Much has been speculated on who was the father of William Hall, born 1764, in South Carolina, but to date, what we do know and that we can document, is provided below. There are no known wills, Bible records, court records, etc. that we can document belonging to our Hall family before William. We have yet to prove that we came from Holland, British Isles, England or that we are Scotch Irish. Our brick wall is like many other families, who named each other with the same names generation after generation. We have ruled out the Princeton theory. Our oral history suggest a little of all above.
Our progenitor, William "Billy" Hall, was born in 1764 in Spartanburg, South Carolina, possibly in the Campobello section. We think he spent 30-40 years in South Carolina and North Carolina. When they left South Carolina, they crossed the Blue Ridge Mountains into the the Mud Creek section of North Carolina. Mud Creek runs almost the full length of Henderson County then into Buncombe County. The waters of Mud Creek empties into the French Broad River near West Asheville. Billy had a son, Samuel, born in 1801 or 1805 in Buncombe County, North Carolina. Billy also had another son we have record of also named Billy. We also have information on one daughter named Hannah who married Joseph (Joe) Finney.
The records in Edgefield, South Carolina, and also in Spartanburg, South Carolina, show that the Halls and Finneys came from the lower counties of South Carolina.
William "Billy" Hall and his two sons, Samuel and Billy, Jr., moved to the Dutch Bottom area (near Newport) in Cocke County, Tennessee. Some say they spent 9-11 years (about 1822-33) at Dutch Bottom. Some suffered ill health in this area, and they sought another place to live. The Finneys were already on Hall`s Top in an area known as the Finney Patch. We think Hannah Hall Finney and her husband Joe lived in this area, and she was instrumental in the Hall`s moving to the mountain. After going to Hall's Top, the Halls and Finneys made trips by walking together to Charleston to visit relatives.
About 1832 or 1833, they made application for land grants on the mountain. They requested 600 acres of land but only 400 were deeded to them. They had to wait 7 years before this land was granted, so they didn`t move their families to the mountain until 1839. By this time they had built hunting camps on the expected land (later known as Hall`s Top). About 1839 or 1840, some three or four families move to the mountain and raised large families of Halls, Finneys, James, Balls and Ellisons. The true story goes when they had 10 or 12 families, they built a log school house, and the county sent them a teacher. The log building was used also as a church for many years. At one time, 28 families lived on the mountain. Most people moved away by the year 1900. At this time, the old fields are grown and only a few old apple trees remain. The old home place with blackened chimney rock reminds us of life on the "mountain" many, many years ago.
Billy, Jr., moved to Blount County, Tennessee, and had a family. We don`t have any more history on him.
Billy. Sr., (William) was married twice. His first wife was Sarah Wooten. They had 6 children - 2 boys and 4 girls. Apparently, she is the mother of Hannah, Samuel, and Billy, Jr. Sarah is buried on Hall`s Top. His second wife was Lettie Virginia Mantooth, and they had 3 children. Billy died on May 1, 1859. He is buried on Hall`s Top, and also his wife Jinnie is buried there.
Samuel Hall b. ca. 1806 (son of Billy, Sr.) married Martha "Patsy" Brewington. Martha was born October, 1808. (Previous historys spelled her last name "Bruington", however, the "Brewington" spelling is believed correct and has been found in records. Martha was the daughter of James Brewington and Sarah Haze(l)cock. It has been told that the Brewingtons and the Cleary family went to the gold fields of California and were never heard from again. However, we do know the Cleary`s went to Texas.
Samuel and Martha had 6 boys and 3 girls. He died February, 1893. He and Martha are buried on Hall`s Top. (Samuel was born 1801 or 1805 - page 1.)
The following information is on the children of Samuel and Martha Hall and their descendants:
(1) William (Bill) Hall married Nancy Green. Nancy was a sister to Sarah Green
"Long" John married Frances Bullington Hall dau. of James Bullington. Frances was born Mar. 10, 1867 died Mar. 27, 1960 in Greenville/Spartanburg, S.C.
