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Below is a family biography included in Biographical and Historical Memoirs of Monroe County, Arkansas published by Goodspeed Publishing Company in 1890.  These biographies are valuable for genealogy research in discovering missing ancestors or filling in the details of a family tree. Family biographies often include far more information than can be found in a census record or obituary.  Details will vary with each biography but will often include the date and place of birth, parent names including mothers' maiden name, name of wife including maiden name, her parents' names, name of children (including spouses if married), former places of residence, occupation details, military service, church and social organization affiliations, and more.  There are often ancestry details included that cannot be found in any other type of genealogical record.

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William Jasper Hall, planter and stockman, Holly Grove, Ark. This prominent agriculturist is the son of Thomas and Mournen (Stephens) Hall, the father of Scotch-Irish and English descent. The ancestors of the Hall family came to America prior to the Revolutionary War, and the grandfather Hall, who was probably a native of North Carolina, served in this war. The maternal ancestors were of French-Scotch descent, and the parents of Mrs. Hall, Willoughby and Margaret (Littleton) Stephens, were natives of North Carolina, their ancestors having emigrated to America previous to the War of 1776. William Jasper Hall was born on January 31, 1844, in Onslow County, N. C, and received the rudiments of an education in a private school at Mill Run, Onslow County, completing his education at Jacksonville, the same county. He was early initiated into the duties of farm life and remained at home until the early part of 1862, when he enlisted in Company C, Fourth Regiment North Carolina Cavalry. The command was called up after the battle of Gettysburg to cover the retreat of the Confederate army after their defeat in that battle, and the regiment dismounting at a bridge on the Hagerstown road, were surrounded by Federal forces and were cut off from their horses and lost nearly all of them. The command remained on the north side of the Potomac for about three weeks after the battle, in consequence of the high water. They finally forded the river at Williamsport, a number being drowned in the attempt, and joined their comrades. Mr. Hall was with his command nearly all the time, except when driven out of Culpeper, and was paroled at New Berne, N. C, in April, 1865. He walked from New Berne to his home the latter part of April, and engaged in tilling the soil, which occupation he continued until 1870, when he came to Arkansas, locating near Indian Bay, Monroe County, where he worked for Samuel Pointer, whose sketch appears elsewhere in this volume. He returned to North Carolina about Christmas of the same year, and was united in marriage to Miss Sallie L. Stephens, the daughter of Enoch and Mary (Tatum) Stephens. Mr. and Mrs. Hall arrived in Arkansas on February 16, 1871, rented a farm on shares, and, after remaining there one year, moved on the John Walker farm, Jackson Township, Monroe County. He made his first purchase of land in 1879, a tract of 200 acres with no improvements, and has added to this until he now is the owner of 600 acres, 480 acres in one body and 275 acres under cultivation. He principally raises cotton, but also raises good corn, and has a good young orchard. He is quite a stockman and raises cattle and hogs. To Mr. and Mrs. Hall have been born eight children, seven now living: Florence Geraldine (born January 1, 1872), William Enoch, Samuel Norman, Beatrice Rosa, Paul Ransom (deceased), Paula E., Mary M. and Sallie Edith. Mrs. Hall died in Jackson Township, in November, 1887. Mr. Hall takes a deep interest in all educational matters, and is determined to give his children all the advantages possible in that direction. He is a member of the Masonic fraternity, Indian Bay Lodge No. 256, and also holds membership in the K. of H. Lodge No. 16, Indian Bay, and is a charter member of the L. of H. In 1886 he was elected to the office of county coroner, but never qualified, having been elected without being consulted.

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This family biography is one of 86 biographies included in Biographical and Historical Memoirs of Monroe County, Arkansas published in 1890.  For the complete description, click here: Monroe County, Arkansas History, Genealogy, and Maps

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