Resurrecting the Dead Part Two: Bringing them to Life “Peter P HALL”

With our time line in place and our research into Peter HALL’s Pension we can begin to sketch out as much as we can of Peter Hall’s life. We don’t have to start at the Beginning I jumped into a more familiar part of history and will back fill as I go. This has been a remarkable journey for me. Hopefully you will find some inspiration for your own.

Brewing Unrest: 5 Mar 1771 The Boston Massacre

When Peter HALL was 16 years old the Bloody Massacre of 6 American’s by the British Army at Boston underscored the growing tension between the crown and the colonies. This undoubtedly made an impression on young Peter along with his older brothers James, Joel and Abel. This is an engraving by Paul Revere of the “Boston Massacre 5th of March, 1771″

In part it reads:

Unhappy Boston see thy sons deplore

Thy hallowed walk besmear’d with guiltles Gore

While faithless P-ll and his Savage Bands

With murd’rous Rancour stretch their bloody Hands

Like fierce Barbarians grinning o’er their Prey

Approve the Carnage and enjoy the Day

Paul Revere

Declaration of Freedom: Town of Mansfield, Connecticut 10 Oct 1774

In 1774 Peter HALL was still living in the town of Mansfield in which he was born. A most interesting document is found in the Town Records of Mansfield dated 10 Oct 1774. This document was forged as the First Continental Congress is meeting in Philadelphia between September 5 and October 26, 1774, which the townspeople of Mansfield were no doubt aware. In part it reads:

So far as our Influence can extend to them, will be faithful Subjects of that Illustrious Race of Kings, So long as the Crown maintains Inviolate the Stipulate rights of the People, which God grant maybe forever. 2 That we will defend with our Lives and Fortunes, our natural and Constitutional Rights & in Obedience to the Second great Command of the Moral Law & Laws of Nature we will assist our neighbors as Occasion Requires. “God & Nature Bid the Same.”

Battle of Lexington: 19 April 1775

Beginning the 2nd of March 1775, Ninety-Three men from the town of Mansfield are called to the Lexington Alarm . The total population of the town of Mansfield in 1774 is 2,446; so a good portion of the able bodied men of the town respond. The Battle of Lexington and Concord happens on April 19, 1775, the first of the American Revolutionary War. Word quickly passes throughout the land. This from the Hartford Courant, dated May 3rd at Worcester:

Nineteen year old Peter HALL is among those that immediately enlist after the Battle of Lexington. He mustered in at Mansfield, Connecticut, the 5th of May 1775, to serve 7 months in Colonel Joseph SPENCER’s 2nd Regiment (at SPENCER’s promotion it became Colonel WYLLYS’). The 6th Company was under Major Return Jonathan MEIGS and his unit under Captain Noadiah HOOKER. You can see that on Saturday they joined the march to Cambridge, as reported in the Pennsylvania Gazette. So his pension file is consistent with the contemporary record.

Peter Hall’s Background in Mansfield, Connecticut

Peter P HALL was born 1 August 1755 at Mansfield, Connecticut. He was the seventh child of James HALL and Mary (LAMB) HALL, and their fourth son. In 1756 the population of Mansfield was 1,614. By the time of the Revolution he has 7 more younger siblings, the youngest, a sister, Jemina, just 3 years old, and the population of Mansfield is closing in on 2500.

Boston & Cambridge

As we return to our story 19 year old Peter HALL is on his was to join the Continental Army at Cambridge. What a sight that must have been! An estimated 14,000 troops assembled near Cambridge, Massachusetts. On July 2nd General George WASHINGTON arrived in Cambridge to take command of the newly-formed Continental Army. Writing his brother, WASHINGTON called the army that he found “a numerous army of Provincials under very little command, discipline, or order.”

