Friday, May 30, 2014

First Records Found of Claiborne Hall


Here are the first records I have for my ancestor Claiborne Hall.  Note he is listed as addressee of a letter with Nathan Hall as early as 12 January 1810.  This indicates to me perhaps a family member out of the area may have been contacting them.    These letters continue through 1813.  Sure wish I knew who wrote these letters, however, note that Thomas Hall first appears in Smith County records in 1813 and then the letters stop!   More on Thomas in a later post. 
 
 
 
1787-1789         Birth in VA, date indicated by age in census records of Smith Co. TN.

                        1850 census - he was 61 years old; 1860 census - he was 72 years old;

                        1870 census - he was 82 years old.  All birthplaces listed as VA. 

 
The first record I have located of him is in Smith County, Tennessee dated 12 January 1810. 

Carthage Gazette, 12 January 1810, from www.genealogybank.com
A list of letters remaining in the Post Office, Carthage, T. which if not taken before the 1st of April next, will be sent to the General Post Office as dead letters: Nathan or Claibourne HALL

Carthage Gazette,18 April 1811, from www.genealogybank.com
A list of letters remaining in the Post Office, Carthage, which if not taken out before the 31st of June next, will be sent to the General Post Office as dead letters: HALL, Nathan and Claiborne

Carthage Gazette, 25 April 1811, from www.genealogybank.com
A list of letters remaining in the Post Office, Carthage, which if not taken out before the 31st of June next, will be sent to the General Post Office as dead letters: HALL, Nathan and Claiborne

27 December 1811  - Claiborne HALL signed an affidavit in 1872 regarding a marriage that occurred on 27 December 1811of James ALEXANDER to Elizabeth HOOVER in Smith Co.TN.  William HAYNIE, Jr., age 80 also signed an affidavit on 29 November 1872 as to the marriage.  HAYNIE indicates he was also a War of 1812 pensioner, having served in Capt. Anthony METCALF’s Company.   

State of Tennessee

County of Smith

On this 5th day of December 1872 personally appeared before me the undersigned a Justice of the Peace in and for said County and State Claiborne Hall, aged eighty four years, whom I certify to be a resident of the County and State above given and credible and entitled to full faith and credit and who being sworn as to his statement in regard to the marriage of James Alexander and Elizabeth Hoover who now applies for pension under Act of Feby 14, 1871 by virtue of the services of James Alexander: -- says – I was well acquainted with James Alexander – knew him before the War of 1812 and a good many years afterwards – heard of his marriage and suppose sometime after it happened but have no recollection as to the date – I know the fact of marriage was never questioned or doubted among the acquaintances of Alexander nor by any one else that I ever heard of, I am certain in my recollection as to their being regarded as married ever since the war and always so lived so long afterwards as I knew them.  I know the above from living some 4 miles from where Alexander and wife lived.  I am not interested in this claim directly or indirectly.

Attest  John L Young                                                              his

                                                                                        Claiborne   X   Hall

            W. E. Payne                                                                            Mark

Sworn to and subscribed before me this 5th day of December 1872 and I further certify that I am not interested in this claim directly or indirectly and that the foregoing affidavit was read over and understood by the affiant before signing.

                                                                                    J. E. Haynie JP

                                                                                    For Smith County
I am intrigued by this affidavit as this is someone that Claiborne knew James Alexander before the War of 1812.  Is there a family connection?  Who is James Alexander and where did he come from?  The fact that the Alexanders lived in Rutherford County (from other affadavits) for many many years and they knew that Claiborne was still living in 1872 tells me the families obviously kept in contact.  There are some Halls in Rutherford County that "could" be related - discussion later blog.    William Haynie, Jr. who signs the other affidavit is listed in 1820 as the father of a bastard child by one Jane Hall whom I suspect is a sister of Claiborne and Nathan. 
 
 
Carthage Gazette, 23 July 1813, from www.genealogybank.com

List of Letters remaining in the Post Office at Carthage, Tenn., on the first of July, 1813, which if not taken out before the first day of September next, will be returned to the General Post Office as dead letters: Nathan or Claiborne HALL

NOTE: The fact that there were at least four letters addressed to Claiborne and/or Nathan HALL leads credence to the fact that they were brothers.  As they were young men in the late teens or early twenties at this time, it is believed family members were writing to them.  Why were they living apart from their families? 

Both Claiborne and Nathan HALL married HEROD sisters.  Claiborne HALL married Elizabeth HEROD before 1810 as evidenced by the fact they had a daughter age 10 and under 16 in the 1820 census.  Nathan HALL married (Nancy) Frances HEROD before 1812.  Nathan and Frances’ r only known child Louisianna HALL was born about 1812. 

Elizabeth and (Nancy) Frances HEROD were daughters of Revolutionary War soldier William HEROD.  William HEROD was born on 25 December 1748 (New Style) in Overwharton Parish, Stafford Co., Virginia, the son of John and Mary HEROD.  William HEROD served in the Revolutionary War from Stafford Co.  In 1792 he moved to Spotsylvania Co. Virginia and purchased 150 acres there on Pigeon Run.  He sold this 150 acres in 1808 and removed to Smith Co. Tennessee.  (I have additional documentation on his life).   William HEROD resided in Smith Co. TN in what was called Herod’s Crossroads on Peyton’s Creek.  This area later became known as Pleasant Shade.  HEROD died on 4 March 1836 and was buried on his farm.  A conflict over his will went to the Supreme Court of Tennessee in 1838 (Source: Middle Tennessee Supreme Court Records, Box 56, Tennessee State Library and Archives, Nashville.)  

According to an interview with Smith County historian Carmack KEY on 26 October 1989, Nathan HALL and Claiborne HALL were brothers.  This man was a walking encyclopedia on early Smith County families.  He knew exactly where Claiborne Hall lived and that his daughter Susan had five children but never married!  He also indicated his belief that the young men married the HEROD sisters in Smith County Tennessee though early marriage records of that period do not survive. 
The question is how did Claiborne and Nathan HALL get to Smith County, Tennessee as there is no apparent parent for them there.  Why did they come and with whom?  Who was writing to them? 

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