Samuel Hall ^115,116,117

  General Notes:

Copy of handwritten will is difficult to read. He mentions wife Fanny, son Samuel and daughters Rachel and Cynthia. It was obviously written when he was dying. He appointed Isaac C. Hall as executor and was witnessed by Wm. North, James Hall and John ?. James Hall and Wm. North swore to it's authenticity. The will is undated but apparently was written in 1836 (the year of his death).

"Amos A. Hall owns a fertile farm in Timber Creek Township, Marshall County. He is one of the enterprising agriculturists of this vicinity and is a public-spirited man, who takes great interest in everything pertaining to the general welfare. His farm comprises eighty acres, which is all under cultivation. He also owns another piece of five acres. The place is mostly devoted to raising fruit, principally strawberries and small fruits. Mr. Hall ships large quantities of these products to the city markets every year. His farm is admirably adapted for raising fruit, and he receives a good income from this source alone. In 1876 Mr. Hall erected a fine residence, which is well built, with a model cellar and all modern equipments. This house is one of the best in the township and was put up at a cost of nearly $7,800. The substantial barns on the farm cost $2,500.

James Hall, the great-great-grandfather of the gentleman of whom we write, was born only four miles from London. His son, whose Christian name was also James, had a son Amos, from whom our subject is descended. He was born in Charleston, S.C., and during the War of the Revolution, particularly in the battle of Cowpens, supplied the soldiers with provisions. The son of this man was Samuel Hall, our subject's father. He was also born in South Carolina, and when arriving at man's estate emigrated to Ohio, where he married Miss Fanny Alexander, whose birthplace was in Kentucky. Her father, Amos Alexander, had removed to the Buckeye State at an early day, settling in Miami County. After the marriage of Samuel Hall he removed to Darke County, Ohio, where he died in 1837. He was a devoted member of the Christian Church, as was also his wife, whose father was a minister of that denomination. Mrs. Hall became the mother of nine children, all of whom lived to mature years, but at the present time only three survive. The mother was called to her final rest in 1861.

The subject of this brief sketch was born February 22, 1822, in Miami County, Ohio. He was reared on his father's farm and received only limited school privileges. When only fourteen years old he started out to make his own living, and carried on the homestead for some years after his father's death. In 1842 he was united in marriage with Mrs. Elizabeth Thompson, a native of Ohio, who died in 1854. Our subject then wedded Mrs. Susanna Jones, whose birthplace was in Darke County, Ohio. She was called from this life three years after their marriage.

In 1860 Mr. Hall removed to Iowa and settled on his present farm in the fall. He has made nearly all the improvements on the place, which is now justly considered very valuable. In 1864 Mr. Hall and Miss Amelia Hall were united in wedlock. The lady was born in the Empire State and is a daughter of Dr. John and Sylvia (Kibbe) Hall, the former a native of Vermont and the latter of New York. Doctor Hall removed to Wyoming County, Pa., where he lived for three years, thence proceeding to Wisconsin. In 1859 he settled in Marshall County, where he engaged in the practice of his profession for some years. He afterward removed to the northern part of the state, and in December, 1871, was frozen to death on the plains. His widow is now living in Kansas City, Mo. She is a member of the Baptist denomination, while her husband was a Universalist in faith. The wife of our subject is one of seven living children, and was born March 27, 1844, in Wyoming County, Pa., where she received a good education.

Six children have blessed the union of Mr. and Mrs. Hall, namely: Louis E., Thaddeus L., who married Miss Holesapple, of Rock Island, and is now living in Marshalltown; Elma E., wife of Oscar Royer, of Hampton, Iowa; Cladius C., who married Miss Mamie Smith, of Clinton, Iowa, and is now a resident of Davenport; and Perry and Perley, twins.

During the war, Mr. Hall was one of the home guards. His brother Samuel was a member of Company F, Twenty-third Iowa Volunteers, and participated in the siege of Vicksburg; he was sent home sick and died here in 1863. While a resident of Ohio, Mr. Hall held a number of local offices, and though before the war he was a Whig, he has been a Republican since the organization of that party, taking great interest in the same. In educational matters he is active, and has been a Director of the School Board and also President of that body. He gave his children a good education, and the three eldest sons are expert electricians. Mrs. Hall holds membership with the First Baptist Church, is a member of the Ladies' Aid Society, and is a worker in the various departments of the church machinery. Our subject is a Christian man, of moral and upright life. He and his family are wifely and favorably known in this locality, and deserve in the fullest measure the respect of all." (Portrait and Biographical Records of Jasper, Marshall and Grundy Counties, Iowa
Chicago: Biographical Pub. Co., 1894.)

Samuel married Fanny Alexander, daughter of Amos Alexander and Sarah Unknown, in 1820 in Miami Co., OH.⁶¹ (Fanny Alexander was born about 1803 in Kentucky and died about 1861 in Darke Co., OH.)