Benjamin Franklin Hall, one of the eleven children born to Reason Bowie Hall (1793-1869) and Martha (Wright) Hall (1805-1889). He lived on the family's donation land claim which his father had developed into the thriving town of Buena Vista in Polk County, Oregon Territory. Benjamin had been born in 1851 and attended the closest school to the settlement. His father built a ferry across the Willamette River just below the town, which was needed to help transport the hops and rye grass from the farms in the valley to Clackamas and Multnomah Counties for sale, creating a short cut and saving much needed time for the farmers. He made countless other improvements to the town prior to his death in 1869 (please read Reason Bowie Hall's memorial by clicking on his name after reading Benjamin's life story. He led a fascinating life.). When the 1870 census was taken on July 28th 1870, Martha's real property was valued at $2,000. Benjamin and his brother, Andrew Jackson Hall, had land valued at $900. Benjamin, now 19, his brother, Andrew Jackson, now 20, and brother Lawrence (also known as Lark), now age 30, married with a family, all shared the family home with their widowed mother, Martha, who was now 89 yrs. of age. All three sons were farming the land at Buena Vista township. Benjamin married Sarah Ellen Booney, a 1st generation Oregonian whose parents had emigrated from Illinois to Sutter's Mill, California in 1845, then traveled North to Oregon, settling in the Willamette Valley for the remainder of their days.
Sarah was born in Aug 1853. She and Benjamin married in Polk County in 1873 and moved into a new dwelling in Buena Vista, Polk County where Ben became a Teamster, supplying fresh horses mainly for stagecoaches that traveled thruout the Willamette Valley. By June 7, 1880, when the 1880 census was taken, they had been blessed with the 1st of two daughters, Cara "Carrie" Eliza, born May 1874. Martha Hall was now 73 yrs. of age and living with them. It was customary for the elderly parent to live among the different adult children in their later years, and Martha boarded with Ben, Sarah and her granddaughter. By 1900, Martha Hall had passed from this life, joining her husband in Paradise in 1889 and being buried by him at Buena Vista Cemetery. Benjamin and Sarah had now been married for 27 years and had moved to South Salem in Marion County, OR. when the census was taken on Jun 9th, 1900. Their home was owned by them, mortgage free. Benjamin was now a ferryman, operating the Buena Vista Ferry that his father had built so many years ago when he had first settled his family in Oregon and built the town of Buena Vista. They now were the parents of two daughters. Carrie had graduated from Monmouth Teacher's College then gone on to marry Charles Edward Tyler who worked as a ferryman with his father-in-law, Benjamin. The younger daughter, Althea, had been born in May 1883 and was attending school in 1900. The Halls made one final move, relocating to Cleveland St. in Woodburn, Marion Co. by the time that the 1910 census was taken on Apr 27, 1910. No employment was listed, although Benjamin stated he had his own income. He and Sarah lived together in their home there, both of them in their 60's. The 1920 census was taken on Jan 8, 1920 and the couple was still on Cleveland Street in Woodburn, proud owners of their mortgage free home. No income or occupation was listed for either of them, although I would assume their financial situation was the same as it had been back in 1900. Sarah Ellen, Benjamin's dear wife of nearly 64 yrs., passed away from heart problems (angina pectoris) on Feb 26, 1929 and was buried at Belle Passi Cemetery in Woodburn, Marion County. When the 1930 census was taken on Apr 10, 1930, Benjamin estimated his home's value at $2500, and he was now 78 yrs. old and retired. [The person who transferred the 1930 census information to computer made a grievous error, referring to Benjamin Hall as "Burgman" Hall. I was lucky I could locate his census.] Benjamin had purchased a monument with both his and Sarah's names on it. It is obvious he did not plan to remarry, at first, and that he planned to be buried with his beloved wife. I don't know when he met Nellie Olivia (Burkhart) Baker, twice a widow, her 1st husband being George Scott Royce (1860-1890), and her 2nd husband being William Thomas Baker (1844-1900). Nellie had been a widow for quite some time when she and Benjamin Hall met, possibly through friends or relatives as the Halls and Burkharts were related via marriage and they probably had friends in common. They were probably lonely and got along well together so decided to marry for companionship in the early 1930's, some time after the 1930 census was taken, as she still listed herself as living alone and as a widow when the census was taken in June, 1930, in Albany, Linn County, where she lived, but, when the 1940 census was taken, just a few months before Benjamin's death in 1940, they both stated they had lived at the same residence since 1935, together, and were married. Benjamin was 8 yrs. older than Nellie but, per his step granddaughter's recollections, Patricia Jean Taylor (my mother), he was a very nice, kind and gentle man, a joy to be around and he loved the wilds of Oregon. He enjoyed collecting sea shells, the different kinds of wildflowers as well as different woods from most, if not all of the types of trees that grew throughout Oregon. He gave these collections, as well as a collection of Callapooya Tribe baskets, arrowheads, and a mortar and pestal to Champoeg State Park before his death, for all visitors to the park to enjoy. Originally, the wood collection encircled the ceiling of the museum and the shell and flower collections were also on display along with beeswax recovered from a shipwreck*. However, when the museum updated their exhibits, they disposed of the wood collection; also, the shell and flower collections were lost. The museum has kept the collection of Indian artifacts and believes it may have sent the beeswax to a museum on the Oregon coast because of the story of the shipwreck* and it's ties with their exhibit. {Therefore, my earlier memorial, written 6/12/2011, stating that the park was going to return the wood, shell and flower collections to me was in error, hence this was sadly rewritten. The Park Ranger advised me that he left no next of kin to give the collections to, which is why they disposed of them when the museum was remodeled, due to lack of storage space. He seemed quite embarrassed, especially when I started crying.}
Benjamin and Nellie enjoyed each other's companionship for a number of years, marrying before 1935, then living together at 758 Young Street, Woodburn, in a home he owned and valued at $2500.00, until Benjamin's death on May 3rd, 1940 at the age of 89 yrs., just three weeks after the 1940 census was taken (on Apr 13, 1940). Per his pre planned burial and request, he was buried next to his beloved 1st wife, Sarah, at the Belle Passi Cemetery in Woodburn, Marion County, Oregon.
