H A L L  G E N E A L O G Y

 

    In our search for ancestors, we started with the Family name of Patterson.  Let us now proceed up that ancestral tree to the next family, that of the Halls for Edith Elizabeth Hall, the daughter of Frederic Caldwell and May Ellison Baker Hall, is our first contact with another name.  It was she who married William Wirt Patterson in 1910.

 

    Edith Patterson was vitally interested in genealogy and during the course of her life, she had collected whatever information she could concerning her forebearers.  So, let us learn of those first Halls who inhabited these United States of America.  From information that she acquired through her cousin's wife, Pearl Hall, we read:

 

HALLS OF FAIRFIELD, CONNECTICUT

 

    Francis Hall¹, (son of Gilbert Hall, who lived in the County of Kent, England) and his brother, William, came from Milford, County of Surrey, in the ship with Rev. Henry Whitefield and his party of emigrants from Kent & Surrey.  In 1640 Francis Hall joined Mr. Roger Ludlow in the enterprise of planting a settlement at the head of a small inlet of Long Island Sound, which they named Fairfield.

 

    Children - Isaac, Samuel (both born in England), Elizabeth, Hannah (m. July 14, 1675 to Jos. Blakeman of Stratford), Mary, Rebeccah.

 

Copied from brown folder entitled "Fairfield, CT" in Fairfield Historical Society library:

 

4th March 1664 in A. B. p397

 

"Francis Hall of Fairfield does acknowledge to have formerly sold a house and land in England which was in jointure confirmed upon his wife Elizabeth at our marriage in consideration whereof I make over all unto my said wife all my housing and land, within the liberties of Fairfield....."

 

"At a court held in Hartford May 13, 1697 the court granted Isaac Hall of Fairfield 150 acres of land which he gives to his three sons Isaac, Francis and John by deed of gift dated Dec. 10th 1706.

 

"12th of April 1654 Francis Hall and Elis. his wife bought of Thomas Wheeler for 48 lbs. paid by said Francis Hall and Elizabeth his wife of Stratford a farm in Fairfield.  The north­east part of Fairfied a parish called Stratford afterward owned by his son Sam'el."

 

    Second Generation:  Isaac Hall (son of Francis) born about 1629 in the County of Kent, married about 1660 Lydia (?).  He studied medicine.  He became an eminent surgeon and during the Indian Wars, rendered service as surgeon in the Colonial Militia for which he received a grant of land in the Township of Fairfield by the General Court.  His children were Isaac, born Sept. 1665 (family 4), Francis, John, Several daughters whose names are not known.

 

    Second Generation:  Children of Samuel Hall (son of Francis):  Edward Hall died Dec 12 1686 James Hall died Dec 17 1690.

 

    Third Generation:  Isaac Hall (son of Isaac Hall) born Sept. 1665 at Fairfield, Conn. married first about 1685, second 1701, Wid. Sarah Ann.  He became a physician and was in partnership with his father in 1680, died in Reading, Conn. Aug. 1767, perhaps 1757.  Children were Joshua, Seth, Sarah, Esther, Jane, Rebeccah.

 

    Fourth Generation:  Joshua, [son of Isaac³, Isaac², Francis¹], born in Fairfield Sept. 1703, died Oct. 1789, married 1738 Sarah Burgess.  Removed to Reading, Conn. - was a selectman of that town, was a captain of militia, and a member of County Board of Safety and Protection in 1775 & 76.  During the Revolutionary War he furnished transportation and forage for the eastern division of the American Army, and was very much

honored as a patriotic citizen.  He was distinguished for his very large stature.  His children were:  William, born Nov. 4, 1741, Burgess, Joshua, Thomas, Sarah, Jane.

 

    Fifth Generation:  William Hall, [Joshua⁴, Isaac³, Isaac², Francis¹]:  born in Fairfield Nov. 4, 1741, died 1824, married 1763 Sarah Peck, was an ensign in his father's company April 26, 1777, when the British destroyed the military stores at Danbury and he bore the body of General Wooster from the field.

 

    In 1808 he removed to Hartford, Washington County, New York, where he died.  Children:  Enoch (m. M. Raymond), Andrew (m. Heath, removed to New York State and left descendants in Watertown and Remsen), Zalmon, Lyman, Eli (m. Booth), Ammon, William, Sally (m. Peck), Anne (m. Horth and was the only one living in 1876).

