William Hall (1758 - 1844)

Born 25 Feb 1758 in Virginia

Descendants

Died 5 Apr 1844 at age 86 in Milton Township, Jefferson, Indiana, United States

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Biography

William Hall was a Virginia colonist.

William Hall is a DAR Patriot Ancestor, A049617.

William Hall is an NSSAR Patriot Ancestor.
NSSAR Ancestor #: 173335
Rank: Private

William Hall was an early pioneer in the Indiana Territory.

William was a Justice of the Peace.

It is not known where William was born, and surviving records do not agree as to his age. In 1820, William swore he was 67, hence born 1752/53. In 1835, he listed his age as 78, hence born 1756/57. The 1840 Federal Census for Jefferson County lists his age as 95, hence born 1744/45.

Hall was apparently the son of a Henry Hall. This is based on two pieces of evidence. On June 30, 1840, Phoebe Hall, widow of Richard Hall, son of Henry, swore that Richard lived in Washington County, Pa., when he enlisted. Phoebe’s statement says the couple married on Jan. 9, 1793 in Hamilton County, Ohio, and that he died on Dec. 20, 1821 in Clermont County. This is probably the same Richard Hall, who swore out an affidavit in 1821 in support of William’s Revolutionary War pension application of 1818. Richard was living in Clermont County, Ohio, at the time. This is also supported by the appearance of the name Henry in William’s family.

Service in the Revolutionary War

Hall swore on 15 Apr. 1835 in support of Levi House’s Revolutionary War pension application that he had known House since Hall was 13 or 14 years old, which would be in the late 1760s or early 1770s. When House enlisted, Hall lived on 10-mile creek in what is now Washington County, Pa. Hall enlisted in a company commanded by Capt. Swearingin in the 18th Regiment of the Pennsylvania line commanded by Col. Broadhead for 18 months. He does not state where he enlisted, but notes he was discharged at Fort Pitt. He was at the battles of Bunker, Hill White Plains, Fort Washington, Fort Lee, in the battle of Trenton, and also in the battles Brandywine and Paoli, under another enlistment. Details are not given about the latter. He served with Captain Long, in the 5th Pa. Regiment Continental army.

William's Affidavit in support of Levi House's application for a pension

State of Indiana, Jefferson County

Personally appeared before me, William M. Taylor, a Justice of the peace in & for the said County, William Hall aged 78 years who being first duly sworn says that he is well acquainted with Levi House. Been acquainted with him since this appliant was 13 or 14 years old. That when he was about that age they lived in the same neighborhood not far apart. Says said House is a little older than him, how much he does not know. Knows that said House served under Capt. Hook in his Calico Shirt Company & saw him march in said Company. The Company starts from 10 mile Creek where this deponent lived at the time, & where House lived, to go down over the mountains to join the Army, but did not go all the way. Were met by an express & sent back. The Indians were very bad at that time. This Affiant thinks the company was ordered back to Kap [?] Garrison to fight the Indians and to scout.

Saw House march in the company when they started on said expedition and talked with him and good many of the company that went with him that he known when they were starting about their going, saw him when he come back and served in the same company in the frontier scouting. Saw him oftentimes when in the service. Knows that he served until that company was discharged. Affiant does not recollect the certain length of time, Knows it was one year and how much more he is not able to say from his recollection. Affiant knows also that he was in Crawford's defeat. Heard said House talk about soon afterwards, & heard others say that House was in that defeat. This affiant had several relations killed in that defeat. Among the rest was Lieutant Ashby. This deponent does not remember other particulars at this time. Knows House to be a man of truth & veracity & further saith not.

his William X Hall mark

• Revolutionary War Pension W10072

HALL, William Born: (22 Dec) 1754 Died: April 15, 1844. Buried Demaree's graveyard. Government marker erected Manville Cemetery by John Paul Chapter DAR. Married: 1781, Sarah __ d. 1851 Children: John b. 1781; Elender b. 1786; Squire b 1789; Catherine, b. 1791; Elizabeth, b. 1793; Poly, b. 1795; Phebe, b. 1797; Nancy, b. 1799; Henry, b. 1801; Sarah 1805; William Standaford, __; Sarah b. 1811 Service: Enlisted in Capt. Long's Penn. Company; April or March 1778 in Capt. VanSwearingen's Company, Col. Broadhead's Penn Regt discharged after 18 months service. In Battles of Bunker Hill; White plains; Fort Washington; Fort Lee; Trenton; Brandywine and Paoli. Proof: Pension Claim W 10072. Collected by: John Paul Chapter, DAR^[1]