Adendem: Nellie (Burkhart) Hall chose not to remarry again.
She spent her last years living with her daughter, Pearl Laura (Baker) Taylor and Pearl's husband, Harry Hoyt Taylor, in Oakland, Alameda Co., CA, where she died in 1948 at the age of 89 yrs. Her remains were returned to Oregon where she was interred at the Masonic Cemetery in Albany, Linn County, Oregon, next to her 1st husband and a son who had lived for only one year. She is buried under "Nellie O. Hall".
Thank you, Mr. Hall, for making my great grandmother's last years happy and providing my mother with such nice memories.
*Beeswax was found on the beach along the Oregon Coast at Nehalem Beach in Tillamook County, Oregon, from a shipwreck occurring in the early 19th Century. OPS TV had a special regarding the quality beeswax that washed ashore following the shipwreck, along with other items that the ship had been carrying. There is a web site entitled "The Beeswax Wreck Project", giving much more information on the subject. Benjamin Hall owned a piece (more like a large "chunk") of that beeswax, with it's tie to Oregon's history, and donated it to the Park along with his collections. The Park has given it to a museum on the Oregon Coast to add to it's exhibit regarding that shipwreck that occurred possibly two hundred years ago.
With All Sincerity, Kathie L. Webb Blair, 5 Aug 2014, updated 8 May 2016.
Sarah was born in Aug 1853. She and Benjamin married in Polk County in 1873 and moved into a new dwelling in Buena Vista, Polk County where Ben became a Teamster, supplying fresh horses mainly for stagecoaches that traveled thruout the Willamette Valley. By June 7, 1880, when the 1880 census was taken, they had been blessed with the 1st of two daughters, Cara "Carrie" Eliza, born May 1874. Martha Hall was now 73 yrs. of age and living with them. It was customary for the elderly parent to live among the different adult children in their later years, and Martha boarded with Ben, Sarah and her granddaughter. By 1900, Martha Hall had passed from this life, joining her husband in Paradise in 1889 and being buried by him at Buena Vista Cemetery. Benjamin and Sarah had now been married for 27 years and had moved to South Salem in Marion County, OR. when the census was taken on Jun 9th, 1900. Their home was owned by them, mortgage free. Benjamin was now a ferryman, operating the Buena Vista Ferry that his father had built so many years ago when he had first settled his family in Oregon and built the town of Buena Vista. They now were the parents of two daughters. Carrie had graduated from Monmouth Teacher's College then gone on to marry Charles Edward Tyler who worked as a ferryman with his father-in-law, Benjamin. The younger daughter, Althea, had been born in May 1883 and was attending school in 1900. The Halls made one final move, relocating to Cleveland St. in Woodburn, Marion Co. by the time that the 1910 census was taken on Apr 27, 1910. No employment was listed, although Benjamin stated he had his own income. He and Sarah lived together in their home there, both of them in their 60's. The 1920 census was taken on Jan 8, 1920 and the couple was still on Cleveland Street in Woodburn, proud owners of their mortgage free home. No income or occupation was listed for either of them, although I would assume their financial situation was the same as it had been back in 1900. Sarah Ellen, Benjamin's dear wife of nearly 64 yrs., passed away from heart problems (angina pectoris) on Feb 26, 1929 and was buried at Belle Passi Cemetery in Woodburn, Marion County. When the 1930 census was taken on Apr 10, 1930, Benjamin estimated his home's value at $2500, and he was now 78 yrs. old and retired. [The person who transferred the 1930 census information to computer made a grievous error, referring to Benjamin Hall as "Burgman" Hall. I was lucky I could locate his census.] Benjamin had purchased a monument with both his and Sarah's names on it. It is obvious he did not plan to remarry, at first, and that he planned to be buried with his beloved wife. I don't know when he met Nellie Olivia (Burkhart) Baker, twice a widow, her 1st husband being George Scott Royce (1860-1890), and her 2nd husband being William Thomas Baker (1844-1900). Nellie had been a widow for quite some time when she and Benjamin Hall met, possibly through friends or relatives as the Halls and Burkharts were related via marriage and they probably had friends in common. They were probably lonely and got along well together so decided to marry for companionship in the early 1930's, some time after the 1930 census was taken, as she still listed herself as living alone and as a widow when the census was taken in June, 1930, in Albany, Linn County, where she lived, but, when the 1940 census was taken, just a few months before Benjamin's