William Hall

Marriage

William Hall married Mary Jane Griffith on 8 January 1872 in Bondhead, Simcoe Co., Ontario. They moved to Gordon Twp., Manitoulin Island, about 1884 ("thirty-seven years ago" per the 1921 obituary), after earlier years near Mount Forest and in Arran Twp.

1881 Ontario Census — Bruce North, Arran, page 58, Household #251

1891 Ontario Census — Algoma, Gordon Township, Household #74

1901 Ontario Census — Algoma, Gordon Township, Lot 8 Con B, Household #67

1911 Ontario Census — Algoma East, Gordon, page 8, Household #69

Ontario death registration #020755 (1921)

HALL, William, male, died 13 August 1921, Gordon Twp. Cause: senile dementia, age 83 years, 3 months, 9 days. Born England, 1831 (as recorded — likely a clerical slip; see birth-date note below). Parents: Joseph Hall, of Lincolnshire, and Susan Fiarth, of Scotland.

Obituary — The Recorder, Gore Bay, Thursday, 18 August 1921

Another of Manitoulin's early settlers has passed away in the person of William Hall of Gordon who died at his home on Saturday, August 13, at the ripe age of eighty-three years and nine months. His health had not been good for upward of four years and the end was not unexpected by those who knew him best. He was born in Yorkshire, England, and came to Canada with his mother when ten years of age, the father having preceded them one year to prepare a home for his family. They first settled near Mount Forest and later lived for a number of years in Arran twp., Grey County. Here on January 8th, 1872, Mr. Hall was married to Mary Jane Griffith by whom he has had five daughters and two sons. Thirty-seven years ago, with his wife and family, he moved to the Manitoulin where he settled not far from the place where his family now resides. These were the early days of settlement and the family endured all the hardships incidental to pioneer life. He is survived by his wife, two daughters and two sons: Mrs. S. Kendrick, Alta., Mrs. Wm. Beange, Ice Lake, George and Willard of Gordon. The sympathy of the entire community goes out to the aged widow and her family in their heavy sorrow. The funeral took place on Sunday afternoon, August 14. Service at the house and grave was conducted by Rev. W.T. Swainson of Gore Bay. He spoke very feelingly of the hardy pioneers who came here when the country was new to hew a home for themselves in the virgin forest and of how much the present generation is indebted to their self-sacrificing labour for the comforts they now enjoy. A large concourse of friends followed the remains to their last resting place in Gordon cemetery.

Note on birth date

The 1901 census gives William's own reported birth date as 15 June 1843, which is the only day-and-month-precise birth date in any source. But this conflicts with the age inscribed on the plate (83 yrs 9 mos), repeated in both the obituary and the death registration (83y 3m 9d) — both of which point to a birth in 1837–1838, not 1843. Self-reported census ages for William drift across every census he appears in (35 in 1881 → b. ~1846; 40 in 1891 → b. ~1851; 69 in 1911 → b. ~1840), which was common for the era. Researchers should weigh which is more reliable; the 1843 date is given here as the person's own stated birth date, and both readings are preserved.

Thanks to Karen Linley for submitting this coffin plate info.