According to his pension affidavit Peter HALL “enlisted at Mansfield Connecticut–served three campaigns the first at Boston & Roxbury.” Again from his pension file “[Peter] marched to Cambridge & Roxbury & was stationed at Roxbury until his time was out, where he was discharged. His regiment was paraded at Roxbury during the Battle of Bunker Hill, but was not called into action and he tells of assisting in taking & destroying a Lighthouse in Boston Bay.” Three days after the Battle of Bunker Hill, a small detachment of American troops burned the wooden parts of the lighthouse. So Peter’s testimony is consistent with the facts even 55 years later with his memory failing . Belong is an etching of the Lighthouse known as Boston Light. Sadly his Captain Noadiah HOOKER died at Roxbury. This is the first inkling we have that Peter serves on reconnaissance missions.

Peter HALL musters out the 18th of December of 1775. He writes “he remained in service a fortnight at Roxbury after his time was out in 1775 until the new recruits came in.” Which again gives us a measure of this young soldier. I assume he traveled back home to Mansfield the beginning of 1776. On March 17th 1776 Colonel George Washington defeats the British in the Siege of Boston, then he moves to strategically relocate his army to defend the port city of New York. He called upon and urged the soldiers already in the field for 1775 to re-enlist for another year.

New York

The Connecticut regiments of 1775 were reordered. General SPENCER’s continued under Colonel WYLLYS . Meanwhile Peter HALL “Soon after his time was out in the winter of 1776 he re-enlisted for three months & served in Captain CURTIS Company. The muster rolls show he re-enlisted in March of 1776 under Col Samuel WYLLYS now called the 22nd Continental Regiment. He marched under Washington to New York and remained in that vicinity from April to the close of the year. The 22nd Regiment assisted in fortifying the city of New York; they were ordered to the Brooklyn front on Aug. 24; engaged in Battle of Long Island Aug. 27; were in retreat from New York, Sept. 1; and with the army at White Plains. In his pension record “[Peter HALL] was for a time at New York–tells of rowing all night—to bring out [the] army from Long Island— This would have been the Sept 1st retreat from New York. As shown below rowing from Brooklyn to Manhattan.

More to be found of this harrowing retreat from Long Island in the Memoir of Benjamin Talmadge (1856):

“Gen. Washington was so fully aware of the perilous situation of this division of his army, that he immediately convened a council of war, at which the propriety of retiring to New York was decided on. After sustaining incessant fatigue and constant watchfulness for two days and nights, attended by heavy rain, exposed every moment to an attack from a vastly superior force in front, and to be cut off from the possibility of retreat to New York by the fleet, which might enter the East River, on the night of the 29th of August, Gen. Washington commenced recrossing his troops from Brooklyn to New York. To move so large a body of troops, with all their necessary appendages, across a river full a mile wide, with a rapid current, in face of a victorious, well disciplined army, nearly three times as numerous as his own, and a fleet capable of stopping the navigation, so that not one boat could have passed over, seemed to present most formidable obstacles. But, in face of these difficulties, the Commander-in- Chief so arranged his business, that on the evening of the 29th, by 10 o’clock, the troops began to retire from the lines in such a manner that no chasm was made in the lines, but as one regiment left their station on guard, the remaining troops moved to the right and left and filled up the vacancies, while Gen. Washington took his station at the ferry, and superintended the embarkation of the troops. It was one of the most anxious, busy nights that I ever recollect, and being the third in which hardly any of us had closed our eyes to sleep, we were all greatly fatigued. As the dawn of the next day approached, those of us who remained in the trenches became very anxious.”

pg 10-11

Northward in retreat by Sep 6th General WASHINGTON is near Fort Washington. Across the river is Fort Lee in Hackensack Township, NJ. Peter HALL writes he was “At Hackensack, NJ —“

Peter HALL writes “of a retreat to the White Plains, of his discharge a short time before his enlistment expired in consequence of fever ague [Malaria].” “Retreated to Whiteplains where he was discharged by Col MEIGS –[he] was not called into action at Whiteplains.” So it seems to me Peter has twice been involved in a mission involving rowing and critical support but not on the front lines.

