USA > New Jersey > Salem County > Salem > History and genealogy of Fenwick's colony > Part 9
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CLEMENT HALL. Born 1819.
HALL FAMILY.
In 1677 William Hall emigrated to this country in company with John and Andrew Thompson, and their families. They landed at Elsinborough the 22d of 12th month, the same year. Before they sailed from Dublin, William Hall hired with John Thompson for a number of years, and soon after his servitude expired he removed to the town of Salem, and kept a small store. In 1688 he married Elizabeth Pyle, daughter of Thomas Pyle, who was a large landholder in the upper part of Fenwick's tenth; one tract alone, bordering on Oldman's creek, contained 10,000 acres. When the different townships were laid off they named the township where he lived, and most of his real estate lay, Pylesgrove; then the largest township in this county, con- taining 87,000 acres. It is believed William Hall came in pos- session of considerable property, both real and personal, by his wife. Following are the names of William and Elizabeth Hall's children, and the dates of births: Sarah was born 28th of the 2d month, 1689; Hannah in 1692; Elizabeth in 1694; Ann in 1699. Soon after the birth of Ann his wife, Elizabeth, died. His second wife was Sarah Clement of the county of Gloucester; they had three children-William Hall, Jr., born 22d of the Sth month, 1701; their second son, Clement, was born in 1706; and Nathaniel in 1709; who, when he arrived at the age of twenty-one, left this county and went and resided in the State of Delaware. Clement, I presume, died young. Sie foot page 20
William Hall was appointed, by the West Jersey Legislature, a Judge of the Court for Salem county about the year 1709, to take the place of Thomas Killingsworth. It is to be regretted that a fuller account of the last named individual has not been written and handed down for the benefit of posterity. Accord- ing to the limited accounts we have of him he was, undoubtedly, more than an ordinary scholar, for that time, and a man in whose judgment and integrity the first emigrants to this country had implicit confidence. He was one of the first Baptists that came to this county, and a clergyman of that religious denomination. William Hall was Judge as late as 1710, and the greatest land-
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HALL FAMILY.
holder in the county of Salem, owning one hundredthi part of Fenwick's tenth. His possessions in the town of Salem were considerable; he owned one lot extending from Broadway street to Fenwick creek, bounded on the south by Friend's property of sixteen acres, deeded to them by Samuel Nicholson, in 1681; on the west by Edward Bradway's lot; also on the opposite side of the same street another lot of land, bounded on the west by the public fair grounds, on the south and east by Samnel and Anne Hedge's land. Certainly he was a self-made man; no doubt his natural talents were above the common men. By his industry and good judgment he became one of the foremost men of the Colony. The time of his death I have no positive means to determine; most probably about 1718. I do not remember ever having seen an account of him in the public records after that time.
Soon after his death, his widow, Sarah Hall, being his execu- tor, sold large tracts of land in various parts of the county which the records show. His tract of 1,000 acres in upper Mannington was left to his oldest son, William Hall, Jr., together with the greater part of his real estate in the town of Salem. The said William Hall, Jr., on the 20th day of ninth month, 1723, married Elizabeth Smith, the grand-danghter of John Smith, of Amblebury. They had seven children- Clement, their oldest child, was born 15th of 12th month, 1723; their daughter, Sarah, in 1727; Susan, in 1728; Nathaniel, in 1730; Elizabeth, in 1735; Mary, in 1737; and their youngest son, Edward, in 1740. William Hall built himself a large brick honse abont the year 1725, on his property in upper Mannington, and at that place he and his wife lived and spent their days. The house still stands, and is owned by Samuel L. J. Miller, one of their lineal descendants. There is an ancient family bible of John Smith's that he brought with him from England in 1675. It was printed with ancient type in England, in 1634. Persons not accustomed to seeing such ancient printing would find it difficult to read it. The book is in a good state of preservation, and belongs to one of the Hall family at this time. I hope some one of the family will prize it sufficiently to preserve it for future generations as a momento of ancient times. In one of the margins Elizabeth Smith Hall in 1730 wrote: "This day John Smith is 106 years old." He was her grandfather. In looking over the records of Salem Monthly Meeting, I find that he was the son of John Smith, born in the county of Norfolk, 20th day of 4th month, 1623. The account shows that there were instances of longevity then as well as at the present day.
