Bio of the HALL Family (1790-1980), Benton Co., MN USGENWEB NOTICE: In keeping with our policy of providing free information on the Internet, material may be freely used by non-commercial entities, as long as this message remains on all copied material, AND permission is obtained from the contributor of the file. These electronic pages may NOT be reproduced in any format for profit or presentation by other organizations. Persons or organizations desiring to use this material for non-commercial purposes, MUST obtain the written consent of the contributor, OR the legal representative of the submitter, and contact the listed USGenWeb archivist with proof of this consent. Made available to The USGenWeb Archives by: Joe Hall The following information was written by me (Joe Hall) from information gathered in my genealogical study of my heritage. The Hall Family After the war of 1812, Canada fearing another invasion by the United States recruited British settlers to upper Ontario to protect and develop the country. Most immigrants were recruited from Ireland, because of the famine occurring there. They were given eighty acres and a monetary allowance for one year. Nicholas Hall, born in Ireland in 1790 emigrated to Canada marrying a French Canadian, Mary Marcotte in 1801 and settled in Lanark twp. Lanark Co. Ontario, Canada. Their son William married Jane McDermott from Armagh County Ireland and the marriage produced nine children, the oldest being William. On Feb. 2, 1872 William Hall, a millwright in Lanark, married Ellen Foley. They had seven children, all of whom were born in Lanark Co. In 1884 William died in Denver, Colorado and Ellen and her children moved to Almonte, Ontario. In 1897 she and her children moved to Benton Co. with her older brother John R. Foley, who founded the Town of Foley in 1900. Ellen lived in Foley until her death on Nov. 25, 1937. Ellen's daughters, with the exception of Anna who never married, married and settled in Foley. Daughters Katherine married Emory Swenson County Attorney for Benton Co., Mary (Mamie) married Bill Lord who built the Foley theater and was a Foley bank cashier, and Ida, who married Dr. J. E. Dohney, a dentist. Ellen's three sons worked for their Uncle John with Foley Brothers logging and sawmill for two years before starting their mercantile store in Foley in 1899. In the earlier years the upper story of their building was used for meetings, programs, dances and shows and was called the Hall's Opera House. The original Hall store burned down in October, 1947 and was rebuilt on a smaller scale. Their business at one time had a branch store in Mora. They also built in Foley, a hotel and a grain elevator. Within a year, William sold out his interest in the store to John and George and worked for the Foley Brothers Construction Co. George Hall, due to ill health lived in Los Angeles, CA for two years and died in 1918, after returning to Foley. Prior to his death he built a home by Holdridge Park. After his death John acquired sole ownership of the business and the operation was continued on by his son John S. Hall until his death in a hunting accident. The Children of Ellen and William Hall were: Mary (Mamie) b. 1873 d. 1966 William b. 1874 d. 1963 John F. b. 7/3/1876 d. 11/9/1957 Anna L. b. 10/19/1879 d. 3/20/1937 Ida b. 12/18/1880 d. 6/30/56 George A. b. 2/27/1883 d. 4/25/1918 Katherine b. 6/24/1885 d. 7/23/1980 By: Joe Hall