Children of "Long" John and Frances were:
(2) Henry Hall married Cindy Cook.
(3) Samuel Houston Hall m. Anne Barton.
(4) John Wesley Hall born 4 Oct. 1834 d. 23 Oct. 1926 m. Sarah Hux (1st wife.
John Wesley`s second wife was Susannah Davis.see photo of John and Susannah
Children John Wesley and Susannah Hall were:
(5) James Hall born 1841 m. Sarah Green (sister to Nancy Green).
They were other children, but below is what we know of.
******Note: Many of this family are buried at the James Cemetery. See page for listings!
Children were:
"Long" John Wesley Hall(pictured here) (named for uncle) married Frances Bullington (see below)
Sara`s obituary noted that she was survived by three brothers: John Hall, of Wolf Creek Tn. Allen Hall of Gastonia N.C. and Henry Hall Newport,Tn. Two sisters: Mrs. Lou Hall Vinson and Betty Hall Ball, both of Newport,Tn.
Children of James Harvey Arrowood and Sara Hall Arrowood were:
John Arrowood Of High Shoals, N.C.
Sam Arrowood of High Shoals, N.C.
Victor Arrowood of High Shoals, N.C.
Ed Arrowood of White Pine, Tn
Arthur Arrowood m. Leath Wiggins of High Shoals N.C.
W.E Arrowood of Newport Tn.
Margaret Arrowood married a Spitzer
Harrison Arrowood of Robbinsville N.C.
Carrie Arrowood m. Joe Black
Allan Hall m. Alley Black Runyon
Florence Arrowood Webb married Melvin Albert Webb and after his death in 1929, remarried Dillion Black of Gastonia N.C.
Dillion Black, Joe Black and Alley Black were siblings.
John Wesley Hall was born Feb. 28, 1865 Mar. 7, 1958
*Headstone of John Wesley Hall reads 1958, but actual date of death was 1954 according to his family members. Frances Bullington, wife of "Long" John Wesley Hall and Nancy Jane Bullington, wife of Isaac James were twins, also. They were called Fran and Nan.
-Ida Hall (1888-1968), She married Frank Briggs. One known dau. of Ida and Frank Briggs: Hattie Mae.
-Caleb "Cape" Lives in Pennsylvania. He is thought to be the oldest living Hall in the family.
-Carrie m. Swan Green. Children: Jerry, Sheldon, Scott, Nelson, Ruth m. John Booth.
-Rachel m. Alex Hall (son of James Hall and Sarah Green). Rachel is buried at Bell Hill.
Children: U.A., Lawson (click here for Lawson Hall family), Ellis, Kat, Lee and Walt. (Rachel is how her name is spelled on the tombstone.)
-Odie
-Flora m. William McGaha (Both buried at Bell Hill.) Children: Roy and Velma m. Melvin Brown.
-Frank "Elmer" m. Iva Alice Roberts.
Children: Everette (Deceased) m. Evelyn Mason
Everette's Children: Janice m. Wayne Horton; Cathy m. a Cantrell; Tim; E. J. m. Marion Davis
E. J.'s Children: Danny; Dianne m. Cole; Christine m. a Tillman
-Ike (Isaac)
-Carl Wesley
Carl Wesley Hall, born March 25th 1913 , Swane Co., N.C. died Jan 15th 1993 , Knox Co., Tn
Married: Dorothy Ricker in 1939
Children of Carl Wesley Hall were:
Francis June Hall born 1940 Cocke Co., Tn D: 1967 Knox Co., Tn and Daniel Boyd Hall born 1953 Knox Co., Tn
Rachel Hall is the daughter of Daniel Boyd Hall
Children were:
Children of Susie and Henry Finney were:
Pete Finney m. Tilda Ellison (dau. of Matha Anne Hall and John Ellison).