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HIALL FAMILY.
William Hall, Jr., made his will in 1750, in which he devises his real estate in Salem to his eldest son, Clement Hall, and his property in Mannington, to his two youngest sons, Nathaniel and Edward Hall. Clement Hall, the son of William Hall, Jr., married Margaret Morris, of Elsinborough, about the year 1748. There were seven children-Ann, Sarah, Clement, John, Joseph, Morris and Margaret, the last mentioned died when she was quite young. The oldest daughter married John Goodwin. She lived but a short time after her marriage, leaving no child- ren. Sarah Hall's husband was Dr. Thomas Rowen, of Salem. They had three children-Sarah Rowen, the late Dr. Thomas Rowen, and Elizabeth Rowen. Sarah married Charles Penrose, of Philadelphia. Dr. Rowen's wife was Hetty Sinnickson, the daughter of John Sinnickson, of Lower Penn's Neck. They are both deceased at this time, leaving no children. Clement Hall's wife was Rebecca Kay, a native of Gloucester county. Clement and his wife had seven children, named respectively Ann, Margaret, Morris, Prudence, Sarah, Deborah and Rebecca. Ann Hall married Samuel Nicholson Thompson. They had six children-Samuel, Joshua, Clement, Charles, Isaac and Ann Thompson.
Margaret Hall's husband was John Holme, of Elsinborough; she was his second wife ; there were three children-Benjamin, Jane and Caroline. Benjamin's wife was Elizabeth Dennis, the daughter of Henry Dennis, of Salem. Benjamin is now deceased, leaving a widow and six children-Caroline, John, Henry, Louisa, Franklin and Jane. Caroline died young. Morris Hall married Elizabeth Woodnutt, the daughter of James Woodnutt, of Mannington; there were four children- Margaret, Hannah, Rebecca and James Hall. Prudence Hall, when far advanced in life, married Joseph Ogden, of Wood- bury; they are both deceased now, leaving no children. Sarah Hail died at middle age; she never married. Deborah Hall married Samuel D. Ingham, of Pennsylvania, being his second wife. Samuel and his wife are both deceased, leaving three children-William, Rebecca and Mary Ingham. Rebecca Hall married John Sinniekson, the son of Andrew Sinickson, and was his second wife ; they had three children-Howard, Clem- ent and Mary Sinnickson.
John Hall, the second son of Clement and Margaret Hall, married and lived in Salem on the property that was left him by his father. It was purchased by one of the Norris family. Joseph Corliss bought the old mansion. The Hall property formerly extended to the town meadow. John was a merchant
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an l died a young man ; whether he left any children I never heard.
Joseph Hall's wife was Ann Brick, the daughter of Joseph and Rebecca Brick, of Elsinborough. Joseph Brick was from an ancient and respectable family at Cohansey, the son of John and Ann Brick, and was born 24th of 3d month, 1735; soon after he was of age he married Rebecca Abbott, the daughter of Samuel Abbott, of Elsinborongh ; they commenced life on the farm that her father purchased of Thomas and Sarah Good- win, in 1756 ; the farm is the one that William B. Carpenter now owns and lives on. Joseph and Rebecca Brick had three children-Ann, Hannah, (who is the wife of Anthony Keasbey, of Salem), and one son, Samuel Brick.
