Lewis County, West Virginia Biography: William H. HALL ************************************************************************** USGENWEB NOTICE: 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 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. Submitted by Valerie Crook, , March 1999 ************************************************************************** The History of West Virginia, Old and New Published 1923, The American Historical Society, Inc., Chicago and New York, Volume III, pg. 132 WILLIAM H. HALL. For a long period of years William H. Hall devoted his time and energies to his extensive farm. He still retains his land, does some business as a dealer and shipper of livestock, but enjoys an ample competence to enable him to live retired. He has a comfortable home at 352 Center Avenue in Weston. Mr. Hall was born seven miles north of Weston, August 2, 1848, son of James M. and Nancy (Burnside) Hall. His father was born near Westfield, Lewis County, May 16, 1820, and his mother, near Goodhope in Harrison County, August 22. 1822. They grew up on farms and after their marriage lived for two years near Goodhope, on the Wil- liam Burnside farm, and then moved to a tract of land near Freemansburg. Nancy Burnside Hall contributed a large share to the substantial fortune, which she and her husband accumulated, though they started life poor. She looked after her household and also took her place in the fields with her husband until they could feel sure of the future. James Hall in time accumulated about a thousand acres of good farming land. His first wife, Nancy, died during the war, in 1863. She was the mother of seven chil- dren: Sarah E., deceased, who married Norman A. Lovett; William H.; Mary Margaret, wife of H. D. Bailey; Minor J., a farmer in Lewis County; R. H. Hall, of Weston; Vir- ginia, wife of George A. Custer; and Lot, a farmer on Polk Creek. James M. Hall married for his second wife Cath- erine Lovett, and the three children of this union are: Samuel G., a farmer in Lewis County; Ella, wife of Lloyd Allman, of Lewis County; and Bertha, wife of Lee Beech. William H. Hall grew up on his father's farm, had a common school education, and he found his work and duties on the homestead until he married and started life for him- self. August 25, 1870, Miss Mary E. Ervin became his wife. She was born in Pocahontas County, West Virginia, September 3, 1851. She died July 28, 1908, nearly thirty- eight years after her marriage. Of her six children, five are living: Cora, wife of A. D. Dent; James H., present sheriff of Gilmer County; A. F. Hall, a farmer in Ritchie County; Minor Boy, a merchant at Hurst; and Guy L., a farmer in Ritchie County. For his second wife Mr. Hall married Isa Somerville, widow of Albert Brown. She had three children by her first husband, Harry, Ruth and Pauline Brown. In the half century since he left his father's home Mr. Hall accumulated and still owns eight hundred acres, including the best farming land in Ritchie County. For forty years he carried on an extensive outside business as a dealer and shipper of livestock, and was also a breeder of Hereford cattle. He sold out most of his livestock in 1912. He is a stockholder in the Exchange Bank of Auburn, West Virginia. Mr. Hall is one of the prominent members of the United Brethren Church, has been a member fifty-eight years was class leader, has been superintendent of the Sunday school at Weston and a delegate to the State Conference. He is affiliated with Troy Lodge No. 156, Independent Order of Odd Fellows, and is a republican, having filled the office of justice of the peace several years.