James has been an elusive grandfather. I first learned of him from my 4th Great Grandmother Nancy Hall's marriage bond to Thomas McFall. The bond stated Nancy was the daughter of ‘James Hall deceased’ and was dated August 23, 1814.
James
Hall married Mildred Humphrey, a daughter of David Humphrey Sen. and Jean
Taylor, in Albemarle County, Virginia. Mildred’s father gave his consent for
her to marry James Hall.
[Source
Albemarle County Marriage Bond dated the 14th day of October 1785]
James
Hall and his father-in-law were included in the 1787 Albemarle County, Virginia
Personal Property Tax List A dated March 28, 1787. David Humphrey’s name
appeared first immediately followed by James Hall. David was taxed for one
horse and seven cattle and was above the age of 21 years. James was above the
age of sixteen but under 21 years of age. He was taxed for one horse and two
cattle.
[Source
1787 Albemarle County, Virginia Personal Property Tax List A]
David
Humphrey and James Hall again appeared in the Albemarle County, Virginia Personal
Property Tax List A on the same page with a few names separating them. The
assessment only listed males above the age of 16 years. James had one horse
while David owned two horses.
[Source
1789 Albemarle County, Virginia Personal Property Tax List A]
James Hall was assessed in the 1790 Albemarle
County, Virginia Personal Property Tax List A. He was not taxed for any
animals.
[Source
1790 Albemarle County, Virginia Personal Property Tax List A]
The
Albemarle County, Virginia Court Order Book recorded an indenture of bargain
and sale when John Everett sold 100 acres to Mildred and James Hall's daughters
Jean Hall, Nancy Hall, Franky Hall, and Sally Hall. The girls were minors on
this date; I was surprised they could hold property in their names. I later learned
that while minors can buy land in Virginia, they cannot sell it until they
reach the age of 21 years.
[Source Albemarle County, Virginia Court Order Book, Year 1793, page 491]
[Source Albemarle County, Virginia Deed Book 11, pages 93 – 95]
Although
the deed mentioned above does not state James Hall was deceased in the land
description, it is likely. Certainly, he had passed by April 2, 1794, when his
widow Mildred (Humphrey) Hall married John Bailey.
[Source
Albemarle County, Virginia Marriage Bond dated the 2nd day of April
1794]
Robert
Bolling and his wife Jean sold 7 acres of land to John Bailey, all of Albemarle
County on October 14, 1803. The parcel was described as lying and bounded
between and by the lands of Stephen Moore, John Everitt, and the Estate of
James Hall deceased where John Bailey then lived. The indenture was witnessed
by Bolling, James Reynolds Sr., and James Reynolds.
[Source
Albemarle County, Virginia Unrecorded Deeds 1785-1863]
John
Everitt and his wife, Sarah, sold 160 acres to Stephen Moore in Albemarle
County in the North Garden on the waters of the north fork of Hardware. Robert
Bolling, Stephen Moore, and John Wilkerson’s property lines were close. James
Hall, deceased, was also named in the deed property description.
[Source
Albemarle County, Virginia, Deed Book 14, pages 371-372]
James
Hall’s daughter, Jean, sold her one-fourth share of the 100-acre tract she
owned with her sisters to Stephen Moore for £20. The indenture was produced in Albemarle
County Court April 1808 by John Irwin.
[Source
Albemarle County, Virginia Deed Book 16, pages 346-347]
Nancy,
Franky, and Sally Hall sold their three-fourths share of the 100-acre tract in
the North Garden to William Moore for $321. This deed identified the tract as
land their deceased father bought from John Everitt who made them a title.
[Source
Albemarle County, Virginia Deed Book 18, pages 314-315]
