townsend hall final ver

7/31/2019 Townsend Hall Final Ver

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The Hall Family of East Farnham, Quebec

Written by Cameron McGowan (2012)

(Excerpt Draft)

Generation VII

7. Martin Townsend Hall was born in East Farnham, 3 March 1810, the son of Clark Halland Susanna Townsend;1 he died on his farm near Farnham Centre, 11 August 1912, aged 102years, and was buried in the United Church Cemetery in Brigham, QC.2 He was knowninformally as Townsend Hall. His monument inscription incorrectly gives his birth year as1811, and his death year as 1913.3

When Townsend turned 100 years old, he was asked questions about his youth which arerecorded in E.M. Taylors History of Brome County: When he was quite young he assisted hisfather in chopping and burning wood to make potash. His father was a blacksmith. The firstschool that he remembered was kept in his fathers barn, and the teacher was Henrietta Wells.The first minister of religion he remembered was the Rev. Caleb Cotton, who preached in aschoolhouse situated near what is now Sweetsburg. At the age of twelve, he went to school toDr. Newell.4

Ken Hall, grandson of Fred Hall, says, my Grandmother Leggat (Agnes Jane Boyd, 1864-1960)told me that Townsend Hall used to lead oxen to St. Jean, walking all the way, and put potash ona barge to Montreal, returning after two weeks.5

Townsend married, at All Saints Church of England in Dunham, QC, 27 October 1831, by Rev.Caleb Cotton, Sophronia H. Freeman, daughter of Sylvanus Freeman and Mary Griggs. On themarriage record, Townsend was described as a yeoman, of full age, and Sophronia asunderage, both of Farnham.6 Sophronia was born in Lower Canada in 1812; she died inFarnham, 9 January 1882, aged about 70 years, and is buried in the United Church Cemetery inBrigham.7,8

Sophronias father died when she was young and her mother was remarried to Fortunatus PhillipWood, who was born in Vermont.9 In the 1861 census, Phillip Wood, age 78, and MaryFreeman, age 67, were farming in East Farnham. Also living with them were Priscilla Wood, 38,

Samuel Wood, 36, and Samuels family.10

Nearby lived Fortunatus Wood, farmer, age 42, andhis family.11 Sophronia also had a sister Mary Freeman, born about 1808, who was married toBenjamin Taber in East Farnham.12, 13

Townsends farm was located in Dunham Township on the road between Cowansville andFarnham Centre, Route 104, or, Rue de la Riviere. His home is located on the north side at abend in the road, about two kilometres east of Farnham Centre, today house number 772. In the1851 census and 1861 census the farmhouse is described as a log home and the family were


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Free Will Baptists. By 1871, the house had probably been expanded or rebuilt, and the censusprovides the following household information:14

Name Age Born Religion Origin Occ. Marr. Othercomments

Martin Hall 61 Quebec F.W.B. English Farmer M

Sophronia Hall 60 Quebec F.W.B. English - M

Fortunatus Hall 21 Quebec No religion English Farmer - Protestant

John McCulloch 54 Scotland C. Pres. Scotch Farmer MSophia McCulloch 37 Quebec C. Pres. English - M

Jennie McCulloch 10 Quebec C. Pres. English - - At school

James McCulloch 7 Quebec C. Pres. English - - At school

Priscilla Wood 48 Quebec No religion English - - Protestant

Hannah Wood 13 Quebec C. of E. English - - At school

The 1871 census also informs us that the farm itself was 100 acres, with 50 acres improved, 35acres in pasture, one dwelling house and three barns, and was owned by Townsend. They had

three carriages, three wagons and two ploughs. They had four horses, nine milking cows, 10sheep and some pigs. Their main crops were spring wheat, barley, oats, corn, potatoes and 20acres of hay. They also grew carrots and beans and produced hops, grapes, apples, 300 lbs ofmaple sugar, 950 lbs of butter and 32 lbs of wool. In 1871, they made 56 yards of cloth &flannel and 35 yards of linen.15

An early photograph of Townsend Hall shows him in a military uniform holding a bayonet-rifle.Although there is no evidence of where he may have served, Ken Hall says, my GrandmotherLeggat told me that he served along the Richelieu River in the Rebellion of 1837.16 This mayhave been true, as he would have been 27 years old at that time, and there were several battles inthe Richelieu Valley Region in November of 1837. The photo may have been taken later on.Two of Townsends sons, Clark and Martin, moved out west to follow his brother, HoratioNelson Hall, after they read his glowing letters about the West. The following two letters are ofinterest, written by Townsends wife, Sophronia, to her son Martin in Belle Plaine, Kansas:17