Westchester & Long Island

On 1st January 1776 the 2nd Connecticut Regiment of SPENCER’s Brigade, part of the Main Continental Army was re-designated The 22nd Continental Regiment. On 12 August 1776 SPENCER’s Brigade was re-designated as PARSON’s Brigade. On 12 November 1776 the brigade was reassigned to the Highland’s Department, basically frontier lands north of White Plains. The regiment was reassigned to MERCER’s Brigade of the Main Continental Army on the same date. November 24th, 1776 Peter HALL enlists under Colonel Return MEIGS 6th Regiment; Capt Elisha ELY, Lt Peter CURTIS 3rd battalion for 3 months. The 3rd Battalion remained in part, in Westchester [Co], NY.

Muster shows Peter Hall mustered out in January of 1777 under Col MEIGS, and on the 4th March 1777, was appointed Corporal under Col. Roger ENOS, Capt Peter CURTIS’ 3rd battalion. In 1777 we find this document from Colonel Roger ENOS of the 4th Connecticut Regiment of the Continental Army know under General George WASHINGTON in New York appoints Peter HALL First Corporal. 

May 12^th 1777, MEIGS was promoted to colonel and given the 6^th regiment of light infantry, designed for fast movement. Now at the command of his own regiment, Colonel MEIGS organized one of the most daring and successful raids of the war. What became known as the Sag Harbor or MEIG’s Raid was made in response to a successful British raid on Danbury, Connecticut. There were no American casualties in MEIGS’ raid, but six Loyalists were killed and at least 90 captured. Colonel MEIGS quick and decisive mission against the British garrison on Long Island and Tory stronghold, earned him accolades throughout the colonies. Whether Peter Hall was on this mission is not known.  One such article appeared in the Virginia Gazette:

From his affidavit “In the winter of 1777 [Peter] again enlisted in Col Roger ENOS 3rd Regiment, Capt Peter Curtis’s Company again for three months and marched to Whiteplains & Horse Neck and served guarding the line and in the winter of 1778. [See map above for location of Horse neck and Sag Harbor.]

And although this is not for Peter here is an enlistment record under Col. Roger ENOS:

The 19th of July of 1778 Peter HALL re-enlists in the 1st Regiment under Capt Elisha ELY. He is on the muster roll for July & Aug & Sept 2nd under Capt Elisha ELY. He was listed as sick at Danbury, Connecticut on the 12th of September 1778. So I wonder as a part of the Light Infantry he was assigned to Capt Peter CURTIS he subsequently commanded ENOS’ Regiment of Connecticut Troops, a militia unit that served in the Hudson Valley during 1778. Again confirming what Peter has recounted in his application for pension.

The Cordwainer & Shoes

We can assume Peter Hall was back home, at Hartford, Connecticut in October in 1776 [Having relocated from Mansfield]. This would have been a month after he was listed as sick at Danbury. This is remarkably evidenced by this advertisement:

We know from records kept by Benjamin Tallmadge in 1777 that Peter Hall was a shoemaker [cordwainer]. Is this advertisement evidence of his entrepreneurship looking to train and secure two journeyman shoemakers who would likely be supplying the Continental Army with as many shoes as they could produce? The Army’s need for shoes far exceeded the supply. Soldiers generally wore black leather buckled or laced shoes that were affixed with canvas or leather gaiters covering the ankles to keep out dirt and water. There was no distinction between left and right shoes at this time. Cleats known as “ice creepers” were attached to shoes with a leather strap for travel through snow and ice. Only mounted soldiers wore boots, if they could get them.

November 6th 1776 Peter is listed as a Quartermaster enrolled in Colonel Elisha SHELDON’s Light Horse militia known as the Continental 2nd Regiment of Dragoons [More on this unit below] . Meanwhile also in November the Connecticut Assembly voted to raise four State battalions to join the Continental army near New York to serve until March, ’77 and the United States Congress asked the four New England governments to supply the Continental army with 10,000 pairs of shoes and stockings. Not a bad opportunity for a soldier with many Army connections.

One readily available supply of leather that Congress attempted to organize, was the hides of slaughtered army beef. During the winter of 1777-1778 the effort to systematize the collection of hides and leather was temporarily shelved and the army had to fend for itself. Each brigade appointed an officer to exchange government hides for shoes. This was a temporary measure and by March it was abandoned. So there would have been ample opportunity for Peter HALL to engage in a bit of a side hustle. In addition to his skill in making shoes he would have been useful in making/securing leather cartridge boxes, belts and other much needed equipment. As a Quartermaster Peter would have been charged with finding requisite supplies—and what better than having your own journeyman making shoes or boots.

