George Hall was born in January 1864 in Oxford, Chenango County, NY.
He was the son of Amon Edward Hall and Caroline Cumber.
In the 1880 census he was listed with the family of Loren Eccleston.
He died June 29, 1912 in Elk Brook, Hancock Township, NY. According to
his death certificate he was "Killed by cars". Could this be "bears"?
See bear stories below. His occupation was listed as "Teamster". His
place of burial is listed as "East Branch, NY".
George Hall married Ella Mae Eggleston around 1887.
They were living in Oxford, NY in the 1900 Census.
They were living in Oxford, NY in the 1910 Census, as well. Ella was
incorrectly listed as "May L. O'Connor" confusing her with her daughter,
Mamie O'Connor. Bother George and his wife are listed as illiterate.
His wife Ella Mae Eggleston (or Eccleston) was born on March 31, 1872
in Afton, NY to "Warren" & Maude Eccleston. Note: her brother Dwight's
obituary lists his parents as "Loren and Maida Leroy Eggleston". Loren's
wife was Nancy Sally Maria Burchard.
Ella Mae was living in Elk Brook, NY in the 1920 Census. Her father is listed
as having been born in "Oregon" and her mother as having been born in "United
States" in this census. Note: Her mom's parents, Nathaniel and Julia
Burchard moved to Oregon during the 1870's.
Ella and George were living in Oxford, NY in the 1900 and 1910 Censuses.
Ella was living in Elk Brook, NY in 1920 Census.
Ella was living in Long Eddy, NY with her son George in the 1930 Census.
She died on November 6, 1957 in Masonville, Delaware County, NY due to
"Cerebral Hemorrhage" and "Arteriosclerosis". According to her death
certificate, she had lived in Masonville for 3 years. She was buried
in the Glenwood Cemetery in Oneonta, NY.
According to my mother, Clara (Babcock) Diagostino, Ella Mae smoked a
corn cob pipe.
According to my Uncle Wally Babcock, Ella Mae was an Algonquin Indian, though he
didn't seem too sure about this.
According to my Aunt, Lucy (Babcock) Sherpinskas, she was an Onondaga
Indian. My Uncle Chuck said that she used to visit the Onondaga
Reservation because that was her tribe.
My cousin Belinda told me that her mom, my Aunt Sharon, told her that we were part Cherokee.
My cousin Michael Church tells me that Uncle Jack and Uncle Linn told him
that she was a Cheyenne Indian and that her family had been forced to
go to Oklahoma and later Florida and didn't like it. They eventually ended
up in upstate New York. Here is what Michael wrote:
My cousin Michael Church wrote the following:
"Ella Mae Hall's Native American (Cheyenne) name was 'Little White Feather'.
No one knows or remembers what George Hall's native name was.
Jack Diamond whose name became Jack Hall. He told me what he remembered -
his parents told him the story of Chief Black Kettle's village going under attack
by the United States Militia. His (Jack's) were among some of the survivors.
A few seasons after Jack heard the story of Chief Black Kettle - Jack doesn't
recall exactly where - but he was with relatives - a village if you will.
Jack and his parents, brothers, sisters, etc. (cousins, aunts, uncles, + grand
parents) taken hostage late at night and corralled much like cattle are done
presently. Herded onto a train and sent to a "Fort" (prison camp) which was located
in Oklahoma (Indian Country).
After a few days less than a few weeks - some older adults took council and
decided to head north back to the lands in which they had been taken.
(I didn't know any dates until I researched (within past 5 years).
When the time came there were numerous amount of "prisoners" who had left
the confines which was called housing.
Many had given up their lives that the spirits would guide and protect those who
could continue on.
Came the time when council was held, many chose to go to Chief Sitting Bull's
tribe of the Lakota Sioux. The rest chose to go to the soldiers at Fort Laramie
to ask for their lands back.
Jack being a very young boy was with those who chose the latter. Where they were
taken in - and held again as prisoners.
Again taken to Oklahoma - only this time kept segregated (all those imprisoned
at Ft. Laramie) only to get herded back on a train and shipped to Fort Marion, Florida.
Again council was held (Little White Feather had taken upon herself to be Jack's
"parent" "guardian") Jack doesn't recall his own parents in that period!)
Many prisoners escaped from Fort Marion and travelled north via the same
underground railroad in which slaves had used years before.
Upon reaching this current area many natives took upon themselves to denounce
nativety and took "English" names.
Upon Little White Feather taken the name of Ella May Hall - the story was given
down to 1st generation to hold onto whether or not anyone believes this - I heard this
from both Lynn Hall and Jack (Diamond) Hall.
[Notes concerning Michael Church's account:
1. George Hall was not a Native American. He was born January 1864 in South Oxford, NY
to Caroline Cumber and Amon Edward Hall.