Mar 17, 1878

Mr Dear Children

I will once more try to write a few lines to you we are yet alive all except dear Julia she is gone I suppose

you have had all the perticlers of her death We have had great sorrow and trouble for the last months

past. Clark was very sick at the time Julia died he did not see her after her death he was not expected to

live any time. I staid with him till he could come home he has ben here the most of the time since his

helth is very good now. I suppose you think straing that I have not written to you before I have ben sick

all winter I was taken sick before I came from Watterloo. I have the gass depsia there is not much left ofme but skin and bones. I often think my stay here is very short my dese has gon to my eyes they are very

soar I am almost blind My dear son I often think I wish I could see you and again I say I never shall in

this world but hope to meet in heavan whare parting never comes do strive to meet me their, may God

help us both to be prepared when our change comes, we have had a very mild winter here their has ben

but very little snow here it is warm more like May than March they are makin sugar today your Father

and Forta and Clark and Eveline and John Buck and I dont who else is over their they are sugarin off, it

is Sunday and I am alone it is often very lonely here I have seen many osoriful hours since I saw you but


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my trouble is all most through for this life and now I hope for that happy world to come, Charley is

mariad and Caugh Albert Humphry farm Sophia and John has moved they rented the Inglas farm for two

years

times is rather hard here money is scarse and hard to be got

you must write and let me know how you are doing well you must not forget to write to your Mother you

may forget but I never shale

this is Friday the 22I am up to Jennies I ben here since Sunday Jennie is not very well we have heaps of trouble these days if

I could see you I could tell you more news than I can write if I do not loose my eyes I well write before

long agan

be may God bless you my dear children

Farwell from your Mother Hall

[Ma]ria is low not likely to get about agan

they have built a sugar house and got a pan and lots of new fixin to make sugar this year. I wish you was

one among the number over their

Dunham, June th 9 1878

My Dear Son

I once more will try to write a few lines to you hoping they will find you in good helth We are yet alive

and have a masure of helth my helth is very poor I have tried a deal of medesin but it dos but little good

my stomach is in awful condition sometimes I think I am a little better and agan I feel as bad as ever the

cause is not removed my eyes is ver soar I can hardly see to write, I am alone today and feal very

lonely, O Martin why dont you come home I thoug you would come home as soon as you straitened up

your afaires I have look and waited and expected you every week for a long time we did not write for we

though you would come now Martin I wish you wold come I cant wait much longer do not stay their all a

lone come and stay with your frinds you have not written so long time I do want to know how you are

come and tell us I know you must be very lonely and I am very sory for you Clark has not ben here for a

long time I suppose he has rented a licker saloon in East Richford he did not tell what he was agoin to do

when he left home I am very sora he has don so wicked and foolish you must know how I feel a bout himForta has got spring work don we have had a very erly spring here strawberries commence to get ripe in

May every thing looked well the crops was splendid but theirwas a frost this week that has don a great

damage to corn and potatoes in some places it is cold for the time of the year we have no rain for a long

time it was very wet in the spring the grass got thick but it is very short now

June 14

It is hard times for money here cheese only fetches 7 cents this week and butter is worth 13 cents, Forta is

working on the road today pa is not very well today they have got a builin to fraim and put up before

rain, now Martin do come home we all want you should come and if you are not comin do pay write and

let me know how you ar getin along I can not write eny longer now dont forget

your Mother Hall

Ken Hall, grandson of Fred Hall, says, My mother (Ethel May Leggat, 1900-1982), who was ona neighbouring farm, said he [Townsend Hall] was sharp-as-a-tack until he passed at 102 yearsold, though his vision was very limited. Ken says his mother also told him that the Halls werebootleggers and their sugar shack was nothing more than a still to make rye whisky. They hidthe bottles under the potatoes in the cellar and delivered the whisky in bags of potatoes in thewagon to the Hauver family hotel in Stanbridge. This would likely have been how FortunatusHall met his wife Eveline Hauver.18


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Martin Townsend Halls obituary from 1912 includes the following information:

This aged gentleman deserves more than a passing notice as he lived more than a century in ourmidst, and lived at peace with his kindred and neighbours. He never had a lawsuit and lived aquiet, even life.

Townsend Hall lived to see five generations of his own blood living, four generations beingrepresented in the house he died in. This farm was donated him by his mother, who inherited itfrom her father, Martin Townsend, and purchased by him from Warren Townsend some timebefore 1800.