Elisha Sheldon’s Light Horse Militia

By January 1777 Sheldon had formed the authorized six troops, all commanded by captains:

Colonel Elisha SHELDON and his captains recruited Continental troops from across Connecticut. Colonel SHELDON’s Light Horse militia was known as the Continental 2nd Regiment of Dragoons or sometimes “Sheldon’s Horse” for short. The entire regiment was gathered at Wethersfield, Connecticut for organization and initial preparations for the 1777 campaign. [At this time Peter HALL is not a part of the Light Dragoons] According to Benjamin TALLMADGE’s Memoirs, his troops were all mounted on dapple gray horses with black straps and black bearskin holster-covers, of which he was quite proud. TALLMADGE took command of the 1st Troop but wasn’t there for long, as he was promoted to Major on April 7, 1777 where he was a senior staff officer under Colonel SHELDON. The second troop had darker horses and were called the Blacks; but the colors of the 3rd through 6th troops is not known. Each troop had a captain, a lieutenant, a commissioned officer [cornet], a quartermaster, 2 sergeants, 2 corporals, a farrier, a trumpeter and 34 privates. They wore, when in uniform, dark blue woolen coats with cream or buff faced collars, light breeches, knee high black leather boots with silver spurs. They had metal helmets with white horsehair plumes. They carried a cavalry saber, a pistol and a musket. Like most Continental units, the organization of dragoons was in constant flux with discharges, enlistments, deaths and promotions.

• 1st Troop: Capt. Benjamin TALLMADGE
• 2nd Troop: Capt. Jean Louis de VERNEJOUX
• 3rd Troop: Capt. Josiah STODDARD
• 5th Troop: Captain William BARNETT
• 4th Troop: Capt. Epaphras BULL
• 6th Troop: Captain Nathaniel CRAFTS

In September, 1777 2,500 American troops assemble at Pawlet, Vermont, referred to as the Pawlet Expedition. The location of Pawlet surrounded by mountains and with a narrow pass made it an ideal location to base operations and easy to protect. The Vermont road along the western side could not accommodate wagons north of Pawlet so food and ammunition could only be carried by horse. Substantial numbers of the Connecticut Horse arrived at Pawlet on August 28 and September 1st . I believe that this is what precipitated Peter HALL’s enlistment in the Dragoons. An interesting description from the Maryland Gazette:

After the Battle of Monmouth [June 28, 1778], General WASHINGTON moved his main army to White Plains. They remained at White Plains until late in the fall when the troops went into winter quarters at different points. It would be the largest American force of regular troops brought together in a single encampment during the entire Revolutionary War. By August of 1778, MEIGS’ regiment had reported to White Plains. How Peter appears under both Capt Elisha ELY and under Capt BULL is a bit of a mystery. Perhaps he was released from one regiment and assigned to another. The Records show MEIGS was assigned to a committee of officers along with Colonels WYLLYS, BRADLEY, and SWIFT, to settle a dispute over officers’ ranks, filing their report on August 29^th. This was known as the Arrangement of November 15, 1778. I have a feeling that Peter HALL’s assignments fell within the arrangement.

The 2nd Light Dragoons were not a typical regiment, they were often assigned to different roles and seldom served as a whole. So Peter Hall could have been assigned to do work under either Capt BULL or Capt MEIGS and may well have acted as a courier and scout moving between commanders. The Dragoons were messengers, scouts, spies and in some cases acted as the personal bodyguards to General WASHINGTON himself. From his pension file affidavits Peter HALL states he “ knew Gen Washington, Putnam, Lee, Sullivan, Gates, Schulyer & many others.” As a Quartermaster and as a part of the 2nd Light Dragoons—that isn’t a stretch.