Joseph Hall and his wife had nine children, named respect- ively Samuel, William, Margaret, Rebacca, Martha, Ann, Edward, James and Hannah. Samuel married Sarah Ware, daughter of Jacob Ware; he died young and left one son- Joseph Hall, who now resides at or near Dunkirk, in the State of New York. William's wife was Hannah Hall, daughter of Jarvis Hall, of Mannington; both are deceased at the present time, leaving three or four children. Margaret Hall married John Denn, Sr., and the names of her children I mentioned in a former number of the Denn genealogy. Rebecca married David Ware, of Lower Penn's Neck, son of Jacob Ware ; her husband has been deceased many years ; she died recently, quite aged ; she possessed good mental abilities, and an uncom- mon quiet disposition in all of her trials through life-for she had many-and through them all she always manifested a quiet an l evenness ofdisposition, which endeared her to her immediate family and likewise to a large circle of relatives and friends. Ann Hall married David Hall, the son of Morris Hall; they were first cousins; they soon afterwards removed to the State of New York and made it their permanent home. David has been deceased for some time. I have heard his widow is still living ; they had several children. Martha Hall, their afflicted daughter, was born blind and always remained so ; she lived to an old age, and died a few years ago. Edward Hall's wife was the daughter of David Lloyd, of Lower Penn's Neck ; they left their native county soon after they were married, and were for a time at Pittsburgh, Pa. James Hall was a currier by occupation, and resided for some time in the city of Philadel- phia. Hannah HIall, their youngest daughter, accompanied her sister Ann and husband when they went to the State of New York; she afterwards became the wife of Judge Orton, of that
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State. Joseph Hall, the father of the above named children, died in the prime of his life; he had uncommon physical strength, which was characteristic in the Hall family, and he was likewise endowed with uncommon natural abilities; his death occurred about the time John Wistar died.
Daniel Garrison, who had been Surrogate for a number of years, and was considered to be a good judge of the acquire- ments of the leading men at that time in the county of Salem, was asked which of the two men, John Wistar or Joseph Hall, possessed the greatest natural abilities. His reply was, “If Joseph Hall had the school education John Wistar possessed, he would have been his equal, if not his superior." Joseph's widow survived him several years.
Morris, the youngest son of Clement and Margaret Hall, was born in 1762. He learned the wheelwrighting trade, but did not follow it when he became of age, but worked as a journey- man house carpenter with Jonas Freidland, and while building a large dwelling house for that eminent philanthropist, Gabriel Davis, in Bacon's Neck, Greenwich township, they became acquainted with two young women-Elizabeth and Lydia Potts, daughters of John Potts, who lived in the same township. Subsequently Jonas married Elizabeth, and Morris, Lydia Potts. The length of time Morris worked at his trade after he was married, I have no knowledge of, but not long before he went to farming. He and his wife had five children-Clement, David, Sarah, John, and Lewis Hall. Clement Hall's wife was Sarah Hancock, daughter of Thomas and Mary Hancock, of Elsinboro. Their children were mentioned in the Hancock family. David's wife was Ann Hall, daughter of Joseph Hall; they were cousins. Sarah Hall married Joseph Bassett, of Mannington. She left one son, Morris Bassett. John Hall's wife was Jane Holme, daughter of John and Margaret Holme. John's death occurred several years ago. His widow resides in Salem. Lewis Hall left his native State and located himself, I think, in the western part of Pennsylvania, at first. Where he made his permanent home, I have never heard. He is now deceased.
Clement and Margaret Hall, parents of the above mentioned children, lived and died in the township of Elsinboro, at the old residence. of Margaret's ancestors, situated near the river shore. The property was purchased of Richard Guy by Samuel Carpenter, of Philadelphia, for a country seat, and built a brick house about the year 1690, and in 1694 he sold it to Rudoc Morris. The property is still held by one of his descendants. Clement Hall, Sr., died about the year 1772. In his will he left
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HALL FAMILY.
