The Hales of New River Valley.

This family is of English origin, descendants of the Hales of 
Kent. The first American emigrant of the name coming in 1632, 
bore the coat of arms of the Kentish Hales--three broad arrows, 
feather white on a red field.

The traditional story in the family of these New River Hales is, 
that the family was quite numerous in Massachusetts and 
Connecticut, and that some time prior to the beginning of our 
War for Independence there were in one family of this name 
seven brothers, all of whom joined the American Army;
a part of them served through the war under General 
Washington in and around Boston, in the Jerseys and in 
Pennsylvania; that one of the older brothers, who had a family, 
drifted south to Virginia some years prior to the beginning 
of the Revolution, and located in what is now Franklin
County, Virginia; that this settler had a son Edward, 
who served in the American Army in the early period of the 
Revolution, and later, in 1779, came across the Alleghanies 
into the New River Valley, and later married a
Miss Patsy Perdue and settled on Wolf Creek. Edward Hale was born 
about 1750, was a man of rather small stature, fair complexion 
and blue eyes, was a man of information and intelligence, and 
became a prominent figure on the border in his day, engaging 
in the Indian wars, fights and skirmishes. He was with the party 
under Captain Matthew Farley, that followed the Indians in the 
summer of 1783, after their attack on Mitchell Clay's family, 
on the Bluestone at Clover Bottom, and was in the skirmish
had with a part of these Indians on Pond Fork of Little Coal 
River, in which he killed an Indian at the first fire. From the 
back of this Indian, killed by Edward Hale, William Wiley, 
who was in the party of pursuers, took a strip of the Indian's 
hide, which he gave to Hale and was used by him and a number 
of his family for many years as a razor strop. Opposite
this page is the photograph of Dr. James W. Hale, a descendant 
of the Captain Edward Hale above mentioned.

Edward Hale marched with Captain Shannon's company to North 
Carolina, in February, 1781, and was in the engagement at 
Wetzell's Mills, on the 6th day of March, and at Guilford Court 
House on the 15th day of the same month. In 1785 Edward Hale 
married Miss patsy Perdue, a daughter of Uriah Perdue, then 
recently removed from what is now Franklin County, Virginia.
Mrs. Hale was a sister of the wife of the elder Joseph Hare. 
The names of the children of Edward Hale and his wife are as 
follows, viz: Thomas, Isaiah, Charles, Jesse, Isaac, Daniel, 
Elias and William; and the daughters, Mary and Phoebe. Thomas 
married Miss Lucas, Isaiah married Margaret Lucas, Isaac 
married Miss Lucas, Jesse married Margaret Watts,
Elias married Nancy Peters, William married Miss Williams; 
Mary married John Williams, and they moved to the state of 
Missouri, and Phoebe married John McClaugherty, son of James.

Thomas Hale had sons, Charles, Edward, Lorenzo D., Green, Thomas, 
and Ralph; daughters, Priscilla, who married William H. French; 
Martha, who married, first David F. Alvis, second William 
Shannon; Rhonda, who never married.

Isaac had one son, Daniel P.; daughters, Eliza, who married 
Captain James F. Hare; Martha, who married Russell G. French; 
Miriam, who married Isaac H. Day; Mary, who married Charles 
E. Hale; Sarah, who married, first, Rufus Brown, second, Luke 
Wells; Daniel P., married Martha Shumate.

Daniel had sons, Thomas, Charles E., John A., and Daniel F., 
and daughters, Elizabeth, who married William Shumate; Paulina, 
who married C.W. Tolley; Linney, who married R. G. Rowland; 
Cornelia, who married William Brown.

Charles had sons, John D., William H., and Isaac (the latter 
died young);daughters, Hulda, who married Andrew Fillinger; 
Martha, who married John Walker.

Isaiah had sons, Erastus (who died young), Luther C., who married 
Miss Alice Peck; the daughters, Charlotte married William Moser, 
Louisa married Jacob Snidow, Juliana married Wolf Crotching, 
Virginia married James Kinzie, Wilmoth married Andrew J. Hare. 
Isaiah Hale married a second wife, Mrs. Sallie Lybrook, whose 
maiden name was Hall; they had daughters, Lizzie, who married 
George Spangler; Sallie L., who married J. Harvey
Dunn, and the son, Luther C., above mentioned.
Jesse had sons, Hamilton J. (died during the Civil War), 
Edward C., who lives in Giles County; daughters, Julia, who 
married ............ Pettyjohn; Martha, who died unmarried; Mary, 
who married David French; Eglentine, who married Henry W. 
Broderick (both dead); Newtonia, who married Erastus W. Charleton.

For want of correct and sufficient information the names of the 
children of William Hale and his sister, Mrs. Williams (both of 
whom died in Missouri) cannot be given in this work.

The children of Elias Hale and his wife, Nancy Peters Hale, 
are as follows, viz: John E., who married Miss Moore; Charles A., 
who married Miss Bailey; Captain Rufus A., who married Julia 
Bailey; Comrad married ......; daughters, Mary who married Calvin 
Harry; Ardelia, who married John T. Carr; Julia, who died 
unmarried.

Edward Hale died about 1820, and his descendants are among the 
most valued citizens of the country; they have occupied prominent 
and important positions in the civil and military affairs of the 
district of country in which they have lived. They have been 
farmers, physicians, lawyers, merchants, magistrates, members 
of the Legislature and judges. As soldiers they have always been 
the equals of any that the country has sent forth; they fought, 
bled and died on nearly every important battlefield of our
Civil War. 

Dr. James W. Hale--formerly a distinguished physician--
now anable lawyer, residing at Princeton, West Virginia, 
was a valiant Confederate soldier in the Civil War, losing an 
arm at the battle of Piedmont, Virginia, June 5th, 1864. He 
is a great-grandson of Edward Hale.

Edward McClaugherty, another great-grandson of Edward Hale, 
was a lieutenant in Company A, 17th Virginia Regiment of Cavalry, 
and died in the service. Honorable Robert C. McClaugherty, 
also a great-grandson of Edward Hale, is a prominent lawyer 
residing at Bluefield, West Virginia.

He served four years as Judge of the 9th Judicial Circuit of West
Virginia. The late Captain Rufus A. Hale, of Mercer County, 
was one of the bravest men in his regiment, serving throughout 
the war 1861-5 with distinction, and was more than once commended 
by his superior officers for his gallantry and good conduct 
on the battlefield. Charles A. Hale, a brother of Captain Rufus 
A., was a highly reputable citizen, made a good
record and name as a valiant soldier of the 8th Virginia 
Regiment ofCavalry.

James Perdue, who died in Mercer County in 1900, at the age of 
one hundred and one years, was a relative of Captain Edward Hale.