On the 6th Nov 1777 Peter enlists in the 2nd regiment of Elisha Sheldon’s Light Dragoons. Although the printed “Records of Service of Connecticut Men in the War of the Revolution” pg 442 lists Peter Hall as a quartermaster in the First regiment, in other records he is under the fourth [like the one above]. Or the list [below]. He is under Captain Epaphras BULL who made up the 4th. Epaphras BULL was from Hartford as was Peter [after his first enlistment]. We learn in the above record from Benjamin TALLMADGE that Peter HALL was a shoemaker, 5’7″ tall with a dark complexion, dark hair and dark eyes.

“After my command in the lines before Philadelphia closed, which was in January, 1778, the light horse having been ordered to Trenton, I repaired to that place with my detachment, and from thence the 2nd Regiment Light Dragoons removed to Chatham, New Jersey, for Winter quarters. Here we were permitted to rest from the fatigues of a severe and bloody campaign. But our brethren at Valley Forge passed a Winter of extreme suffering, being in want of provisions and clothing to an alarming degree.”

Benjamin TALLMADGE Memoir pg 27

In August and September, 1778, Captain BULL was assigned to surveillance of ship movements in Long Island Sound. In the summer of ’78 the Regiment was on the Hudson, and in the fall formed part of Gen. Chas. Scott’s Light Corps on the lines in Westchester. This is consistent with Peter Hall being at Horseneck, NY. At the same time letters show that Benjamin TALMADGE is at Bedford, New York and Ridgefield, Connecticut while Colonel WASHINGTON is at Windsor and later Fishkill.

To George Washington from Captain Epaphras BULL, 26 August 1778

Maroneck [Mamaroneck, N.Y.] 26th Augt 1778

May it Please your Excellency—there has passed by this Place to the Wtward, to day 3 Sloops & one Schooner Loaded with Hay—& one Row Gally, 2 Brigs & one Sloop from the Eastward come to anchor this afternoon Just Et of Hempstead Harbour, and as far Etward as I can see, appears to be 8 or 10 Sail Vessels, believe shall be able to give an Acct of them Tomorrow. I have the Honour to present your Excellency with 20 or 30 wt Blackfish they are now in a ⟨Car⟩, shoud be glad to know when ’twil best suit to send them up, I am your Excellencys Most Obt Hble sert

Epaps Bull

Letter from Epaphras BULL to George WASHINGTON

“My station during the campaign of 1778, was in the county of Westchester, and occasionally along the shores of the Sound. No important blow was given the enemy during this campaign, by the American. army, although the light troops in advance (as was always the case with our regiment) were frequently in conflict with similar corps of the enemy. When the campaign closed, our regiment went to Durham, in Connecticut, for Winter quarters. A part of the time, however, I was from choice stationed at Greenfield, from whence I could easily cross to Long Island.“

Benjamin TALLAMDGE Memoir pg 30

Peter HALL’s discharge date from Sheldon’s horse may be 27 November 1778 but that date is somewhat uncertain. [See above.] Where he was for the next period is also uncertain but what follows is my best reconstruction.

Pawlet, Vermont

Zadock EVEREST came to Addison County, Vermont in the summer of 1765. He built a log house and there and kept the first public house in the county. After the breaking out of the war he removed his family to Whitehall, and he himself sought refuge in Pawlet. In 1779 Peter HALL was engaged in building a picket fort for two months, [Fort Warren], at Castleton, Vermont. This is the only record I have found for him in 1779. However, I suspect he was living at Pawlet, Vermont at this time. In Hiel Holliseter’s “Pawlet from One Hundred Years” 1867 we find that Mandana’s brother’s Lemuel CLARK was a Selectmen in Pawlet in 1777 and Capt. Zadock EVEREST in 1781 [under whom Peter served]. In 1780 Mandana’s brothers Lemuel and Elisha CLARK held Pawlet town offices. In April 1780 Peter HALL served 7 days at Skeensborough [Later known as Whitehall] and Ticoderoga in Colonel Ira ALLEN’s, General John STARK’s militia and traveled 74 miles. Pawlet is about 35 miles south of Ticonderoga. The British abandon Fort Ticonderoga in 1781.