his real estate in Salem to his son, John Hall, and his daughter, Sarah. His wife survived him several years, and in 1782 she made her will, leaving one-half of her plantation to her oldest son, Clement Hall, and the fishery at Fort Point equally between Clement and her second son, John Hall. At John Hall's death his share of the fishery was sold. Darkin Nicholson, living near the mouth of Salem creek, was the purchaser, and at his death the Hall family bought his right. It is evident that the Morris and Hall families had full jurisdiction over the fishery along that shore for more than one hundred and fifty years, notwithstanding the neighboring State of Delaware undertakes to claim to low water mark along the Jersey shore. If their claim is good and valid now, it was certainly good at that early period, when the owners of the soil along the Jersey shore held undisputed pos- session of the fisheries, and frequently rented them to persons belonging to this and other States; fisheries being all within the bounds of the twelve-mile circuit.
Margaret Hall willed one-half of her plantation to her two youngest sons, Joseph and Morris Hall. Joseph subsequently sold his share, and purchased part of Middle Neck, of Isaae and Nathan Smart-he and his wife were joint owners; it was on this property where what is called the Elsinborough grape was first discovered. The Smart family, very soon after they bought the land of Fenwick, turned their attention to cultivating grapes; they imported several varieties of English grapes. Soon after they discovered a grape different entirely from any they ever saw growing among their foreign grapes ; they sup- posed it was a seedling, and gave it the name of the Smart grape. The late Morris Hall informed me that was the tradi- tional account of the grape ; he was born in the township and his mother before him, and all he ever heard or saw from those much older than himself, came to the conclusion it was not a native of the township, but it originated in the Smart vineyard, on said property ; since their death it has been sold to other persons. Morris Hall purchased a farm adjoining his brother's, of the administrator of John Hancock, of Hancock's Bridge, whose grand-father purchased it of James Thompson. Morris and his wife both died there; after Morris' death (for he lived many years after his wife was deceased) the farm went to his son, John Hall, and his daughter, Sarah Bassett. The home- stead is owned at this time by his grand-son, Clement Hall.
Nathaniel and Edward Hall, as has been previously stated, became the owner of their father's homestead estate in upper Mannington. Edward was the owner of the old family man-
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sion and a large tract of land adjoining. Nathaniel's share was the western part of the Hall's allotment ; the greater part of said land is now owned by Edward H. Bassett. He built him- self a commodious brick house about the year 1756, and soon afterwards married Ann, the eldest daughter of Judge John and Ann Nicholson Brick, of Gravelly Run. He died in 1784, aged fifty-four years, leaving five children-William, born in 1758 ; Ann in 1760; Elizabeth in 1763 ; Jolin in 1765, and his youngest son Josiah in 1767. Josiah was a clock and watch maker by trade; he followed it in the town of Salem and was for several years Clerk of the county of Salem; his wife was Elizabeth Smitlı ; he owned and lived where Joseph Test now resides and owns ; he left no children; his wife survived him several years. Nathaniel left his plantation equally between his two eldest sons-William and John Hall. William was the owner of the homestead; he married soon after he became of age and had ten children-William, Josiah, Hannah, Mary, Martha, Nathan, Ann, Achsah, Samuel and Horatio. John Hall, when he was far advanced in years, married Phebe Edwards, a young woman of Pilesgrove; she lived but a short time after they were married, leaving one son. Soon after that event he removed to Salem, where he died, in a few years, with a cancer in his face. His son died within a short time after his father ; his estate, which was considerable, was divided among his relatives.
Elizabeth, daughter of Nathaniel Hall, married Samuel Nich- olson, Jr., the son of the eminent philanthropist, Samuel Nicholson, of Elsinborough. They lived on his father's property in the township of Mannington. After the death of his father he became the owner; it now is part of the estate of Joseph Stretch, who lately died. They had five children-John, who married a young woman by the name of Beesley; they left one daughter-Catharine Nicholson. Ann married Daniel Smith ; Elizabeth died single; Samuel married a woman by the name of Paullin; Josiah, their youngest son, married Rachel Hall, daughter of Jarvis Hall. He died many years ago, leaving a widow, who is living in Salem at this time, and I believe three children, two sons and one daughter.
