BEASLEY, Andrew PAYNE, or neither of
these men?
3)
Reuben HALL, born ca. 1796 South Carolina
Reuben HALL teasingly is in various
HALL related records in Smith County, Tennessee.
Joel DYER was appointed his guardian
– This is the Joel DYER who had earlier owned the
land which becomes Claiborne HALLs land in 1812.
Joel DYER was buried in Dyer Cemetery
about ¼ mile from
Courthouse
in Carthage, Tennessee. His stone as
copied in 1937
read:
Joel
DYER, Born in N.C., Died in Carthage, Nov. 14, 1856.
Served
in Legislature in 1809. Senate in 1815 -
1821.
Erected
by Matilda V. JAMES, 1856.
Mrs.
Mary H. DYER, wife of Joel DYER, Daughter of Daniel
BURFORD
and Elizabeth HAWKINS. Born Oct. 14,
1779?
Died
Dec. 11, 1806. Erected by Matilda JAMES,
1856
This Joel DYER is believed to have
been the son of John DYER who died in 1799 in Christian
Co. KY. He may have had a brother named
Charlton DYER (born 1780
VA) who lived in Grainger County. I
have always felt this was a significant clue but
have never been able to put it to
any valuable use in tracing the HALL line backward.
In
1819, Reuben HALL sued Joel DYER (County Court Minutes, 1819 – 1820, page 137).
As HALL failed to show up to prosecute the suit, it is dropped. Yet it brings up an intriguing question – he
would now be 23 years old and no longer apprenticed to Joel DYER. Was he unhappy about something that had happened? Did DYER not properly provide for him?
In
1822, Reuben HALL has a note listed as owed to the Jeremiah BOWEN estate. Nathan HALL also had a note which he owed to
the estate.
On
17 March 1824, Reuben HALL along with Isham AKIN witnessed a deed in Smith
County from Richard TAYLOR to Joseph TAYLOR for land on the road from Carthage
to Dixon Springs. Richard TAYLOR owned
land in the county adjoining Claiborne HALL.
He
is not in the 1820 census as head of household but is in 1830 with one male 30
and under 40; 1 female under 5; 2 females 5 and under 10; 1 female 20 and under
30. He may have been the male 16 and under 26 in the 1820 census household of
Joel DYER in Smith County.
See
below. In 1835, the court appointed
Andrew PAYNE as a guardian for Reuben HALL who was declared a lunatic. Wondering
what these circumstances were as HALL was nearly 40 years old by this time with
children.
2
September 1835 Smith County,
Tennessee, Roll 44, County Clerk Minutes, Vol. 15,
February
1834 - November 1835, page 587, Tennessee State
Library
and Archives, Nashville
On
Motion Andrew PAYNE is appointed guardian to Reuben HALL,
a
Lunatic, who came into court and together with Samuel HOWARD
and
A. B. HUBBARD, his securities, entered into bond in the sum
of three hundred dollars
conditioned as the law directs.
30 Nov.
1835 Smith County, Tennessee County Clerk Minutes,
1799-1804,
1835,
WPA Transcript, page 194. Microfilm
V202, Roll 78
On
motion ordered that Andrew PAYNE be released from all
further
liability as Guardian of Reuben HALL, after he settle his
guardianship
and return also the effects in his hands belonging
to
the said HALL to him.
Here
is his entry in the 1840 Smith County census records:
1840
Census Smith
County, Tennessee, page 296
Reuben
HALL
1
male 5 and under 10, 1 male 30 and under 40, 2 females 10 and
under
15, 1 female 15 and under 20, 1 female 20 and under 30,
Total
- 6, 2 employed in agriculture
NOTE:
Reuben HALL was living next door to William HEROD
and
three households away from Peter HEROD, sons of William
HEROD,
Sr.
In
1847, Reuben HALL, who said he was about 51 years of age testified in the court
case of Leonard BALLOW etal. vs. Green PROCTOR etal. He indicated he lived within ¼ mile of L. D.
and Ann BALLOW for over two years, over ½ of that time within sight. His
testimony centered around the treatment of a negro girl named Rose. Peter HEROD,
brother of Elizabeth HEROD HALL, wife of Claiborne HALL, also testified in the
case, stating he was a neighbor of the couple.