Who does Peter serve with under General John STARK ; Captain Zadock EVEREST’s Company? His future wife, Mandana’s brother, Elisha CLARK Jr. This amusing article [below] appeared about Major General John STARK in 1778. John STARK had a colorful life, when he was 24 he was abducted by the Abenaki tribe, and made to run the gauntlet of warriors armed with sticks. It is said, STARK grabbed the stick from the first warrior’s hands and proceeded to attack him, taking the rest of the warriors by surprise. The chief was so impressed that STARK was adopted into the tribe, where he spent the winter. [He may have been the source for the story line in the Outlander TV series where Ian Murray Jr runs the gauntlet by the Mohawk, before being adopted into the tribe. S4 Ep 13]

Major General John STARK served in the French American Wars and for the patriots in the Revolutionary War.

During the Revolutionary War, women and children traveled with both the British and Revolutionary armies. Whether part of a soldier’s family or not, they often did the housekeeping duties including laundry and food preparation. Women did much of the nursing and treatment to prevent illnesses. I suspect that Mandana CLARK fulfilled such a roll for her brothers living in Pawlet. We know by 1783 that Elisha Clark is an inn holder there. I think it might be safe to say that Mandana was likely associated with said inn. And this may well have been where they met. I also think the fact that 3 brothers and one nephew of Mandana who served with Peter through their shared service in the same regiment may have been another factor.

In January of 1781 Mandana’s brother Lemuel CLARK is the moderator of the Pawlet Town meeting. Later this year on Oct 4th Peter is listed on a muster roll for Captain Zadock EVEREST’s company under Colonel Ira ALLEN and serves 16 days and travels 8 miles on the Northern Frontier. Capt. Zaddock EVEREST is listed as a selectman in Pawlet that same year. And on the same day as the muster, 4 Oct 1781, Peter HALL and Mandana marry at Pawlet, Vermont.

Also in 1781 we find a letter from Colonel Roger ENOS to John STARK dated 26 Oct 1781 where Col. ENOS is at Saratoga and John STARK is at Castleton. Again In keeping with Peter HALL’s affidavit. May 1st of 1782 of the 30 men in Captain Zadock EVEREST’s company, three are Mandana CLARK’s brothers: Lemuel, Elihu and Smith Clark as well as her nephew Ozias CLARK (son of previously mentioned brother Elisha CLARK) along with their now brother-in-law Peter HALL. Two events happen in 1783, the first settlement of Orwell, Addison, Vermont is made and Peter and Mandana’s first child, Elisha HALL is born the 8th of June. So in summary it appears those who acted earlier as scouts and had experience with the terrain of Pawlet and later Orwell, not surprisingly ended up settling there.

Orwell, Vermont

“Some of the land of this township is broken and hilly; the remaining part is very level, handsome land, and produces abundant crops of all kinds of grain. The principal streams are East Creek, which rises in Benson and falls into Lake Champlain, on the north side of Mount Independence . . . The width of the lake between Mt. Independence and Ticonderoga is about eighty rods . . . In common with most of the towns on Lake Champlain, the scenery in Orwell and its vicinity is truly delightful.” Gazetteer of Vermont, Hayward, 1849

From the 1963 History of the Town of Orwell by Doris S Bishop we learn: “Of the three or four thousand troops…who garrisoned at Mt. Independence, no doubt many were attracted by the rich rolling country to the east.” And: “Between seventy and eighty humble log cabins had been erected before the actual organizing of the town, which occurred December 12, 1787” Among the 71 men who took the Freeman’s Oath and the Oath of Allegiance were Peter HALL and Mandana’s brothers Elisha and Smith CLARK. pg 13

In 1784 this advertisement as well as the one above; a meeting of proprietors for Orwell is to be held at the Inn/ dwelling of Elisha CLARK jun. in Pawlet. Orwell lies about 36 Miles north in the areas that Peter HALL and his brothers-in-law have previously scouted [see above map].

It appears the family relocates to Orwell in 1786, likely one of the families with modest cabins mentioned above. On the 8th March of 1787 Peter and Mandana’s daughter Cynthia HALL is born in Orwell. Over the next few years Mandana and Peter have children: Elisha, Elijah, Cynthia, Daniel Webster, James Mortimer Fayette and Albert Erastus Bolivar HALL.

