Deacon Richard Hall

Richard Hall

• Birth: 1644 Massachusetts, USA / 1649, Stratford Upon Avon, Warwickshire, England
• Death: 4 Mar 1730 (aged 85–86) Bradford, Essex County, Massachusetts
• Burial: Ancient Burying Ground, Bradford, Essex County, Massachusetts, USA
• Memorial #: 43604225
• Bio: He was chosen one of the first two deacons of the church of Bradford.
• Spouse Martha Benson Hall 1644-Unknown

Children

• John Hall 1673-1763
• Richard Hall 1676-Unknown
• Joanna Hall Patterson 1678-1707
• Joseph Hall 1680-1750
• Mary Hall 1684-1721
• Martha Hall Graves 1687-1721

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• Created by: Bradley Moody (47097169)
• Added: 27 Oct 2009
• URL: https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/43604225
• Citation: Find A Grave, database and images (https://www.findagrave.com : accessed 23 July 2019), memorial page for Richard Hall (1644–4 Mar 1730), Find A Grave Memorial no. 43604225, citing Ancient Burying Ground, Bradford, Essex County, Massachusetts, USA ; Maintained by Bradley Moody (contributor 47097169)

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Richard Hall II Martha Benson

Marriage: 1672

Dorchester, Suffolk, Massachusetts Bay, British Colonial America

GEDCOM Note

Bio notes: m. Martha child: Joseph Hall b.19 Feb 1679/80; d. 7 Oct 1750

Martha BENSON [Parents] 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6 was christened 3 Nov 1644 in Hingham, Plymouth, Massachusetts. She married 7 Deacon Richard HALL on 1670 in Bradford, Essex, Massachusetts.

They had the following children:

• F i Sarah HALL 1, 2 was born 1671 in Bradford, Essex, Massachusetts. She died 3 6 Jun 1690 in Bradford, Essex, Massachusetts.
• M ii John HALL was born 22 Mar 1673 and died 25 Nov 1763.
• M iii Richard HALL 1, 2 was born 3 6 Feb 1676 in Bradford, Essex, Massachusetts.
• F iv Joanna HALL 1 was born 1678 in Bradford, Essex, Massachusetts.
• M v Deacon Joseph HALL was born 19 Feb 1680 and died 7 Oct 1750.
• F vi Mary HALL 1, 2 was born 3 1684 in Bradford, Essex, Massachusetts.
• F vii Martha HALL 1, 2 was born 3 11 Mar 1687 in Bradford, Essex, Massachusetts.

Notes

This link (https://www.colonialsociety.org/node/662) shows in Vol.29 of the Records of Suffolk County Court 1671-1680 Part 1, that they were not married by Jan. 31, 1669. I would doubt they would have had a previous illegitimate child, Abigail, before Sarah without being taken to court at that time.

Deacon Richard Hall of Hull, Haverhill, and Bradford and his wife Martha Benson, escaped from the Hull area in 1671 when they were accused of "fornication" (having a child out of wedlock). They were summoned by the Suffolk County court to appear for sentencing. They fled to Haverhill, and returned to the court in 1672, married, and with a daughter Sarah. While in Haverhill, It is likely that they were wed by a town magistrate, rather than in a church, given the reason for the union.

P. 23 of the records say "Richard and Martha Hall Presented. Richard Hall & Martha his wife presented for fornication. The Court was informed they were gone to Haverhill and ordered a special warrant to be issued out for their appearance at the next court." P. 119 says, "Hall Sentenced. Richard Hall of Haverhill, late of Hull presented for fornication with Martha his now wife before marriage the court sentenced them to be whipped with fifteen stripes apiece or to pay forty shillings apiece fine to the county in money with fees of court & charge of the Constable of Merrimack six shillings standing committed till the sentence be performed.

Richard later became a deacon, back "in the good graces" of the church, I would assume.

References

• At a County Court held at Boston April ye 30th 1672 < link > “… Hall Sentanced. Richard Hall of haverill Late of hull presented for fonication wth Martha his now wife before marriage the Court Sentanced them to bee whip’t with fifteen Stripes apiece or to pay forty shillings apeice fine to the County in mony wth fees of Court & charge of the Constable of Merrimack six Shillings Standing committed till the Sentance be performed.”
• http://www.designscience.com/Genealogy/richardhall/JohnBensonFamily... cites
• 1Savage, James, A Genealogical Dictionary of the First Settlers of New England, showing three generations of those who came before 1692 (Boston: Little, Brown and Company, 1860-62.), 2:337, Los Angeles Public Library, 929.274 S264.
• 2Guilford, Joan Sheridan, The Ancestry of Dr. J. P. Guilford (Orange, California: Sheridan Psychological Services, 1990.), 2:349, Family History Library, 929.273 G944g.
• 3Vital Records of Bradford, Massachusetts, to the end of the year 1849. (Topsfield, Massachusetts: Topsfield Historical Society, 1907.), p. 318, Los Angeles Public Library, Gen 974.42 B81Br.
• 4Torrey, Clarence Almon, New England Marriages Prior to 1700 (Baltimore: Genealogical Publishing Co., 1985.), p. 335, Los Angeles Public Library, Gen 974 T694.
• Direct Descendants of Richard Hall, Deacon. < PDF >

The original meeting house was located where the Old Bradford Burying Ground is at 326 Salem St. This first meetinghouse was replaced in 1705. In 1726 the east parish of Bradford was established which later in 1850 became the town of Groveland. In 1751 the meetinghouse was replaced by a new building that was located on what is now Bradford Common. In 1848 the fifth Bradford church was built at is present location facing the Bradford Common.
The first meetinghouse in Bradford, Massachusetts was built in 1796 and was used for both religious and civic purposes. It was later dismantled and moved to a new location, where it now serves as the Bradford Town Hall.