 

    Sixth Generation:  Zalmon Hall, [William⁵, Joshua⁴, Isaac³, Isaac², Francis¹]:  born in Fairfield, now Newton, Nov. 29, 1768, died in Whitehall, Washington Co., N. Y. Nov. 1, 1845, married Dec. 1, 1789, Elizabeth Botsford, died March 29, 1852.  He was a farmer, removed to Whitehall, N. Y. in 1808.  Children were:  Rusa Ann (born Apr. 4, 1791, m. 1808 Fairchild of Newton), Asbury (born Aug. 12, 1792), Russel (born July 9, 1794), Esther (b. Oct. 16, 1796, d. Feb. 4, 1797), Esther Ann (b. Aug. 21, 1798).

   Seventh Generation:  Asbury Hall [Zalmon⁶, William⁵, Joshua⁴, Isaac³, Isaac², Francis¹]:  born Newton, formerly a part of Fairfield, Conn. Aug. 12, 1792, died in Aurelius, N. Y.  Feb. 13, 1879, in the 87th year of his age., m. Aug. 13, 1813, Nancy, daughter of Daniel Foster, born in Pawlet, Vt., May 4, 1795, died Feb. 25, 1869.  In 1846 he removed to Verona, Oneida Co., N. Y. and in 1848, to Aurelius, Cayuga Co., N. Y.

Children:  Benjamin Franklin (born July 25, 1814), Henry Clay (born July 11, 1820), James Asbury (born. Jan. 12, 1831).

 

 

          Eighth Generation:  James Asbury Hall [Asbury⁷, Zalmon⁶, William⁵, Joshua⁴, Isaac³, Isaac², Francis¹]:  born Jan. 12, 1831 in Whitehall, N. Y., m. Feb. 10, 1852, Mary Jane Caldwell of Durhamville, Oneida Co., N. Y., died 1908.  Children:  William Asbury (born June 17, 1853), Nelson Franklin (born Sept. 30, 1856), Frederic Caldwell (born June 22, 1858).

 

-0-

Succeeding Generations have been:

 

 

                               Frederic Caldwell Hall

 

Frederic Hall, Anabel Hall Schenck Dillon, May Baker Hall, and Edith Hall Patterson

 

    Ninth Generation:  Frederic Caldwell Hall [James Asbury⁸, Asbury⁷, Zalmon⁶, William⁵, Joshua⁴, Isaac³, Isaac², Francis¹]:  born June 22, 1858, married May Ellison Baker Sept. 8, 1886, died Aug. 13, 1936.  Children:  Edith Elizabeth (born Dec. 14, 1887, m. William Wirt Patterson Mar. 8, 1910), died November 9, 1979 Annabel (born May 25, 1891, married (1) Jay C. Schenck, Sept. 17, 1912, married (2) James Dillon, died  Children:  Eleanor Schenck Smith (born Feb. 23, 1914), J Hall Schenck (born Aug. 7, 1915), Lloyd Wallace Schenck (born Sept. 18, 1917), Eudene Elizabeth Schenck Steinfeldt (born June 29, 1920).

 

    Tenth Generation:  Edith Elizabeth Hall [Frederic⁹, James Asbury⁸, Asbury⁷, Zalmon⁶, William⁵, Joshua⁴, Isaac³, Isaac(2), Francis¹]:  born Dec. 14, 1887, m. William Wirt Patterson March 8, 1910, died Nov. 8, 1979.  Children:  William Wirt Patterson, Jr. (born Sept. 28, 1912), Lydia May Patterson (born May 9, 1915).

 

    Eleventh Generation:  William Wirt Patterson Junior [Edith

Hall¹, Frederic⁹, James Asbury⁸, Asbury⁷, Zalmon^6, Wlliam^5, Joshua^4, Isaac^3, Isaac^2, Francis¹]:  born Sept. 28, 1912, married (1) Alma Blanche Tincknell Nov. 21, 1940.  Children:  William Wirt III (born March 13, 1942, married May 30, 1942 Judith Keith, children, William IV, Jill) Elizabeth Ann (born July 6, 1944, married Robb Newman June 22, 1968, children Jeffrey, Lisa) Philip Metford (born Oct. 24, 1946, m. July 26, 1969 Diana Fleury, children Edith, Justin), died August 30, 1983 Frederic Hall (born Oct. 24, 1946, married June 14, 1969 Constance Power, children, Christopher, Jonathan, Lindsay, Alexander died Nov. 3, 1982.  Married (2) Elizabeth Clark Lewis.