Property in Orwell

Ozias CLARK is an original proprietor receiving lands of John TEMPLE the 13rd of February 1785 in Orwell. None of the original landowners of Orwell lived there and only 3 ever visited, then only once or twice a year to collect rents. This is the time of much land speculation. Later this same year on the 17th of June Peter and Mandana’s second son Elijah is born at Pawlet. The 26th of October Ozias CLARK (Mandana’s nephew) deeds land to Peter HALL in Orwell [Proprietor’s Records for Orwell pg 27]. Over the next 40 years there are at least 20 land transactions involving Peter HALL as Grantee or Grantor. Placing where these lands are is difficult. One reference says his farm was East of the SANFORD’s Farm and we have his wife’s grave marker at the Peter Hall Cemetery. So somewhere in this vicinity is where I expect was Peter HALL’s farm

The following is the recording of a bid on the land previously John TEMPLE’s for 11 pounds, 7 Shillings and 1-6 pence at auction. I believe the other 50 acres he already secured from Ozias CLARK making in total 100 acres.

It is not clear that this is the land I have shown on the map above or his original parcels as he may have sold these lands for those he later settled on.

LATER LIFE

The first occurrence of his name as Peter “P” HALL is on the 1800 Census and then a deed dated 26 May 1801. We do not know what the “P” stands for but it was used in deeds consistently from then on. One person listed him as Peter H HALL and that has spread everywhere. It is incorrect as the census and many land records consistently use Peter “P” HALL. It seems possible at one point a P was mistaken for an H. There were two other Peter HALLs in Vermont on the 1800 census. I suspect this is may be the reason for his adopting the initial “P”. The other two Peter HALL’s in 1800 Vermont: were in Westminster, Windham and Greensboro, Orleans.

The record gets pretty sparse outside of census and land records at this point. I found this record that shows that Peter P HALL was an Orwell Commissioner in 1810. He would have been 55 at this time.

The household was 6 members in 1790 Census; 8 in 1800; 7 in 1810; 6 in 1820; and 3 in 1830. Peter’s wife, Mandana, dies the 5thof October 1829 at the age of 74. Of the 3 in listed in the 1830 census: 1 is Peter P HALL age 70-79; 1 Male 20-29 which could be his youngest son, Albert Erastus Bolivar HALL; and 1 female age 50-59 which could possibly be his daughter Cynthia or could be someone looking after him [More research needed]. to put things in context this part of an Orwell Chronology.

So from 1786 until he died 52 years later Peter P HALL would have seen a lot of changes in Orwell. Where once there were woods, there was farm land. Where once wheat was grown, it gave way to sheep and cattle. He was there for the first town meetings as well as the formation of local churches. I don’t know whether he continued as a shoemaker—but suppose he did. in 1816 he would have witnessed the Eagle Hotel being built in 1816. It was a luxurious hotel for many years but fell into disrepair and was demolished in 1971.

The Pensioners for Addison County, Vermont Under The Act of June 7, 1832 does not list Peter HALL. He swore his original application under this act on 3 August 1832. His original application is turned down and it in part seems because he did not have anyone to testify to his service. The Act of 1832 provided every surviving officer and soldier who served at least 2 years in the continental army and other units with a pension of full pay for life. The 14th of March 1833 the sworn testimony of Bela Rogers with whom he served in 1775 under Capt. Noadiah Hooker’s Company. And then in 15 January 1834 the remarkable letter from Orwell‘s residents including the Town Constable, Selectmen, Town Clerk and Town Treasurer seems to have changed the ruling. Over a period of 7 years Peter P HALL served his country first with the Connecticut Army then with the Continentals, then Sheldon’s 2nd Dragoons and finally in Vermont under Colonel Ira Allen. It is rather sad that his original application was denied and that it was not until April 11, 1834 that he received the pension he deserved. It appears he received back pay to 1832 so I like to think he died with some amount of dignity and comfort the 25th of October 1838, at the age of 83. [Note all trees including my own had Peter’s date of death as 25th of October 1835. This clipping and his pension record show that the correct date is 1838]