He was an early settler of Madison and Jefferson County, Indiana. The first settlement made in the river bottom near Madison was by William and John Hall in 1806 or 1807, a little above Isom Ross's tan-yard (purchased by Jonathan Lyon in 1808).^[2],^[3],^[4]

Little is known about his wife, Sarah. Her maiden name it not known, but she gave her marriage date as the spring of 1781 when she filed an affidavit shortly after Hall’s death in 1844. At that time, she said she was 82, placing her birth at 1761/62. The 1850 census gives her age as 95, or born 1764/65.

The Halls moved to Indiana by 1802, according to a number of documents. On July 5, 1802, three men were commissioned in the second Battalion of the second regiment of the Indiana Territory. A transcription shows the men were Captain William Hull, Lieutenant Coat Heath Picket, and Ensign John Hall. But the transcriptions are probably faulty because the middle man is Heathcoat/Heathcote Pickett, accepted as the earliest settler of Switzerland County. It seems like the two other men are Halls.

On Oct. 5, 1802, Capt. William Hall signed a petition supporting the land claims of George Ash, who lived in the Lamb area, almost upon the Jefferson County border. On Dec. 30, 1804, Capt. William Hall and John Hall signed a new petition in support of Ash.

William was promoted to major in the militia of the newly created Dearborn County on Aug. 1803. At that time, the area included all of modern Jefferson and Switzerland Counties. A Captain Israel Standaford, appointed the same day, could have been related to Aquilla Standaford who married William’s daughter Ellender.

The fact that his son John Hill married Elizabeth House in 1803 in Gallatin County, Ky., does not represent a problem to this account. Many early settlers married in Kentucky as the nearest seats of county government were in Clarksville and Lawrenceburg.

In 1807, William and son, John Hall, settled on bottomlands in Madison, in what became the small town of Fulton, which bordered Madison on the upstream side of the Ohio River. Territory records show Esquire Hall was named ensign in the Clark County militia on 17 March 1808. (Clark at that time included Jefferson County) Squire was named a lieutenant in the Jefferson County militia on 29 Nov. 1809.

William was commissioned a Justice of the Peace in Jefferson County, Indiana Territory on 4 March 1811.

After settling in Madison, they moved to the Ryker’s Ridge area. Federal land records show that on June 23, 1808, Squire and John Hall purchased 160 acres in Section 19, Twp. 4N Range 11E. Later, they moved to the area where Madison, Milton and Shelby Township are close together along the Dry Fork, which flows into the West Fork of the Indian-Kentuck, on Hall’s Ridge, which extends from Shelby into Milton Township and along the East Fork of the Indian-Kentuck Creek. Squire, William and John voted in Madison Township in an election held 1 Nov. 1813

William must have retired from farming by 1827 as he was listed on the Shelby Township tax list with one horse as his only taxable property.

William is found in the poll book as a voter in an election held in Shelby Township on the first Monday in August 1828.^[5]

The Halls were long-time members of the Baptist Church. They probably attended the Indian-Kentuck Baptist Church, which from its formation in 1814 until 1818 with the formation of Brushy Fork Baptist Church was the only church in the Indian-Kentuck Valley. However, only son, Henry Hall, and son-in-law, Zachariah Hall, can be found on the often-illegible Indian-Kentuck membership records. The Hall family was very active in the Milton Baptist Church, Milton Township, Jefferson County, which had two periods of operations, 1829-1836 and 1840-1883. Eliza Jane Hall is the only woman proven to have been a member of the first church, whose records do not survive. (The nine known male members were messengers to the Coffee Creek Baptist Association and later the Madison Baptist Association.) On the 1st Saturday April 1841, she showed the church a certificate to show her standing old church. She was received by relationship.