Oscar Finney
Charley Finney
Andy Finney
Emeline Finney (Burke)
Sarah Finney
Children were:
Children of John Wesley and Sarah Hall were:
John Wesley Hall Homestead Photo
Jesse Lockman photo
Amanda Hall Family photo
Known children of James and Sarah Hall were:
His second wife was Nan Clark, and they had a dau. named Ola.
Etta is the daughter of Katy. Katy married Riley Hensley. Riley is buried at Bell Hill Cemetery. Etta married Robie Williamson. Etta is a widow now and lives in Maryville. Her son, Merlin, is one of the main piano players at the Hall reunion. Also, she has a daughter-in-law Vernell who plays. Merlin has a music store in Maryville. He refinished James Robert Hall old piano and it's at Bell Hill now. Katy's brother was Alex Hall. Lawson was Alex son and he used to come to Hall's Top with several of his children - Ann, Lucille, Ola Mae, L.A.. Alex (also called J. A.) Hall and Samuel "Singing Sam" Hall were very close. Sam loved him like a brother.
Pictured Above: Martha Ann Ellison holding grandson Walter Ellison
Pictured Below : Front Row L-R Ora, Dave, Katy, Etta, Back Row L-R Hubert and Jacob.
(6) Elizabeth (Bets) Hall m. John Messer (he was killed in war - Civil War ?) and had one son, Sam (Crippled Sam).
Her second marriage was to David Green. They had several children, but only one lived to be grown.
(7) Cindy Hall m. Bill James.
Children were:
(8) Sarah (Sal) Hall had one child named Sal. Never married.
(9) Allen Hall born December 7, 1848, m. Emeline Bible on December 21, 1871. Emeline was born on March 9, 1851. Allen died February 21, 1935. Emeline died September 26,1939. They are buried at the Bullington Graveyard at Ravens Branch in the Cherokee National Forest.*** For more info on the children of Allen and Emeline see their page listed above.
Children of Allen and Emeline Hall were:
Hannah Hall Finney dau. of William "Billy" Hall and Sarah Wooten Hall died in 1893 or 1894. Her son-in-law, Dennis Green (husband of Elmina) brought her body by mule wagon from the Waterville area where she had lived to Nige Ball`s homeplace later known as the Milburn Hall homeplace. Hannah`s two great nephews, Alex and Jacob Hall, carried her body to Hall`s Top for burial. Both boys were born in 1877, so they were around 16 years old. They placed chains around the homemade casket and put a pole through the chains and carried it on their shoulders. Aunt Hannah was a very frail woman, but you can imagine how difficult this task of kindness was considering the rough terrain. A wagon could not have made the trip. About halfway up Hangover Mountain around 3-plus miles, they stopped and rested at a place called "Where Billy (James) Buried His Hair." This resting area was known by that name because on one trip up the mountain young Billy got his hair cut and buried there when his family stopped to rest. Mourners followed the casket up the mountain, but no one offered to share their load and let the young boys rest.
As told to James Robert Hall by Alex Hall
Directions to Hall`s Top, Cocke County, Tn.
Off I-40 exit at Wilton Springs. From Newport when you exit, go under the bridge; from N.C. turn right after you exit. From Old 25, you would take the Edwina Road.
From I-40 you would go about 5-6 miles and turn right on Sweetwater Road. There is a sign for Shady Grove Baptist Church at this turn. About 1 mile past the church, you will turn right. There is a Mantooth Cemetery at the top of the hill at this turn.From here on, you will only make right turns. This goes past Granddaddy's home and Uncle Alford's home. This goes to the top of the mountain.
As you are going up the mountain, there is a level, flat place on the left. The cemetery is out there. James Robert Hall had an engraved marker made that is about 4 foot tall and it is in memory of "those whose feet these paths have trod." He had one placed at Bell Hill Cemetery, also. Other than that, there are no markers. There may be a few rocks here and there.