That made it possible to find this notice of probate:

Generally speaking we don’t have a description of what someone looks like or what kind of person someone was who lived 265 years ago. But we know Peter P HALL was 5’7′ with dark eyes and dark hair and dark complexion. we know he was an able bodied soldier that survived a bout of malaria as well as a second hospitalization which may have been a relapse. But moreover his townspeople wrote about his character:

“we are confident we speak the feelings of all acquainted with him—we might add that Mr Hall is & has been from an early day a regular member of the Christian Church & an exemplary Christian. —The state of Mr Hall’s income is such that a pension would be a timely aid to his infirmity & would be well used by him—should your honor grant our request by placing Mr Hall on the Pension List we confidently believe you will not have conferred it on a more deserving man.”

The exact location of Peter’s burial is unknown. A cousin tells me it was elsewhere in Orwell—however the small burial plot where Mandana’s grave is as marked on the map above—is completely grown over. There were only 2 stones there more recently. The location is consistent with where he lived—so I suspect his stone if there is one is buried beneath the debris. Locally you’d hope some one would at least get a proper Rev War marker for him. The small grave next to Mandana’s is marked HH. So perhaps a child who died young.

“The remains of this cemetery are in a hedge row in the Ochs Orchard . . . A 1977 survey for VOCA noted only 3 stones. VOCA’s 1990 update places the cemetery 2/10 mile east of the intersection with Church Street. Only one stone remained.” [Source: Jenks, Margaret R.: Orwell Cemetery Inscriptions, Addison County, Vermont, privately published Granville, NY, 2007, p.40]

CLOSING

And finally through a new death date I was able to extend my deed search and came up with a Deed for the sale of 1/2 a pew in the Orwell Center Meeting House from Peter HALL to Dan GOODELL. Further we learn that this was. “The said pew 10 is situated on the ground floor in the square body of pews of said house East and adjoining the Broad Aisle in the house. It being the Pew that was originally Bidd off in the original sale of the pews in said house by myself and Gershom HALE and stands in the records…” Furthermore he apparently aquired the half belonging to Gershom HALE and that was the half he was conferring to Dan GOODELL for the sum of Ten dollars! This I believe was the Baptist Meeting House which probably also functioned as a Town Hall. First Baptist Church of Orwell, was first organized in December 21, 1787. Their church building, located in the eastern part of the town was built in 1810.

And finally with the Baptist clue we find in the Southern Baptist Convention records for Orwell, Vermont. Peter hall appears in the many lists of members and then in 1838 he is listed along with his date of death.

The pages in this record are out of order and sequence and it appears many pages are missing. But I did do a through search for his wife Mandana and for her brothers surnamed CLARK. None appears in the record. However in 1830 Peter and Mandana’s daughter Cynthia BRUNDAGE is listed under her married name. The other church in town early on was Congregational and I suspect this is where Mandana attended along with her brothers. So another possible avenue for future exploration… In looking through the records there appears to be half or more of the parishioners not attending with spouses. So perhaps religious independence was more prevalent than we might imagine back then.

Before I began this quest to resurrect Peter he was just another of my sixteen, fourth great grandfathers. I not only feel that I have a better sense of who he was as a person, but a better sense of his part in the greater formation of my beloved country. It saddens me to be living in times that so many fought for our freedom, for our Democracy and for our Republic and yet we are threatened by ill-informed, historically illiterate people that lust after power and autocrats. May we somehow rise to this moment in history and recapture the spirits of the ordinary people who came before us. May we honor the lives of our forebears by bringing their ordinary and sometimes extraordinary, lives back to life.

As far as process goes the amount of material available on the Revolutionary War is enormous including actual letters in the National Archives and Institutional archives like Yale that should not be overlooked. Letters and dairies exist broadly to give you context. Good luck in your own resurrections. They certainly enrich our understanding of our ancestors and what they did to make our lives possible. Thank you Grandpa Peter!

Kelly Wheaton ©2023 – All Rights Reserved.