He passed away quietly, recognizing few at last, but still able to sing to the last, that old hymnby Robert Robinson, Come Thou Fount of Every Blessing.19

Issue: i. Sophia Sophronia Hall was born 15 July 1832;20 she married, at the St.Gabriel Street Presbyterian Church in Montreal, 30 January 1854, John

McCulloch (1809-1880);

21

she died 7 July 1905, aged 72 years, and is buriedin the Brigham United Church Cemetery.22,23 In the 1871 census, Sophia and Johnwere living with her parents.24 In the 1881 census, Sophia, now widowed, wasliving in the Township of East Farnham with her son Eppenetus, aged 17, and twoyoung children, Emma and Henry McCulloch, aged eight and six.25 Eppenetusmoved to Manchester, NH, about 1887 and Sophia joined him in 1889 and wasliving with his family in 1900.26 By 1911, Eppenetus, or Eppie, was living backin East Farnham with his family.27 He purchased the farm of his late uncle andaunt, Reuben and Rowena (Hall) Mansfield, where his son William farmed. 28

Issue: i. Rowena Sophronia McCulloch was born August 1856.29ii. Jennie McCulloch was born about 1860.30

iii. Eppenetus James McCulloch was born October 1863.31

ii. Clark Hall was born 24 May 1835;32 he married, at the Methodist Church inShefford, QC, 17 July 1855, Julia Ann Hale (d. 1877, from typhoid fever);33 hemarried secondly, Susan Evaline (Hoover) Ludwick (1856-1932), about 1884(MJM gives marriage date, 8 July 1884)34; he died in Miami, Texas, 8 February1915, aged 79 years, and was buried in Miami.35 After his first wife died, Clarkfollowed the railroad movement southwest and was a railroad locomotiveengineer for the Atcheson, Topeka & Santa Fe Railroad.36 He may have lived inMissouri for a while where his second wife, Eva, was living in 1880, in the Cityof Union, outside St. Louis. Eva had a daughter from a previous marriage, HettieLudwick, born 1880, who adopted the name Hall.37

iii. Mary Ann (Polly) Hall was born 12 June 1839;38 she married, at the MethodistChurch in Dunham, 16 November 1858, Eppenetus Wells (1828-1900);39 she diedin Farnham Centre, 26 March 1907, aged 67 years, and was buried in theProtestant Cemetery, Waterloo, QC.40 In 1861 Eppenetus and Mary Ann werefarming in East Farnham.41 According to the 1891 census they were living in


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Waterloo Village, and, under occupation/trade, Eppenetus was described as aBourgeois.42 Eppenetus died in Waterloo in 1900.43 Soon after Mary Annmoved to Manchester, NH, to live with her sister Priscillas family.44

iv. Priscilla W. Hall was born 24 April 1843;45 she married, at the Adventist Churchin Stanbridge, QC, 17 September 1865, James Leggat (1843-1934);

46

she died inManchester, NH, 21 August 1927, aged 84 years,47and was buried inthe PineGrove Cemetery. James and Priscilla farmed in Stanbridge Township, QC,appearing in the 1871 and 1881 censuses.48 About 1882, they moved toManchester, NH,49joining Jamess brother Robert who immigrated in 1874.James was employed at the Amoskeag Manufacturing Co. which became thelargest cotton textile plant in the world. His brother Robert was an overseer at themill (and later a state senator) and James was elevated to head of security.50 KenHall says that James also bought various run down houses that he renovated andsold. His nephew Eppie worked for his Uncle James and was listed as a carpenterin the 1900 US census.51 According to M.J. Mansfield, James and Priscilla

acquired much property in Manchester.

52

Ken Hall says that James Leggatdied a rich man in the heart of the depression of the 1930s and left over $80,000in his will.53

Issue: i. Sarah Mary (Sadie) Leggat was born 27 January 1868.54,55

v. Marcella S. Hall was born 2 November 1845;56 she died 9 November 1846, agedone year.57

vi. Martin T. Hall was born 2 November 1845;58 he married Susan Tisdale (nochildren);59 he married secondly, 20 June 1882, Emma Wheeler (1858-1942);60 hedied in the insane asylum at Larned, KS, probably suffering from some form ofsenile dementia, 17 February 1937, aged 91 years, and is buried in the BellePlaine, KS, Cemetery.61 In the early 1870s, Martin went to the US frontier,settling in Belle Plaine, Kansas. He worked as a cowboy and stagecoach driverand was manager of a stage line running from Emporia (at that time, the end ofthe railroad) to Caldwell. After the stagecoach era, he worked in construction as acarpenter.62 In the 1911 Canada Census, he was listed as a lodger at his fathersfarm, probably on a visit home.63

Issue: i. Hazel M. Hall was born July 1883.64

ii. Martin T. Hall was born March 1885.65

iii. Lee E. Hall was born January 1888.66

iv. Herbert E. Hall was born September 1899.67vii. Fortunatus Philip Wood Hall was born 11 August 1849;68 he married, at the St.

