Laban Hall, Sr.

LABAN HALL (1796-1865)

By Russell S. Hall

Laban Hall was born April 19, 1796 on a plantation in the Rocky Mount section of Fairfield County, South Carolina. He was the fifth son of John Hall (1765-1834) and Martha Gladden Hall (1765-1842). Laban had a lot of company in his youth to play with for the John Hall family was a full household of eight sons and three daughters.

Laban's early education came from the schools at Rocky Mount and York Academy. He soon followed in the footsteps of his father to the life-style of a planter.

Reared to manhood in his native state, he became a prominent and prosperous planter. With the gift of 200 acres of land from his father, Laban was on his way to his future success as a cotton planter. After several years of hard work and good crops, Laban purchased an additional 500 acres and 25 slaves. His slaves were very devoted to him and he in turn provided good care and fair treatment for all of them on his plantation. Laban had seven brothers who were all Southern planters. His brother, Dr. William E. Hall, an 1828 Charleston College graduate, was the most successful of all the Hall brothers. His extensive land holdings garnered four states: South Carolina, Georgia, Florida and Louisiana. The grand total being near 20,000 acres and close to 400 slaves. The entire South in 1860 could only boast of having 2500 to 3000 large planters, which consisted of a planter owning 100 or more slaves. Daniel Hall, another brother, has 6000 acres and 150 slaves in Fairfield Country, South Carolina.

Laban was married four times. His first wife lived only a few months after their marriage. Her maiden name was Goings. His second wife was Jane Hunter, also a South Carolina bride. They were married in 1818.

As the plantation venture of Laban grew, so did his family and now the need for a new home was quite evident. Selecting the most appealing location among his 700 acres, Laban, with the assistance of his sons and slaves and a travelling contractor named Timothy O'Connor, built a beautiful Southern mansion. Centered in the grove of towering old oak trees, was a two and one-half story, double gallery, six column mansion. This homestead was completed by having a formal garden, stables, cook house, gin and screw-style cotton press, carriage and wagon sheds, slave cabins, cattle barns, smokehouse, and all the necessary tools and equipment to operate a large plantation.

Laban and Jane Hunter Hall's children were John Bratton Hall (1819-1888) who moved to Camden, Arkansas. William Hunter Hall (1820-1898) who lived in Waterford, Mississippi. Thomas McCullough Hall (1822-1863) who was killed in the Civil War. Margaret Hall (born 1824) married in Desoto County and moved to Texas. Her husband was W.R.W. Kyle. Allen Turner Hall (1825-1846) died in South Carolina. Sarah Patterson Hall (1829-1898) married B. H. Linn and lived in Desoto County, Mississippi. Mary Ann Hall (1830-1847) married her first cousin, James Madison Hall and lived in Waterford, Mississippi. James Franklin Hall (1832-1887) became a Methodist circuit riding preacher in the Arkansas Conference. All of the children except Allen Turner Hall and William Hunter Hall lived in Desoto County, Mississippi before moving to other areas.

In 1843, Laban now being a widower for ten years, remarried in his home state of South Carolina, Elsey Parker. This union produced one son. This son was named Columbus Kelso Hall, born in 1844. He attended military school in Kentucky. He became a First Sergeant under Lt. Gen. N.S. Forrest. He fought in several engagements before being killed at the famous battle of Brices Crossroads in Mississippi. After only a few years of marriage, Laban and Elsey parted ways and were soon divorced.

In 1845 Laban and his large family of children and a brother, Reuben Hall, decided to move to Mississippi, settling in the frontier community of Cockrum, located in Desoto County, Mississippi.

Soon after his arrival he began to scout for productive cotton acreage. With the purchase of 640 acres of good, rich land and the keen knowledge of a planter, he focused all of his time and energy to build a new and rewarding plantation. With the help of his sons and his South Carolina slaves and his strong desire to succeed, his plantation was soon a cash-building enterprise.

Laban was a firm believer in hard work, honesty and education. He provided well for his wife and all of his children. He was a fair master to his slaves. He was a Methodist and a voting Democrat.

Laban Hall married a fourth time in Desoto County, Mississippi to a young widow named Sarah (younger) Ozment. She was much younger than Laban and had two small children of her own. Laban and Sarah had a union of three children born to them. Laban Hall, Jr. (1856-1935) became a graduate of the University of Louisville with an M.D. degree and moved to Phillips County, Arkansas. Laban Jr. had a very successful medical practice and was also a planter. He was a physician as well as a surgeon. Lucinda Jane Hall (1858-1940) was first married to a Graham from Desoto County, Mississippi and later married a Desoto County, Mississippi doctor by the name of Thomas C. Newsom. Laban's youngest child was born in 1863. His name was Johnson Eggleston Hall. Johnson, like his father, was a planter on the old Hall family plantation. He later moved to Memphis. Johnson died in 1943 in Memphis. The old Hall family plantation was sold in 1946 after being in the Hall family 100 years. Laban Hall died January 24, 1865 and his beloved wife Sarah Jane Hall died April 19, 1904.

Russell S. Hall

Germantown, Tennessee

Great, Great, Great Nephew of Laban Hall

https://religiondocbox.com/116034733-Latter_Day_Saints/Equity-court...

Frame 10 - 1847 #2 - Bill for Alimony - Filed June 16,1846

Eley A. Hall vs. Laban Hall

Eley A. Parker married Laban Hall on February 21, 1844.

• John M. Hall
• Emeline Hall-widow
• John Hall - only child
• Dempsey Graham was John M. Hall's father-in-law

https://south-carolina-plantations.com/fairfield/home-place.html