By
1850, Reuben HALL had for some unknown reason moved his family to Taylor
County, West Virginia (still Virginia) at that time. He seems to have died between 1850 and
1860. See below pertinent information.
1850 Census Taylor
County, Virginia (later West Virginia), page 199 (stamped), 63rd
District – Enumeration date – 26 August
1850, dwelling 646, family 650
Ruben
HALL 54 m Farmer South
Carolina
May 45 f Virginia
Elizabeth
23 f Tennessee
att sch
Margarett 21 f Tennessee att sch
May 18 f Tennessee
att sch
Thomas 16 m Laborer Tennessee
att sch
Ruben 10 m Tennessee
att sch
1860 Census of Taylor County, Virginia, page 671 lists Sarah HALL, 55
$250 personal estate VA; Margt, 30
VA; Reuben, 18, Farm
Laborer, VA. This appears to be the
widow and children of Reuben HALL. (household 1254, family 1208, post office –
Prunytown)
West Virginia Deaths Index, 1853-1973, www.ancestry.com–
Mary HALL, age 78, birthplace – Virginia; place of
Death – Taylor County, West Virginia;
Occupation
– H.keeping, Married, White, female, parents – PRIM, cause – paralysis,
Spouse’s
name – Reuben, infrormant – Edith HALL, daught-erin-law
Mary HALL, 78, VA VA VA, resided with widowed
daughter-in-law Edith HALL in 1880 census of Booth’s Creek District, Taylor
County, West Virginia. Adjoining household is Thomas HALL, 46, TN, both parents
born VA.
Reuben W. HALL died 13 January 1879 in Taylor Co.
WV, age 37, consumption, born Tennessee, merchant, consort of Edith HALL,
parents – Reuben and Mary HALL, informant – E. HALL, wife.
Reuben W. HALL, born Oct 1841; died 13 January 1879
is buried in Harmony Grove Cemetery, Grafton, Taylor Co. WV with wife Edith
DUNHAM (Jan 1842 – Dec 1920). Among
other HALLs in this cemetery is William T. HALL (likely Thomas of 1850 census),
born Feb 20, 1834; Died Sept. 26, 1905 with wife Malinda J. Born June 6, 1837;
Died Jan. 26, 1916.
Taylor Co. VA marriage records show Thomas HALL, 23,
son of Reuben and Mary, marrying Malinda Jane COFFMAN, age 21, daughter of
Michael and Elizabeth COFFMAN, on 14 May 1857.
Taylor Co. VA marriage records show Reuben W. HALL,
age 23, son of Reuben and Mary HALL, marrying
Edith DUNHAM, age 22, daughter of R. F. and Harriet DUNHAM on 8 Dec. 1864.
William T. HALL gives his father’s birthplace in
1900 census as South Carolina.
The
record provides us with several things – the maiden name of Reuben’s wife –
Mary PRIM. The names of his children. And very significantly, the birthplace
for Reuben of South Carolina! Oddly enough, I have not found PRIMs in the
records of Smith County to date.
4)
John HALL and wife Susannah
As early as 1800, there was a John
HALL and wife Susannah who were members of Dixon’s
Creek Baptist Church. For complete timeline, see my blog post of 7 August
2019.
It is important to note that
Isaac JOHNS who was appointed guardian of Margaret
HALL, likely daughter of Charlton
and Elizabeth HALL, in 1802 was the son of
Benjamin JOHNS who was a prominent
member of this church! Josiah RUCKS
was the father of Elijah TONEY’s
first wife Mary. William PARKER (probably
William, Jr.) was the chain carrier
for surveys of Thomas HALL’s land in 1815.
William LANKFORD who is mentioned in
the minutes of this church was likely
William LANGFORD, the other Thomas
HALL chain carrier.
Question: John HALL and wife
Susannah were dismissed by letter in June 1800.
Did they leave the area? Where did they go? Was he the John HALL mentioned
in Vernon RODDY’s book as an inhabitant
of Smith County in 1803?
Question: Who is the Sally HALL who
joined the church in 1801?
Question: Who is the S. HALL who
joined the Hogan’s Creek Baptist Church in
1802 when many individuals from
Dixon’s Creek started a church in that area
(closer to where Claiborne HALL
lived). Note slaves of William WALTON
joining
Hogan’s Creek Church. WALTON was
administrator of Elizabeth HALL’s 1802
estate.
Question: How is John HALL connected
to the family of Claiborne HALL? To
that of Charlton HALL?
Since it seems that Jane and Sarah HALL
may have been born in Georgia ca. 1790s/
1805, it doesn’t stand to reason
that this John HALL would be their father.