James Anglican Church in Farnham, 1 January 1874, Eveline Hauver (1852-1919);69 he died in Farnham, 12 February 1927, aged 77 years, and was buried inthe Brigham United Church Cemetery.70 Fortunatus, or Forty, remained on hisfathers homestead outside of Farnham Centre, in Dunham Township. Ken Hall,


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grandson of Fred Hall, says, My Grandmother Leggat told me that Fort Hall wasa strong man with a shock of white hair. She said he was the toughest man in thecounty.71

Issue: i. Martin Hall, died young.72

ii.

Frederick Townsend Hall was born 26 April 1883.73

Ref:1 Martin Townsend Hall birth record, Hall Family Bible.2 Martin Townsend Hall obituary clipping, 1912.3 Martin Townsend Hall monument inscription, Brigham United Church Cemetery.4 E.M.Taylor,History of Brome County,Vol. 2, 1937., pages 248-249.5 Information provided by Charles Kenneth Townsend Hall, 2010.6 Hall-Freeman marriage record, All Saints Church of England, Dunham, Drouin Collection.7 Sophronia Freeman monument inscription, Brigham United Church Cemetery.8 E.M. Taylor,History of Brome County,Vol. 2, 1937, page 249.9 Information provided by Charles Kenneth Townsend Hall, 2010.101861 Canada Census for Phillip Wood household, East Farnham.111861 Canada Census for Fortunatus Wood household, East Farnham.12 1861 Canada census for Benjamin Taber household, East Farnham.13 Burial Record for Mary Griggs, 5 October 1866, widow of Sylvanus Freeman, signed by Mary Freeman

and Sohronia Freeman, East Farnham Baptist Church, Drouin Collection.14 1851, 1861 Canada Census for Martin T. Hall household, Dunham Twp.15 1871 Canada Census for Martin T. Hall household, Dunham Twp.16 Information provided by Charles Kenneth Townsend Hall, 2010.17 Original letters in envelope, transcribed exactly by Hope Jenne, Untitled Paper on the Hall Family of East

Farnham, unpublished, circa 1982.18 Information provided by Charles Kenneth Townsend Hall, 2010.19 Martin T. Hall obituary clipping, 1912.20 E.M. Taylor,History of Brome County,Vol. 2, 1937, page 249.21 Hall-McCulloch marriage record, St. Gabriel Street Presbyterian Church, Montreal, Drouin Collection.22 Sophia Hall burial record, transcribed by Hope Jenne, Congregational Church, probably Brigham or

Cowansville.23 Sophia Hall monument inscription, Brigham United Church cemetery.24 1871 Canada Census for Martin T. Hall household, Dunham Twp.25 1881 Canada Census for Sophia McCulloch household, East Farnham.26 1900 US Census for Eppie McCulloch household, Manchester, NH.27 1911 Canada Census for Eppie McCulloch household, East Farnham.28 Mary J. Mansfield, Handwritten Notes on the Descendants of Clark Hall , unpublished, circa 1920.29 Rowena Sophia McCulloch monument Inscription, Riverside Cemetery, East Farnham (died July 1857).30 1911 Canada Census for Henry Ellison household, Dunham Township.31 1911 Canada Census for Eppie McCulloch household, East Farnham.32

Clark Hall monument inscription, Miami, Texas.

33 Hall-Hale marriage record, Shefford Methodist Church, Drouin Collection.34 1900 US Census for Clark Hall household, Miami, Texas.35 Clark Hall monument inscription, Miami, Texas.36 Information provided by Charles Kenneth Townsend Hall, 2010.37 1880 US Census for Susan E. Ludwick, John Hoover household, Union Township, Scotland County, Missouri.38 E.M. Taylor,History of Brome County,Vol. 2, 1937, page 249.39 Hall-Wells marriage record, Dunham Methodist Church, Drouin Collection.40 Mary Ann Hall Wells burial record, Waterloo Anglican Church, Drouin Collection.41 1861 Canada Census for Eppenetus Wells household, East Farnham.


