Bray/Hall

From:Priscilla Null. Oct 28, 2014

I have been doing genealogy for 20 years. I have hit a brick wall on my mothers side of the family. My great-grandmother was Tempie Hall b. 7 Dec 1855 in Ga. Died 26 Oct 1939 in Colquitt, Ga. Her parent were Joseph Hall b. abt 1815 in SC d aft 1880. Her mother was Rebecca (possibly Bray). Tempie was married 25 May 1875 to Thomas A. Williams b. 1854 GA d. aft 1920. His parents ware John B. Williams b. abt 1815 d. aft 1854 SC; he married Mary Johnson b. abt 1824. I have Tempie's death certificate and marriage certificate. Any information you can find for me I wold appreciate it. Priscilla Jump

From: Jeannette Austin. Nov. 12, 2014

Hall

The marriage certificate attached here between Rebecca Bray and Joseph Hall in Stewart County authenticates this marriage. Date: 2/27/1837, Stewart County. Joseph Hall to Rebecca Bray I first thought that this name was "Hale", however, there were no Hales in Stewart County at any time that I can find.

Joseph Hall was listed on the 1840 Stewart County Census male 20-30, female 20-30 Also on this census was Benjamin Hall, b. 1790/1800, Demsey Hall, b. 1800/1810, James Hall b. 1800/1810. Let us consider Benjamin Hall as the likely father of Joseph Hall. According to the 1860 Mitchell County Census, Joseph Hall was born in North Carolina in 1813. If he was born ca 1790, then he could have easily have had a son born in 1813. All of the Halls found in Stewart County in 1840 appear to be children of Benjamin Hall. In 1853 one, Josiah Hall, left a last will and testament who named a wife, Frances Mariah and a son, Robert T. Hall and "other children"

1860 Mitchell Co. GA Census

Joseph Hall 47 laborer NC
Rebecca 43 GA
James H. 14 GA
John 14 GA
Calvin 12 GA
Mary A. E. 11 GA
Harmon 9 GA
Caroline 6 GA
Tempie 2 GA

There were several counties which fell into the 1827 Land Lottery as a result of the Indian Treaty of 1825. These were: Lee, Muscogee, Troup, Coweta and Carroll. Stewart and Marion Counties were later part of this division. There was a Joseph Hall of Talbot County who drew land in the 1832 Lottery, being Lot No. 1086, district 3, section 3 (Carroll County). This may or may not be your Joseph. What is certain is the fact that he resided in Stewart County around 1840. There was a Joseph Hall who was in Thomas County in 1850, page 24. If this was your Joseph Hall, then Ben Hall (of 1840 Stewart Co.) may have been ":Ben D. Hall", the grandson of Ignatius Hall who died 1840 in Thomas County and left this will Bearing in mind, however, that your Joseph Hall was born in North Carolina, presumably coming to Georgia with his parents, more needs to be learned about Ben Hall of Stewart County.

Bray

The Brays also came out of North Carolina, about the same time of the Hall family. I saw where familysearch.org had Rebecca Bray as the daughter of Joseph Bray and one, John Bray of Duplin Co. NC and Washington Co. GA. It cannot be Michael Bray, because his last wife, Hannah, drew in the 1827 Land Lottery. I searched all of Duplin County records without much luck. For one thing, if they were from Duplin County there should be a marriage there for __________Bray to Frances_______. The following persons look like siblings to Rebecca Bray.

1850 Marion Co. GA Census

William Bray 39 NC
Christianna 30
William 12
John 10
Rasberry 5
Greenberry 5

James Bray 38 NC
Frances 38 F
James 12
Mary 10
Elizabeth 9
Henry C. 7
John 5
William H. H. 4
Martin 3
Victoria 1
Frances 70 (f) NC

Conclusion: I searched all of the western county Georgia for any information on Halls and Brays. Perhaps you have something in your research papers which will connect some of this information. I do not have access to the 1850 Thomas County Census for further information on those Halls. Also, I do not have access to Alabama records. Since the Brays and Halls were in western counties which bordered Alabama, there might be something in some adjoining Alabama counties.

Jeannette Austin