Foundation Threads: Ebenezer Hall and his Family

The threads in a tapestry are many, beginning with foundation threads to which color and texture are woven over time.

     The period of the re-settlement of the Falmouth colony (now Portland) in 1718 was built out of the ashes of what, and who came before.  Those fifteen soldiers and their families laid the foundation for a more permanent and prosperous town, not without its conflicts or turbulence.

    The Hall family;  Ebenezer, Sr., Eben, Jr. and Cornelius Hall and their wives and children, contributed, through their ordinary endeavors, and were participants in the vision of creating a new community. Their land acquisitions and sales, as proprietors, are relevant to the story of what would become East Deering, as mentioned in previous posts on this blog. 

   Here again, I want to acknowledge Theodore Sawyer's manuscript:  "Back Cove to Quaker Lane", which has served as the foundation for much of the research which is integral to being able to tell the story of those interred at the Presumpsot/East Deering/ Grand Trunk Cemetery.  Here is a link for others who are interested in the history of this area as it may relate to their own distant relatives, or just because they are curious history seekers.

archive.org/details/Back Cove To Quaker Lane.  

     I am most grateful to our new friend Ryan Noyes, from Philadelphia, for making this booklet accessible to folks who want to do their own research.  I sent Ryan a copy of Ted Sawyer's manuscript and he has since made it available for others.  Thank you Ryan!

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LOOKING BACK

We hear father Hall of this place lately died at Annapolis

February 25, 1747   Rev. Thomas Smith, Diary 

     There is a great deal of history that could be told, that I will not add, for the purpose of this post and brevity,  but I would encourage others to look into this interesting period and its impact on New England and Maine in particular.

     From this point, I will rely on the extensive research of others who developed the Hall Family Database: http://wc.rootsweb.ancestry.com/cgi-bin/igm.cgi?op=GET&db=halldb&id=197

     Ebenezer Hall ,Sr was in the service of Capt. Arthur Noble Compnay as a private from July through August in 1742 as recorded in the New England Historic Genalogical Society.  He later served in Capt. Moses Pearson's Falmouth Company, raised in 1745 to participate in the expedition to siege Fort Louisbourg, a fort controlled by France on Cape Breton, Nova Scotia.

     The gathering of the troops was accomplished in April 17445.  The landing at Gabarus Bay occurred on May 11, and the occupancy of Louisbourg was accomplished on June 28, 1745.  Of the 2600 New Englanders who reluctantly garrisoned Louisbourg over the winter of 1745-46, nearly half died, though the siege itself had killed only 101 men.

("The Siege of Louisbourg," Yankee Magazine, June, 1980, pp. 116-121.)

     Apparently, Capt. Pearson was appointed an agent for Sir William Pepperell's Regiment and he remained at Louisbourg until the end of 1745 and into part of the next year where he was the superintendent of operations for constructing a hospital and barracks,  according to William Willis in his History of Portland.

Sir William Pepperell

   While it appears Ebenezer Hall, Sr. and his son, Eben, Jr., did not remain at Louisbourg, they did particpate later, along with others of Capt. Noble's Regiment in the planned expedition to secure the Fort Grande Pre' at Minas.  Since Noble was a popular and respected leader, and because he could draw on the recruits from the previous action at Cape Breton, he was chosen as commander for this winter expedition in Nova Scotia.

Grande Pre' at Minas was occupied by Colonel Arthur Noble on December 24, 1746, with a contingent of 470 men from Massachusetts.  On January 31st, 1747, Grande Pre' was attacked, and Colonel noble was killed at that time.  After the surrender, some of the English left Grande Pre' in the later part of February, 1747, to return to Annapolis, a distance of 80 miles through deep snow and cold.  On March 9, 1747, a Boston paper stated,"that 25 of our wounded men were recovered, and returned to Annapolis, the rest (about 30) being at Minas under the care of a surgeon.

(Source;  Collections of the maine Historical Society, vol. VIII, Article II, p. 137) 

     Now here is a  mystery!  Jane Hall petitioned the General Court for compensation for the care of her injured and very ill husband, a result of his service to the Crown, while at Canada.  According to her statement, Ebenezer died in July 1747.  In August of that year, the Court gave approval of her petition and she was granted four pounds.   In October of 1747, the widow settled her husband's estate.  So, it is possible, that despite his age and injuries, the 'old war horse' survived long enough to return home to Falmouth to die.
      

THE BEGINNING

     Ebenezer Hall, Sr. was born on March 19, 1677 to Samuel and Elizabeth White Hall in Taunton, Bristol County, Massachusetts.  He first came to Falmouth, then Casco in 1700, where we find  him on the roster of the First Militia Company of Tauton, under orders from Major Benjamin Church for a expedition to Casco Bay, date August 24, 1700, "in order to the exacting a trading post and some fortification at or near Casco Bay."

     This was evidently a reference to Fort New Casco.  Sometime after this initially visit, Ebenezer returned to his home, where in 1704 he married Jane Bumpas, the daughter of Thomas and Phoebe Lovell Bumpas on June 22nd of that year in Mansfield, Massachusetts.  

     The couple produced ten children during their marriage, among these who fit into our story are Ebenezer, Jr., Cornelius, and Phoebe Hall, who would marry Moses Gould.