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42 1891 Canada Census for Eppenetus Wells household, Waterloo.43 Eppenetus Wells burial record, Waterloo Anglican Church, Drouin Collection44 1900 US Census for Mary A. Wells, James Laggett household, Manchester, NH.45 E.M. Taylor,History of Brome County,Vol. 2, 1937, page 249.46 Broadhurst, R. Neil, Protestant Marriages in the District of Bedford, Quebec, 1804-1879.47 New Hampshire Deaths and Burials, 1784-1949, familysearch.com48 1871 and 1881 Canada Censuses for James Leggat household, Stanbridge, QC.49 1900 US Census for Priscilla Laggett, James Laggett household, Manchester, NH.50 1900 US Census for James Leggat, Manchester, NH, watchman.51 1900 US Census for Eppie McCulloch household, Manchester, NH.52 Mary J. Mansfield, Handwritten Notes on the Hall Family of East Farnham, unpublished, ~1920.53 Information provided by Charles Kenneth Townsend Hall, 2012.54 1900 US Census for Sadie M. Cronin, James Laggett household, Manchester, NH.55 Mary J. Mansfield, Handwritten Notes on the Hall Family of East Farnham, unpublished, ~1920.56 E.M. Taylor,History of Brome County, Vol. 2, 1937, page 249.57 Ibid.58 Ibid.59 Martin T. Hall obituary, 1937, from Hope Jenne, Untitled Paper on the Hall Family of East Farnham,

unpublished, circa 1982.60 Ibid.61 Ibid.62 Ibid.63 1911 Canada Census for Fortunatu Hall household, Dunham Township.64 1900 US Census for Morten F. Hall household, Belle Plaine, Kansas.65 Ibid.66 Ibid.67 Ibid.68 E.M. Taylor,History of Brome County, Vol. 2, 1937, page 24969 Hall-Hauver marriage record, St. James Anglican Church, Farnham, Drouin Collection.70 Fortunatus Wood Phillip Hall burial record, Brigham United Church, Drouin Collection.71 Information provided by Charles Kenneth Townsend Hall, 2011.72 Mary J. Mansfield, Handwritten Notes on the Hall Family of East Farnham, unpublished, circa 1920.73 E.M. Taylor,History of Brome County, Vol. 2, 1937, page 249

Special thanks to Ken Hall, of Belleville, ON, for his expertise on the descendants of Townsend Hall, to FlorenceBell, of Napanee, ON, who provided most of the photographs from the collection of her great aunt, Ruby (Teel)McCulloch (wife of William McCulloch), and to the late Hope Jenne, of East Farnham, for providing thetranscriptions from the original letters.


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Sophronia (Freeman) Hall (1812-1882)

Clark Hall (1835-1915)

Julia Ann (Hale) Hall (d. 1877)

1st wife of Clark Hall

Martin T. Hall Jr. (1845-1937)

(Martin) Townsend Hall (1810-1912)


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Sophia (Hall) McCulloch (1832-1905)

Eppenetus (Eppie) McCulloch (1863-1936) with

his wife Elizabeth Armstrong (1863-1937)

Jennie (McCulloch) Ellison (born 1860) with

her husband Henry Ellison (1847-1930)

John

McCulloch(1809-1880)

40 Dubuque St., Manchester, NH

Residence of Eppie McCulloch


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Eppie and Elizabeth (Armstrong) McCulloch with

their children William (b.1889) and Nellie (b.1894)

Townsend Hall

Eppenetus Wells (1828-1900) Mary Ann (Polly Hall) Wells (1839-1907)


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Sadie (Leggat) Cronin (1868-1916)

Sadie (Leggat) Cronin with her husband

John Cronin (1861-1941)

(Possibly) Priscilla Hall (1843-1927) with her

husband James Leggat (1843-1934)

Ethel Goldie Ellison (b.1882), daughter of Jennie

(McCulloch) Ellison, with her grandfather Richard Ellison


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Clark Hall (1835-1915) with stepdaughter Hettie (b.1880)

Hazel Hall (1883-1919)

Eva (Hoover) Hall (1856-1932)

2nd wife of Clark Hall

(Possibly) Martin Hall (1845-1937)

Children of Martin Hall, Martin (b.1885), Hazel (b.1883)

and Lee (b.1888)


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Fred Hall (1883-1928)

Fortunatus Hall (1849-1927)

Fortunatus Hall (1849-1927) and his wife

Eveline Hauver (1852-1919)

Four Generations: Townsend Hall with daughter Sophia McCulloch,

grandson Eppie McCulloch and great-grandson William McCulloch

townsend hall final ver

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