Hall Family Quarrels in Court (1883)

From The Pantagraph (Bloomington, Illinois), August 30, 1883, Thursday, Page 4 --

A Family Quarrel In Court. 

     --Yesterday Wilbur Hall, of Danvers, filed a bill in chancery against his mother, Mrs. Hannah Hall, and other relatives, for title to certain real estate in this county. Complainant says be purchased of John P. Morrison twenty-five acres of land in section 16) in Dale township, and that he purchased of John Mickens five acres in section 31 In Danvers township. He further says the deeds were made to his father, Jeremiah S. Hall, with the express understanding that this property was to be deeded to or for complainant when he so elected.  October 16, 1878. Jeremiah borrowed $500, and gave a mortgage on this property to A. E. Merritt.  Jeremiah died and did not redeem the note.  Merritt endorsed the note to George S. Hall and he endorsed it to his wife, one of the defendants. Orator says that he knew nothing of the mortgage and received none of the money, and further says that Mrs. Marion W. Hall, the endorsee, knew full well before she received them that the property belonged to complainant.

There are a few factual errors here.  First, Wilber's mother was Jane (Combs) Hall and she died in 1874, nine years before her husband and this article.  Hannah was Wilbur's older sister, not his mother.  Second, there is no record anywhere on any legal documents of George or Mariam (McKee) Hall having middle names (or middle initials).

I found other newspaper reports of court complaints involving the estate of my 3xg-grandfather Jeremiah Smith Hall (1809-1882) internal to the family.  It is my hopes to get down to the McLean county courthouse and follow up on all of them.  George and Mariam Hall were my 2xg-grandparents.

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