An account of the second church (author unknown) lists Sarah Hall, presumably wife of William, as one of the 14 members who embraced the church constitution on the 1st Saturday May 1840 at the home of Aaron Hankins. William was not a member, but a William Hall, probably the Rev. War Soldier, was received by baptism on the 1st Saturday July 1841. Henry Hall was a trustee and Jonathan Hall was singing Clerk and overall the Halls have the most numerous entries next to the Hankins, with whom several Halls intermarried.

Death and Burial

William and Sarah buried in the Demaree graveyard. Although William Hall's death date does not appear on a tombstone, it is recorded in the records of the former Milton Baptist Church. The church records states "we record the death of our beloved brother William Hall sen whom departed this life on the 5th of April 1844. All dates and succeeding notes here are in the DAR transcription.

William Hall’s death is listed in the minutes of the Milton Baptist Church, which notes “we record the death of our beloved brother William Hall sen whom departed this life on the 5th of April 1844.” According to Jefferson County Cemetery records, transcribed in the 1930s, William Hall is buried in the Demaree graveyard. This graveyard sits in what is now a field in roughly the center (SE1/4 of the NW1/4) Section 5 Twp. 4N Range 11E. However, there have been no stones in this graveyard since at least the 1950s, although part of one has been rediscovered and re-erected. The John Paul Chapter of the DAR placed a monument to Hall in the Manville Christian Church Cemetery.

Children of William and Sarah Hall

The Hall children are proven by a copy of the family Bible which was submitted in support of William’s Revolutionary War pension.

1. JOHN HALL (19 Dec. 1781-1850/60) He m. in 1803 in Gallatin County, Ky., Elizabeth House. They were listed in Shelby Township in 1850. She was probably the Elizabeth Hall received by Baptism 1st Saturday March 1841 at Milton Baptist Church. He was baptized on the 1st Saturday in March 1842. Their children are proved by a court record dated 18 Oct. 1853 (Jefferson County Complete Record B p. 325) when the estate of their son Isaac was authorized for distribution to Isaac’s siblings. John was taxed in 1827 and 1828 in Shelby Township for 160 acres of third-rate land, the SE 1/4 Sec. 27 Twp. 5N Range 11E which he had acquired by patent. He was also taxed for one poll and one horse in 1827 and for one poll and two horses in 1828. In 1831, he was taxed for the same land, two horses, two oxen, and one poll.

2. ELENDER HALL (b. 29 May 1786) She m. Aquilla Standaford. They left an orphaned son, William Standaford, who was raised by her parents. An Aquila Standford m. Anna Phillips on 21 Nov. 1819 in Washington County An Aquila Standaford m. Elizabeth Lockmiller on 12 Nov. 1846 in Harrison County Is it possible either of these are the same man? Given Elender’s birth date, their marriage would likely have occurred before 1811 when Jefferson County was created. Is it possible they were divorced or that only Ellender died while William was young?

3. SQUIRE HALL (13 Feb. 1789-3 March 1854) He m. Delila Underwood (18 May 1792-6 May 1829). Squire was an executor of James Underwood’s estate in Jefferson County 1822. In 1827, Squire was taxed in Shelby Township for one poll and 80 acres of second-rate land in the E1/2 SE1/4 Sec. 33 Twp. 5N Range 11E, which he had acquired by patent. He also owned one horse. In 1831, he was taxed for this land, along with 80 acres of third-rate land in the W1/2 SW1/4 Section 34, also acquired by patent.

Squire married in 1829 in Jefferson County, Sarah Lockridge. On 28 Oct. 1835 he and Sarah sold 80 acres in the E1/2 SE1/4 Sec. 33 Twp. 5N Range 11E and 130 acres in the W1/2 SW1/4 Sec. 24 to William, Polly, Henry, Sarah Ann, Nancy and Levi Hall for “natural love and affection” provided they look after Squire and Sarah. He may have acquired this land through Sarah as on 5 Sept. 1836 they similarly sold 50 acres in the same section to Eliza Cox and George Wilson and Thomas Lockridge, probably her children. Milton church minutes do not show when they joined the church. But Sarah Hall was excluded for unchristian conduct on the 1st Saturday in August 1843. Perhaps in response, Squire requested a letter of dismission on the fourth Saturday in September. Squire rejoined, but the date is not recorded, as he was accused of drunkenness and using bad language on the 4th Saturday in November 1845 and the church sent a committee to inquire. The case was laid over.

