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.
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
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
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.
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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