     At what date Ebenezer returned to Casco Bay, I'm unsure.  We do know he was one of the fifteen soldiers, along with their wives and children who accompanied Major Samuel Moody after the destruction of Fort New Casco in 1716.

     From this point, I will include highlights from the Hall Family history.

• In 1717, William Willis in his History of Portland, records Ebenezer Hall as an early settler, farming.  He along with the others, petitioned the General Court to re-settle Falmouth in May of that year.

• April 2, 1718, Ebenezer purchased 50 acres of land from John Smith of Plymouth for 25 pounds. York County Deeds, Book XVI, Folio 125.

(This John Smith, according to notes from Willis, may have been the brother of Parson Thomas Smith, and a land speculator with ties to Yarmouth.  Land speculation, like today was an investment, and appears to have been encouraged by the Bay Colony who wanted Falmouth with its rich resources of sea and land, to succeed).

• March 1719, The first official Town Meeting was held and lots were laid out by an appointed committee for land on the Neck.  Ebenezer had land on Middle Street, ' a lot being 12 rods on the front and running North to the back of Queen Street, one and one-half acres'.
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• April 1, 1724, A legal meeting of the Proprietors confirmed his house lots and ten acres of meadow land.

• 1725, Both Ebenezer, Sr. and his son were on Military duty from June 1st to November 22, during Drummer's War where Ebenezer, Sr was a sargeant in Capt. Joshua Moody's Company (New England Historical and Genealogical Register, Vol. 49, p. 189.

• March 1727/28, Ebenezer was granted additional lots of land consisting of a ten acre lot and a one acre lot.  Apparently, in September of that year, he sold the one acre lot to Samuel Proctor for 16 pounds, 12 shillings  York County Deeds, Book XIII, Folio 255.

• In 1728, Ebenezer,Sr. and Jr. were taken in as Proprietors with the payment of ten pounds entitling them to the common land in the town which consisted of lots of 1, 3, 10, 30 and 60 acres.
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• 1730, Ebenezer served in Capt. Moses Pearson Company from February 25 to July 25, and then again, for an additional stint until September 30th of that year where he was a 'centinal.'

     There were several transactions where Ebenezer was granted additional land but sold some of it during this period.  He sold half of the ten acre lot to Samuel Proctor, in November 2, 1730. York Deeds, Book XV, Folio 244, and then the remainder in December 1731.

• October 22, 1733, Ebenezer and his wife, Jane Hall sold a tract of 90 acres for 90 pounds to Thomas Westbrook and Samuel Waldo.  This would have been their 30 and 60 acres of common land.  If I were to guess, in all probability, this acquisition gave Westbrook and Waldo more access to land for their mast trade route from lower Presumpscot Falls to Stroudwater Proprietors Book XVI, Folio 169.
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• November 1733, Ebenezer Hall sold his right, title and interest in the common and undivided lands and meadow in Falmouth to Phineas Jones for eight pounds.

    For the purpose of this blog, here is the sale most relevant to our story and the one Ted Sawyer references in his Back Cove to Quaker Lane section on the history of what would become the East Deering Village; the sale of Ebenezer Hall's farm to his son, Cornelius Hall, dated May 31st, 1734

All of my farm lying in Falmouth, at a place called Back Cove, near Seacombs Point on which farm I now dwell the which I purchased from John Smith (excluding any which may come upon the land laid out to my son Ebenezer Hall, Jr.) I now sell to my son Cornelius.  Butted and Bounded as follows viz South East on the Salt Water, North East on Land claimed by Samuel Sewall, South West by Land that [Perez Bradford] reserved for himself when that he sold to Moses Gould & North West to the Land laid out to my son Ebenezer, or however otherwise Bounded or reputed to be Bounded together with the House and Fencing thereon standing. York County Deeds, Book XVI, Folio 240.

On a Personal Note 

        It's very difficult to get a true picture of how these farms on Back Cove were laid out, so much has changed. Reference markers like trees and stones, even creeks that are boundary markers, as we will see later, when we look at the property purchased by Joseph Noyes from Moses Gould, are filled in, or diverted underground.  In my last post, regarding Isaac Sawyer, and his purchase of the Thomas Skilling's grant, it is really difficult to pin point the actual location of the farm.  Something I read indicated it was about where Cheverus High School is today. 

     When I drive down Ocean Avenue past the Catholic Diocesan Offices, there is an open area of green which is probably part of what was once the Great Meadow (at least in my imagination!).  I share the vision, with at least one other person, (Ryan Noyes) that someday, a map of these farms could be produced, adding perspective to our understanding of the land and its occupants from this early period of Portland history.

Map of Ancient Falmouth 1690 - 1693 with added details

     I've included this map because it clearly shows Seacomb Point as well as the early grants and grantees.  In 1796, Tukey's Bridge would connect Seacombs Point in East Deering and Sandy Point on Munjoy Hill to give accessibility from the mainland to the Neck. 

Note the spelling of the Bridge Name!

     There is much more to add to the story of the Hall family and their contribution to the history of Falmouth, as well as Gorham and Small Point, Maine, but that will have to wait for another day.

     I do want to remind readers of this blog of two upcoming events to which you are invited if you are interested, willing and able.