2. Jack of Diamonds real name was Leon B. Hurlburt (not Hall) and he was Ella Mae's
grandson, the son of her daughter Mary and Lee Hurlburt. Leon was born June 20, 1913
in Butternuts township, New York
3. Ella Mae was born March 31, 1872 which was 3½ years after the Washita Massacre
(November 27, 1868).
]
Echoing Michael Church's account that Ella was Cheyenne is the story
Crystal Lown heard from her mother:
"So i talked to my mother last night and she also tells me that she spoke to
Ella May as a child and kept telling her a word in native, that my mother
found out was Cheyenne my mother tells me that Ella may was Cheyenne
and that she could not speak good English, but they were close, I guess Ella
may would tell my mother she was her Indian girl all the time and that she did
smoke a pipe on a daily bases. My mother tells me that Eggleson were not
her real parents. ( I don't know if my Mother has any Proof of this ) just what
she is telling me that Ella May was telling her as a child. I asked my mother if
Ella may went to her Tribe to visit and she told me no. That she went back
and forth from Aunt Nettie's house to My grandparents home."
And
"According to my mother her grandmother took her aside and said to her
she was " her little indian Girl" and would repeat to her the word "tsistsistas"
over and over. My mother also told me she did not speak good english at all
and was very quite most of the time. My mother thinks she was an elder in
her tribe and she smoked a pipe everyday."
Note: the word "tsistsistas" means "Cheyenne" in the Cheyenne language.
According to my cousin Mary (Hurlburt) Wildenstein:
"Great Granma Ella was Indian, I remember going down there. I enjoyed
helping her, very different from now. Carrying water, cooking with wood.
...George was living with her at that time."
"Mary's father died rustling with a bear, he killed it with a knife but
his wounds later killed him. She was close with her father."
"Dad told me about the bear. He said that his grandpa put up a good fight
to protect his family. I remember going down to Ella May, I liked to
help her she always thru her tomatoes out the window, what was leftover.
In the spring all the neighbors would come to get tomato plants to plant
in their gardens. George would always visit with Dad, I remember a sawmill
not far and the river. George was Mary's brother."
My 2nd cousin once removed, Crystal Lown, tells me that she heard that
George Hall was murdered and his body put on the railroad tracks.
They had 10 children:
1. Mamie O'Connor (Mamie was the daughter of an Irishman named O'Connor)
born July 5, 1891
married to George E. Miles
living in McDonough, NY in 1920 census. Her father is listed as having been
born in Ireland in this census.
living in Oxford, NY in 1930 census. Her father is listed as having been
born in Ireland in this census as well.
died March 1982 probably in Oxford, NY
Note: on April 18, 1891 Lucy A. Eccleston, the daughter of Loren Eccleston and
Nancy Marie Burchard, married Patrick O'Connor from Ireland in Preston, New York.
It is likely that Mamie was Lucy’s daughter.
2. Mary Hall
born April 17, 1893 in Oxford, Chenango County, NY
Mary was living in Oxford, NY in the 1910 Census.
married February 6, 1912 in Oxford, NY to Lee Hurlburt
divorced on January 8, 1920
Mary and her children Edna (8) & Leon (6) are listed as living with
Ralph Lyons & his father Otis in Butternuts, NY in the 1920 Census.
Mary is listed as a "servant", occupation "housework".
died June 4, 1920 in Butternuts, Otsego County, NY
She was buried at the Brookside Cemetery on June 7, 1920
3. George Hall
born November 1895 probably in Oxford, NY
living in Oxford, NY in 1910 Census
living in Elk Brook, NY in 1920 Census
living in Long Eddy, NY in 1930 Census
died 1967 in Fishs Eddy, Hancock Township, NY
4. Edith Hall
born April 20, 1898 in Oxford, NY
living in Oxford, NY in 1910 Census
married to Mr. Cawley
died December 1972 in Jacksonville, FL
5. Nettie Hall
born November 16, 1900 or May 1900 probably in Oxford, NY
living in Oxford, NY in 1910 Census
married in 1917 to Bert Buchanan
died December 24, 1989 in Masonville, NY
6. Mildred Hall
born April 22, 1904 in Oxford, NY
died May 13, 1904 (age 21 days) in Oxford, NY
7. Everett A. Hall
born 1905 probably in Oxford, NY
died July 18, 1909 in South Oxford, NY (age 4)
8. Almeda "Lena" Hall
born July 29, 1907 in Oxford, NY
living in Oxford, NY in 1910 Census
living in Elk Brook, NY in 1920 Census
married first to Albert Furgeson
living in Long Eddy, NY in 1930 Census
married second to a Mr. Thompson?
died February 14, 1986 in Liberty, NY
9. Lynn Clayton Hall
born September 20, 1910 in Oxford, NY
living in Elk Brook, NY in 1920 Census
living in Long Eddy, NY in 1930 Census
Died 2010.02.26 in Oneonta, NY
Below is another picture of Ella Mae