About the same time, he filed for a divorce against Sarah. (Complete Record O p. 637) On 5 July 1845, Squire related his complaint and Sarah responded. He complained she scolded him often, then left him, and refused to speak to him. She replied that she left because of his behavior. A lengthy record details their settlement of her dower rights to their land. She accused him of habitual drunkenness and beating her. His older children denied it.

Squire was brought up on a charge of drunkenness in January 1846 by the Milton Church. He was restored to membership after he acknowledged the report in February. But in March, the church received another complaint of his using bad language and of his drunkenness and he was expelled. He probably moved to Jennings County shortly after this time. Squire died in Jennings County On 18 March 1854 his heirs sold the rights to his two tracts in that county to their brother William Hall. This was the SE1/4 NE 1/4 Sec. 1 Twp. 7N Range 9E of 39.80 acres and the West end of SW1/4 NW1/4 Sec. 6, of 24 acres. Sarah, age 60, lived in a household in Madison in the 1850 census with a Thomas Lockridge, age 37, and a William Lockridge, age 4, in her household. She was born in Virginia.

4. CATHERINE HALL (b. 10 Apr. 1791) She probably died young. Her birth was listed in the family Bible, but no marriage or other record has been found.

5. ELIZABETH HALL (b. 9 Aug. 1793) She probably died young. Her birth was listed in the family Bible, but no marriage or other record has been found.

6. POLLY HALL (8 Nov. 1795/96-after 17 Aug. 1832) She m. on 16 March 1815 in Jefferson County, Zachariah Hall. He was taxed for on poll in Shelby Twp. in 1828. He was admitted by experience as a member of the Indian-Kentuck Baptist Church on the 2nd Saturday Aug. 1829. The church gave him a letter of dismission on the 2nd Saturday (didn’t copy month) 1830. Zachariah is not on the membership roll at Milton. In 1831, he was taxed for 17 acres of third-rate land in Madison Township in the North part of the NE1/4 Sec. 5 Twp. 4N Range 11E. They sold this 17 Acres to John Quinn on 17 Aug. 1832. (Jefferson County Deed Book M p. 84) Zachariah was not related to Polly's family, according to a biography of his son Richard Hall in the book “Representative and Prominent Men of Indianapolis and Vicinity.” No dates are given for his parents, but Richard’s sketch says that after he was born in 1823, both parents died while he was at an early age. There were only two children by this marriage, including John, who died without marrying. The sketch says that Zachariah’s family was German and not related to the William Hall family.

7. PHEBE HALL (b. October 1797) She was probably the Phebe who m. 30 May 1815, in Jefferson County, John Buffin. (The marriage was performed by Gerardus Ryker who also married Zachariah and Polly Hall.) The transcription of John’s last name is questionable.

8. NANCY HALL (9 Sept. 1799-18 March 1879) She m. Christian Bear, who died on 23 March 1868, age 72, both buried in the Bear Farm Cemetery in Section 25 Twp 4N Range 11E Milton Twp. They were listed in Milton Township in 1850. Christian was the son of John Bear who lived on the Indian-Kentuck Creek about two miles north of Brooksburg. Christian voted in Milton Township in an election held on the first Monday in August 1818. In 1827, Christian was taxed in Milton Township with 160 acres SE1/4 Sec. 25 Twp. 4N Range 11E, which he had acquired by patent. He was taxed for two horses in 1833 and also for an additional 114 acres of third-rate land in the NE 1/4 of Section 36, which he had acquired by bond. Christian and Nancy were not on the Milton church membership list. But a Sarah Ann Bear joined the 1st Saturday October 1844. She was excluded for dancing and unchristian conduct on 4th Saturday December 1845. Christian and Nancy joined the Manville Christian Church as members 30 and 31. The church record suggests the original 36 members joined in 1836. No other Bears were members. No marriage date has been found. His will, written 22 March 1868, names wife Nancy and mentioned children, but gives no names. The will was recorded on 1 Apr. 1868.

