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File contributed to the Fulton County ILGenWeb Project
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Source: Portrait and Biographical Album of Fulton County
Biographical Publishing Co., Chicago, 1890

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The Biography of Randolph HALL 

Pages 307-308, transcribed in full by Danni Hopkins 

[Surnames: CLARK, HALL, HAMMER, HARLAN, HARRIS, PENNINGTON, WARD, WOODS] 

    
RANDOLPH HALL. In recalling the labors which have made of this county a region noted for its agricultural resources, we feel a glow of admiration for all who bore a part in the scenes of the early days, and take great pleasure in noting prominent incidents in their lives. One of the early settlers of Farmers Township is the worthy gentleman above named, who has abundantly shown his industry and good judgment by the accumulation of an excellent estate, well supplied with the improvements which make life in the country enjoyable, and add to the value of property. He possesses the hospitable spirit and cordial manners which belong to all natives of the Blue Grass State, and which are also distinguishing characteristics of the pioneers in any sections of the country. Honorable in his dealings, well-informed regarding topics of general interest, and able to relate many an interesting event in connection with the early settlement of the township, his companionship is desirable and his reputation excellent. 
    
The birth of Mr. Hall took place in Washington County, Ky., September 4, 1823, and his residence in Illinois began when he was a youth of fifteen years. At that period in his life he accompanied his parents, Joel and Mary (Clark) Hall, to McDonough County, their home for a few years being in the vicinity of Macomb. In 1843 they removed to Pennington's Point. Three years later our subject was united in marriage with Miss Almeda L. Woods, a capable and efficient woman who has nobly borne her part in building up the prosperity of the family and fitting its younger members for usefulness and honor. The happy union has been blessed by the birth of five children. 
    
The eldest son, Platte, was stricken down within a few days of his majority, and the bright promise of his future swallowed up by death. The older daughter, Mary Cornelia, is the wife of Josiah Hammer, of McDonough County: she has one daughter, Della, who married Frank Harlan, and also has one child. As the mother of Mrs. Hall is yet living, baby Mabel is the fifth generation of females in the family now living. Three of these were born in McDonough County, Mrs. Hall in Erie County, Pa., and Mrs. Woods in the Empire State. A picture representing the five--Mrs. Cornelia Woods, Mrs. Almeda Hall, Mrs. Mary Hammer, Mrs. Della Harlan and little Mabel--is of great interest, not only to the family but to all visitors whom they receive. The second son of our subject and his good wife is Millard DeWitt, who with his wife, son and daughter, resides in Table Grove. In McDonough County lives the youngest son, Leonard Grow, with his wife and one child. The second daughter and fourth child of Mr. and Mrs. Hall is Genevra, wife of Frank Ward, of Table Grove, their family including several children. 
    
Our subject bought the first improved farm of eighty acres in McDonough County. His house was built by himself, he hewing the logs and splitting the shingles, which were of black walnut from his own land, forty acres of which was timber. The house was 16x22 feet in dimensions. A few years after it was constructed Mr. Hall covered it with boards, which were sawed by his brother-in-law in a portable mill on the place. To the original eighty acres he added until his estate amounted to two hundred acres, all of which had been reclaimed by himself from its primitive condition, except about thirty acres which was plowed when he purchased it. He resided upon the farm until 1882, when he left it to take possession of a comfortable home in Table Grove. In the early days Mr. Hall hauled wheat to Beardstown, about twenty-five miles distant, and thought himself fortunate when he could get fifty cents per bushel, nearly half of which was consumed by the expenses of remaining overnight. The first hogs driven to that place sold for $2 per hundred, which was considered a high price, good dressed pork having previously been disposed of in Macomb for $1.25 per hundred. 
    
The early settlers generally owed all they raised to the neighboring storekeeper, their sole trouble being to turn the products of their farms over to their creditor, the 1st of January being the usual time of settlement. By a special arrangement they sometimes obtained a little money with which to pay taxes. All grain was cut with a cradle, and it was generally tramped out with horses. Mrs. hall vividly remembers seeing the wheat thrown in a pile, and horses driven around it until the threshing was completed. The first chimneys were of sod built on the outside of the log houses, and all cooking was done at an open fire, except in rare instances. 
    
Mr. Hall is one of four sons and seven daughters born to his parents, all of whom are now living in this section of the State in convenient visiting distance. He is the only Republican in his father's family, but his own sons and sons-in-law belong to the same party as himself. 
    
Salem Woods, the father of Mrs. Hall, emigrated from the Keystone State to McDonough County in 1831, prior to the Black Hawk War, in which father Hall took part. Mr. Woods was a harnessmaker in Erie, Pa., and having traded for a piece of land somewhere in the West, started on foot to look up his new estate. He made his way over the mountains and through the wilderness to the vicinity in which he supposed his land to be, but was then at a loss to locate it. He heard a rooster crow, and going whence the sound came, found the home of Stewart Pennington, who helped him to locate the land, of which he had a plat and description. He then returned to the East and brought his wife and family, the journey being made in a wagon. The boards from the roof of his wagon were used as a door to the first house he built on his farm. This home was of logs, notched and fastened to the sleepers with wooden pins, no nails being used in its construction. The floor was of split logs. Mr. Woods had the first cook stove in the county, it being shipped from the East to Chicago, whither it was brought in a wagon by the owner and Harvey Harris. An old fashioned chest with a lid, which was made to ship goods in, is still preserved in the family. 
    
Mrs. Hall is the only daughter of her parents, but they have likewise four sons. One of these, Edward, was born in this State, and still lives on the farm on which he first saw the light. Mr. Woods was an Abolitionist of the deepest dye, and he and his children naturally became Republicans. They are of the Universalist faith.