by Hall, Elma.

See previous entry: Little Home Histories, Part 40 -- John Hall.

Thomas Parry Hall was born 11-22-1840 near Quaker City, Ohio.

His father Nathan Hall was born 12-18-1807 in Wayne County, North Carolina and came to Ohio about 1825.

Mother Deborah Parry was born 4-7-1814 near Quaker City, Ohio.

Rebecca Webster Richardson was born 4-3-1843.

Her mother was Hanna Do Vail who was born 7-5-1810 in Fayette County, Pa., and died in Barnesville, Ohio 1-9-1884.

Her father, Samuel Webster Richardson was born in (Little Britain Township) Lancaster County, Pa., and died near Malta, Ohio 9-12-1849.

Thomas Hall married Rebecca Webster Richardson 4-5-1865, and they went to housekeeping on a farm near Quaker City, Ohio. The children were: Margaret V. Hall was born 3-15-1866 at Quaker City, Ohio. The following children were born at the Sandy Ridge home: Wilford T., 8-29-1869; Blanche D., 5-22-1874; Everett and Elma, 6-11-1878; Elsie H., 5-22-1880.

On 3-18-1867 the Halls changed their residence to Sandy Ridge, east of Barnesville, Ohio. There was quite a little snow and Ezekiel Grier let them go through his farm which made it much shorter distance to come across to the Pultney Ridge road. A few First-days (Sundays) after they had moved to this new home, Hosea Doudna rode his dun horse down to spend the afternoon, saying he just came down to see what kind of neighbors he was going to have.

They bought the 234 acre farm of John Wehr, and wife and agreed to pay $80 per acre. The house was built by Asahel Thomas, which was a one and one-half story frame with an unusual arrangement. From the front door you entered a 10 ft. wide hall -- it is said they wanted it wide enough to drive a load of hay through. On one side of the hall was a parlor and sitting room, and on the opposite side there were two large bedrooms, each with 11 ft. ceilings -- and each of these rooms was provided with a grate. Then at the back of the house, with one step down, were kitchen, pantry, back porch, and two small bedrooms -- all with low ceilings. From the large hall, a wide stairway led to a small hall upstairs, from which one could reach a very large front bedroom and a small back bedroom with large side garrets. He house had only one clothes closet.

We had dug a well with an iron pump on the back porch, and had a rain barrel to catch the soft water at the side of the house. The windows were six pane to the sash, except two long narrow windows on either side of the front door. We had a cellar under most of the house within steps from the hall. We also had an outside entrance to the cellar. In the winter we had to use candles or a lantern to see since in the winter, the cellar windows were closed.

The barn was built on a hillside so it was really a three story building. From the front there was an approach and very large barn door to open to drive in with the hay or grain which was stored in the mows. The next floor was used for sheep stables with an entrance there. On the ground floor we kept cattle, and here there was a dug well with a wooden pump so the cattle could be watered there from buckets if the hill was too icy for them to go to the watering trough.

What the house lacked in convenience was made up somewhat by location, for it had a fine view in all directions. Tommie and Bettie Hall welcomed people to their home, and if they happened there at mealtime, they were asked to share the meal prepared. For some time mother just had a dinner horn to call the family together at mealtime. They decided to replace it with a farm bell, so mother made soft soap and father peddled it in Barnesville. In this way they earned $8.00 to pay for the bell.

Father believed that when women had meals ready. they should not be kept waiting. When this bell was installed, he made a rule that if anyone was late after the bell rang they would have to go without the meal. Soon after, father was at the lower part of the place at dinner time, and some of the men thought he would not have time to get back promptly; but he had a good horse that brought him in time.

They set out peach and apple orchards, also one pear and a quince orchard. Once when father was showing a man through the peach orchard that was laden with fruit, this friend said, "They are very nice Tommie, but they will all rot."

An Iowa cousin went with father to the Quince Orchard and the fruit looked so nice, and when they returned to the house the cousin asked his mother what kind of a man Tommie Hall was that he took him around among the quince trees and never asked him to taste any of the fruit.

Our parents were among the largest berry growers for several years. One and a half acres of strawberries, and twenty-five acres of raspberries was the most grown. One year we had 10,060 bushels of raspberries, which required about 50 pickers--a large percent being black folk.

They raised lots of melons and as father was generous, he asked boys in from the neighborhood to come and eat melons in their season. He did not have vines pulled or destroyed.

They raised Shorthorn cattle and I remember that mother did get much butter from quite a quantity of cream churned by dash churn. Sheep were raised extensively and I remember just once being allowed to go to Jesse Bailys farm, joining ours, to watch the process of sheep washing. They had a pen for the flock with a lane leading from it to the dam in the creek. The sheep were driven into the water. Then the sheep were let out on the other side and placed in another pen. Sheep shearing was an annual event. Father was an extra fast shearer and mother often folded and tied the fleece.

Thomas P. Hall died 11-14-1886 and the family remained in the home for 6 years following, then sold the farm at about $37 per acre in 1893, and bought a little home joining, belonging to Beulah Roberts. Here our mother died 3-30-1926. How lightly through the mist of years my quiet country home appears.

Wonderful progress has been made in science, medicine and transportation, and so many developments in our modern life to enjoy, but I am glad I was privileged to be brought up in the horse and buggy days, and our parents took turns with other neighbors in caring for the sick in our community. I am glad we had chores to do in the morning and evening and we did not feel it any hardship to walk to school.

Source: Written by: Elma Co Hall, Barnesville, Ohio.

See next entry: Little Home Histories, Part 42 -- Anecdote of School Days of Wilfred T. Hall.

For the table of contents and first entry in this series, please see: Little Home Histories, Part 01 -- Table of Contents and Introduction.

This entry is adapted from Little Home Histories in Our Early Homes, Belmont County, Ohio, which was published in 1942. Its publication was coordinated by Robert D. and Beulah Patten McDonald. This entry has been reedited for inclusion in the Pierian Press Fulltext eBooks database, and is included on the Stratton House Inn Website by special permission. This entry is licensed for use ONLY on this Website. It may be used for educational purposes and personal pleasure under fair-use provisions via this Website. Please note that the Stratton House Inn iteration of this entry does NOT include the subject headings assigned each chapter for use in the Fulltext eBooks database.

DATABASE: Fulltext eBooks: Copyright (c) 2002 The Pierian Press, Inc. All Rights Reserved
ENTRY NUMBER: EBK30013741

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