Edward Hall, the youngest son of William Hall, Jr., was considered above mediocrity in physical and mental abilities. His affability and pleasing address secured him many friends among a large circle of acquaintances. His first wife was a Willis, and by her he had one son-Howell. At the commence- ment of the Revolutionary war he abandoned the religious society
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of which he and his ancestors were members, and enlisted in the army. There are many anecdotes of his sayings and doings while he was in the service of his country. I will mention two which are well authenticated by tradition: The army under Colonel Hand was at Cohansey Bridge, which is now Bridgeton. Edward, on his way down to join it, met his intimate friend, John Reeve, about his own age, who was a public minister, on his way to attend Salem quarterly meeting. After the usual salutation, John remarked, "Edward, I notice thee is dressed in soldier's clothes." "I am," replied Hall, after consideration; "I came to the conclusion it would be right for me to fight for my country." John then replied: "If thee thinks it is right, it may be thy duty. I hope God will be with thee. I bid thee good-by." They then separated and did not meet again until the war was ended. Soon after he went to the army he was made a Colonel in the West Jersey militia. It was the practice in those days among some of the tanners when they had a quantity of leather on hand, to take a load down among the inhabitants along the sea shore and trade it for raw hides. Samuel Austin told me of one of his adventures during the war. He left his home in Mannington with a load of leather, which he had frequently done before, and proceeded to Egg Harbor with it. There was at that time several vessels belonging to England anchored in the bay, one of them having a quantity of boxes of tea aboard. The officer told him he would exchange a few boxes of tea for leather. The love of great gain, which is predominant in the human family, made him yield to the temptation. Thinking he could evade the authorities, he covered up the tea with some hides he purchased, and started for home. Inadvertently he came by the way of Bridgeton, where the American army was quartered, and was soon stopped by some of the soldiers to search his load. He declared his innocence, but they told him their orders were to search all wagons that came from the seashore, and began to throw off his hides. At that juncture, Colonel Hall came out of the tavern and saw Austin, and then told the men to put his load on again, and said: "IIe is a neighbor of mine, and a true patriot." He then called Austin in to take a drink with him before he proceeded on his journey. Samuel told me it was the first and last time he ever undertook to traffic in contraband goods, and always felt grateful to Colonel Hall, although he did it ignorantly, for his timely interference, as it prevented him from losing his team and load, and likely his life.
Edward Hall's second wife was the widow of David Stretch,
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of Lower Alloways Creek. Soon after he left his native home in Mannington, and went to reside on the farm that his wife had a life-right in, being formerly the Christopher White estate, near Hancock's Bridge. They had two children-Mary and Edward Hall, Jr. After her death he returned to the old family residence in Mannington, In a few years afterward he married his third wife, Ann Darrah, of Philadelphia, the daughter of the celebrated Lydia Darral, who risked her life in informing General Washington of the contemplated attack of the English army, during the severe winter that the American army was at Valley Forge. I need not state the particulars of her patriotie adventure. I trust most of the American readers have seen the full account of it themselves. His last wife survived him many years. I knew her well; she was intelligent and interesting conversationist. She lived the latter part of her days with her husband's grand-daughter, Hetty Miller. She had one brother, Joseph Darralı, who was a captain in the navy. His home was at New Castle, Delaware. In 1825 his sister, Ann Hall, employed me to take over to his daughter a consid- able sum of money, Their father I think was deceased at that time. Their residence was located on one of the principal streets of the town. Howell Hall, the eldest son of Colonel Hall, inherited the family mansion and a large portion of the land belonging to it. The balance of the land was divided between Mary and Edward. Mary became the owner of the greater part of the estate, her two brothers leaving no children. Her husband was Samuel L. James. They had six children -Clara, James, Hetty, Caroline, Samuel and Edward James. Clara was the first wife of David Reeves, of Bridgeton. They subsequently removed to Phoenixville, Pennsylvania. Hetty's first husband was Josiah Miller, of Mannington; Caroline Inarried Robert Buck, of Bridgeton. Their three sons, James, Samuel and Edward emigrated to one of the Western States.
