Meridian, MS

Any chance I get, I sit down with Grandpa and jot down notes about his family memories. The most recent visits involved discussions about his Hall relatives in Meridian, MS. He recalled his Uncle Joe, specificially and repeatedly mentioned that we needed to visit Meridian. His wish is our command, so I began my research. I spent months gathering all the details I could find about the three Hall brothers who lived in Meridian, Joel Emanuel, William Leighton (my Great-Grandpa) and James Edward Beaumont Hall, so we could make the most of our trip.

When we arrived, we visited the Lauderdale County Archives to gather all the documentation about our relatives we could find. Next, thanks to a tip from a fellow researcher, we visited the ___ Funeral Home. They had books from ___ to present that were available to the public ... I walked right in and was able to print the pages relating to my family (Joel & Octavia).

We then headed to the Coker's Chapel Cemetery where Grandpa's Uncle Joe and Aunt Octavia were buried along with his half brother who died in infancy, William Leighton Hall, Jr.

Hall Family Reunion 2009

On September 26, 2o09 (yes, the date is correct ... I'm really behind on my posts), Mom, Grandpa and I met Aunt Mim at the Pine United Chapel Methodist Church to attend the 2009 Hall family reunion. Grandpa is the oldest living Hall in the family and everyone flocked around him for conversation, hugs and pictures. He, of course, handled it like the superstar that he is.

After the reunion Mom, Grandpa and I began our hunt for cemeteries. We were armed with a list and maps to five different cemeteries and only anticipated that we would hit a couple. Well, we got rolling and hit all five!!

Citra Cemetery

Dora Ann Hall Carlton was eldest child and only daughter of James Edward Beaumont Hall and Elizabeth Jane Martin. Dora married George L Carlton in 1888, and according to a letter published in The Halls of Marion County by her brother Henry, "it was a great disappointment and grief to each of them that they had no children."

Simmons Baptist Church Cemetery

May L Hall Hobkirk was the eighth born child of Joel Thomas Hall and Andaline Susan Thomas Allen. She married James Davis Hobkirk in 1879 and had seven children.

Antioch Cemetery

Permilla H L Allen was the fourth child of John Earl Allen and Lucy Thomas Bobbett Anderson. She married Alpher D Marcus Watson in 1845 in Pike county, Alabama.

MacFall / Matthews Cemetery

Joel Thomas Hall was the fifth born child of Joel Thomas Hall and Andaline Susan Thomas Allen. He married Elizabeth Brit in 1890 and had eight children.

Millwood Cemetery

Henry Thomas Hall was the third child of James Edward Beaumont Hall and Elizabeth Jane Martin. He married Septa Pauline Denman in 1894 and had five children.