 

    Twelfth Generation:  Lydia May Patterson  Edith Hall Patterson¹⁰, Frederic Hall⁹, James Asbury⁸, Asbury⁷, Zalmon⁶, William⁵, Joshua⁴, Isaac³, Isaac², Francis¹:  born May 9, 1915, married May 11, 1947 Marcus Hecht.  Children:  Stefanie (born April 18, 1948, m. David Ross Cameron June 12, 1971 Divorced 198 , married Richard Hugh Foster Oct. 19, 1991) William Sandor (born Jan. 3, 1951, married Eleanor Cresswell Robinson June 5, 1983, divorced 1991) Edith Abby (born June 22, 1956, married Richard Carl Gibbs May 25, 1980, children Benjamin Richard Gibbs, born Jan. 25, 1983, Robert Sandor, born Jan. 14, 1986, William Troy, born May 1, 1989.)

 

Information continued on next page.

 

 

 

Dear Friendie:                                                             February 22, 2000 Email to William S. Hecht

Connie was here yesterday and brought a wealth of pictures of all of the family events since we were in New York State. She also brought a photo that she had taken of the brick house at Half Acre which you will recall was built by your Great, Great, Great Uncle John Baker. She took the picture from the road south east of the house and it
shows the renovation of the barn into a great new garage. It appears that they rebuilt the roof to repeat the roof of the house and added a cupola similar to the house' cupola.  It appears that they have painted the woodwork and shutters. It now resembles the house as originally built with the exception of the front porch.

The thought occurs to me that you might like to visit the new owners and ask if they would be interested in pictures that would show the house as originally built. It was a delightful little porch that reflected the era of 1857 when, if I remember correctly, the house was built.

John Baker actually built the house himself. The only help that he had was in the installation of the stairway in the front hall. It ascends just inside the front door and turns at the top at a right angle and then creates a balcony over the ground floor of the two- story hallway.

The stairs created an alcove on the ground floor where a beautiful old Hall bureau was located. Grandmother's sister took that piece and she had it in her home until her death when it was shipped by her daughter to Atlanta GA. Enroute the truck in which it was being transported was in an accident and the entire shipment was destroyed. Hence, the demise of the lovely old dresser.

The woodwork in the house was butternut, if I remember Grandmother correctly. It was in its natural state, finger carved and mellow. To the left of the hallway was the living room, lighted by the double window showing from the front and two windows on the west. In the winter the living room and dining room were heated by coal-burning stoves…. cast iron with shiny metal trim and isinglass windows in the door so that we could watch the flames as we warmed our feet on the shiny trim at the sides. Behind the stairway was the dining room where was the ornately carved shelf that you have. The bay window lighted this room. Behind the living room was a bedroom that looked westward out on the north road. Behind the dining room and across the full width of the house was a huge kitchen with a porch  and windows on either side... east and west. The west door was closed and a window added by the Rifords. . Behind that was a stair down to the basement, and a stair to the second floor. A two-story woodhouse was still farther north. My grandmother loved flowers and had a wooden planter on the east kitchen porch where she grew tuberous begonias that flowered profusely. Under the bay window was a bleeding heart busy that flowered with lovely red hearts that delighted my child's imagination.

In the front yard were two maple trees... one on either side of the front  walk. When only saplings they were tied together to form an arch.... thus revealing the origin of the name of the home - Maple Arch. We have a post
card of the house showing the tree arch and the name Maple Arch printed here.

The attic was an intriguing place. Grandmother was always afraid that we might fall on the open stairs leading into the attic and so we had to be very careful as we climbed them. Overhead, we looked up to see Grandmother Hall's side saddle slung over the railing around the staircase. She had ridden her horse when she was a young lady. The attic was a delightful spot to explore. It is up there that there is a painted notation of the year of construction.

You will also recall that we found a book that apparently was used by Uncle John for reference to the style of the house. I think that it is in the book shelf in the office, unless you have it in your library. There are pictures of Uncle John and his wife, Mirada. Also there are photos of Uncle John, his brother and two neighbors playing cards in the back yard under a black walnut tree.

It was the same Uncle John who built the card table that you have in your living room.... with the checkerboard in the top. 

LOVE LOVE LOVE

Papa and Mama