In all generations there are noble and intellectual women, who are calculated to make their foot-prints upon the sands of time. Among such was Sarah Clement Hall, of Salem ; she descended from an ancient and respectable family, of England ; her grand-father, Gregory Clement, was a citizen of London, and also a member of Parliament ; was one of the Judges in the trial of Charles I, King of England. About 1670 his son James, and his wife, Jane Clement, emigrated to this country and settled on Long Island; their children were James, born 1670, who subsequently married Sarah Hinchman ; Sarah Clement, born 1672, she married Judge William Hall, she
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being his second wife ; Thomas, born 1674; John, born 1676; Jacob, born 1678, married Ann Harrison ; Joseph, born 1681; Mercy, born 1683, married Joseph Bates ; Samuel, born 1685, aud Nathaniel Clement, born 1687. William and Sarah C. Hall had three sons-William, Clement and Nathaniel, who are the ancestors of the Halls in the county of Salem. After the death of her husband it devolved upon Sarah to settle his large estate, and as far as the record appears she did it admirably.
Aaron Leaming, the ancestor of the large family of that name in Cape May, came from Connecticut when about sixteen years of age, and lived at Salem for a short period of time; he was poor and friendless, but soon found a friend in Sarah, the the wife of William Hall ; he became a member of the Society of Friends. Aaron's son, in his account of his father, says that Sarah Hall was a lawyer of good ability for those times, and had a large collection of books, and being very rich took delight in my father on account of his sprightly wit and genius, and his uncommon fondness for the law which he read in her library.
RICHARD JOHNSON FAMILY.
The ship "Joseph and Benjamin," Captain Matthew Paine, master, anchored at Fort Elsborg, on the 13th of March, 1675. Hypolite Lafetra, John Pledger and his wife, Elizabeth, with their son, Joseph Pledger, aged three years, John Butcher and Richard Johnson, landed in Elsinborough. Afterwards the ship and other passengers proceeded further up the Delaware. Lafetra, a French Hugennot, left his native country on account of religious persecution, having imbibed the doctrinces of George Fox, became a zealous Friend, and assisted in organizing Salem monthly meetings, in June, 1676. He and John Pledger bought of the proprietor, John Fenwick, 6000 acres of land in the same year. The land was located in Mannington, including what is now known as Quaker Neck, both branches of Fenwick creek; its southern boundary was a small stream called Mill creek, until it nearly reached Alloways creek. On part of the tract on the north of Pledger creek, John Pledger, Jr., erected himself a large brick dwelling in 1728, which is still standing, and owned by Elisha Bassett. John Pledger, Jr., was born at Salem, 27thı of 9th month, 1680. Hypolite Lafetra sold his share of the 6000 acres to Jeremiah Powell and several others. Of the land that lies between the two streams, some 2000 acres, Benjamin Wyncook, an Englishman, became the owner ; whether Lafetra left heirs is unknown at this time, and if he did they were daughters, and the name of the emigrant is lost in this county. John Butcher, it has been stated, was a cavalry officer in Cromwell's army. Like Fenwick, he became convinced of the doctrine of George Fox, and eventually became a mem- ber of the Society of Friends. His son, Thomas Butcher, located a large tract of land in Cohansey precinct, lying between the Gibbon's and Wood's land, now in Cumberland county, in Stoe Creek township. The late James Butcher, of Alloways Creek, was a lineal descendant, as was also John Butcher, of Salem, and Richard M. Acton's wife, on her mother's side. The first wife of William Griscom, of Woodbury, was a descendant of one of the oldest branches on the male line, and inherited a large share of the Butcher estate.
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