9. HENRY HALL (7 Nov. 1801 5 Jan. 1878), buried Canaan Cem. He m. on 5 Mar. 1822 in Jefferson County, Rebecca Hankins (ca. 1797 Apr. 1881), who was born in Kentucky and died in Shelby Township, according to a brief mention in the Madison Courier, which was reporting the death of her brother John. Her burial place is not known. Henry was taxed in 1827 and 1828 in Shelby Township for one poll and one horse. In 1831, he was also taxed for 80 acres of third-rate land in the W1/2 SE1/4 Section 27 Twp. 5N Range 11E, which he had acquired by patent. He was also taxed for one poll and two horses

He owned land in N1/2 NW1/4 Section 34 Twp. 4N Range 11E mentioned in his will in Jefferson County Rebecca joined the Indian-Kentuck Baptist Church on the second Saturday of September 1828. He joined the 2nd Saturday Aug. 1829 by experience. They were given a letter of dismission the 1st Saturday March 1842 and joined Milton Baptist Church that same day (joining the same day also as John Hall.)

10. SARAH HALL (b. 10 Feb. 1805) She m. on 25 Aug. 1820 in Jefferson County, Presley Phillips. She was probably the Sarah Phillips baptized at Indian-Kentuck Baptist Church on the 2nd Saturday Feb. 1830. She was received by baptism at Milton Baptist Church on the 1st Saturday March 1841. There is no other record Presley at Milton. He was taxed for 10 acres of third-rate land in Shelby Twp. in 1827. This land was in the NE1/4 Sec. 34 Twp. 4N Range 11E, which he had acquired by bond. He was also taxed for one poll and one horse. In 1831, he owned no land and was taxed for one poll and one horse.

Sources

1. ↑ Taken from Roster of Soldiers & Patriots of the American Revolution buried in Indiana. Franklin, Ind: Franklin Publishing Service, 1938
2. ↑ Indiana Magazine of History, Page 228 [1]
3. ↑ History of Madison [Indiana] By John Vawter, April 13, 1850[2]
4. ↑ [3]
5. ↑ The Hoosier Journal of Ancestry, Jefferson County, Indiana, Special No. 3, LIttle York, IN: 1991, page 78.

• DAR #A049617 [4]

• Revolutionary War soldiers buried in Indiana [5]

• 1820 U S Census; Census Place: Jefferson, Indiana; Page: 285; NARA Roll: M33_13; Image: 323

• Year: 1830; Census Place: Jefferson, Indiana; Series: M19; Roll: 28; Page: 133; Family History Library Film: 0007717

• Year: 1840; Census Place: Shelby, Jefferson, Indiana; Roll: 83; Page: 117; Family History Library Film: 0007726

• Ancestry.com. Indiana, Compiled Census and Census Substitutes Index, 1790-1890 [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations Inc, 1999.

• The National Archives; Washington, D.C.; Ledgers of Payments, 1818-1872, to U.S. Pensioners Under Acts of 1818 Through 1858 From Records of the Office of the Third Auditor of the Treasury; Record Group Title: Records of the Accounting Officers of the Department of the Treasury; Record Group Number: 217; Series Number: T718; Roll Number: 18

• Ancestry.com. U.S., Sons of the American Revolution Membership Applications, 1889-1970 [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2011. Original data: Sons of the American Revolution Membership Applications, 1889-1970. Louisville, Kentucky: National Society of the Sons of the American Revolution. Microfilm, 508 rolls.

• Find a Grave, database and images (https://www.findagrave.com : accessed 10 October 2020), memorial page for William Hall (25 Feb 1758–5 Apr 1844), Find a Grave Memorial no. 48434274, citing Demaree Cemetery, China, Jefferson County, Indiana, USA ; Maintained by mizlorri (contributor 47186006) .

• "Family Tree," database, FamilySearch (http://familysearch.org : modified 12 January 2020, 00:34), entry for William George Hall(PID https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/4:1:LBRR-F3T); contributed by various users.