death in 1940, they both stated they had lived at the same residence since 1935, together, and were married. Benjamin was 8 yrs. older than Nellie but, per his step granddaughter's recollections, Patricia Jean Taylor (my mother), he was a very nice, kind and gentle man, a joy to be around and he loved the wilds of Oregon. He enjoyed collecting sea shells, the different kinds of wildflowers as well as different woods from most, if not all of the types of trees that grew throughout Oregon. He gave these collections, as well as a collection of Callapooya Tribe baskets, arrowheads, and a mortar and pestal to Champoeg State Park before his death, for all visitors to the park to enjoy. Originally, the wood collection encircled the ceiling of the museum and the shell and flower collections were also on display along with beeswax recovered from a shipwreck*. However, when the museum updated their exhibits, they disposed of the wood collection; also, the shell and flower collections were lost. The museum has kept the collection of Indian artifacts and believes it may have sent the beeswax to a museum on the Oregon coast because of the story of the shipwreck* and it's ties with their exhibit. {Therefore, my earlier memorial, written 6/12/2011, stating that the park was going to return the wood, shell and flower collections to me was in error, hence this was sadly rewritten. The Park Ranger advised me that he left no next of kin to give the collections to, which is why they disposed of them when the museum was remodeled, due to lack of storage space. He seemed quite embarrassed, especially when I started crying.}
Benjamin and Nellie enjoyed each other's companionship for a number of years, marrying before 1935, then living together at 758 Young Street, Woodburn, in a home he owned and valued at $2500.00, until Benjamin's death on May 3rd, 1940 at the age of 89 yrs., just three weeks after the 1940 census was taken (on Apr 13, 1940). Per his pre planned burial and request, he was buried next to his beloved 1st wife, Sarah, at the Belle Passi Cemetery in Woodburn, Marion County, Oregon.
Adendem: Nellie (Burkhart) Hall chose not to remarry again.
She spent her last years living with her daughter, Pearl Laura (Baker) Taylor and Pearl's husband, Harry Hoyt Taylor, in Oakland, Alameda Co., CA, where she died in 1948 at the age of 89 yrs. Her remains were returned to Oregon where she was interred at the Masonic Cemetery in Albany, Linn County, Oregon, next to her 1st husband and a son who had lived for only one year. She is buried under "Nellie O. Hall".
Thank you, Mr. Hall, for making my great grandmother's last years happy and providing my mother with such nice memories.
*Beeswax was found on the beach along the Oregon Coast at Nehalem Beach in Tillamook County, Oregon, from a shipwreck occurring in the early 19th Century. OPS TV had a special regarding the quality beeswax that washed ashore following the shipwreck, along with other items that the ship had been carrying. There is a web site entitled "The Beeswax Wreck Project", giving much more information on the subject. Benjamin Hall owned a piece (more like a large "chunk") of that beeswax, with it's tie to Oregon's history, and donated it to the Park along with his collections. The Park has given it to a museum on the Oregon Coast to add to it's exhibit regarding that shipwreck that occurred possibly two hundred years ago.
With All Sincerity, Kathie L. Webb Blair, 5 Aug 2014, updated 8 May 2016.
Benjamin Franklin Hall, one of the eleven children born to Reason Bowie Hall (1793-1869) and Martha (Wright) Hall (1805-1889). He lived on the family's donation land claim which his father had developed into the thriving town of Buena Vista in Polk County, Oregon Territory. Benjamin had been born in 1851 and attended the closest school to the settlement. His father built a ferry across the Willamette River just below the town, which was needed to help transport the hops and rye grass from the farms in the valley to Clackamas and Multnomah Counties for sale, creating a short cut and saving much needed time for the farmers. He made countless other improvements to the town prior to his death in 1869 (please read Reason Bowie Hall's memorial by clicking on his name after reading Benjamin's life story. He led a fascinating life.). When the 1870 census was taken on July 28th 1870, Martha's real property was valued at $2,000. Benjamin and his brother, Andrew Jackson Hall, had land valued at $900. Benjamin, now 19, his brother, Andrew Jackson, now 20, and brother Lawrence (also known as Lark), now age 30, married with a family, all shared the family home with their widowed mother, Martha, who was now 89 yrs. of age. All three sons were farming the land at Buena Vista township. Benjamin married Sarah Ellen Booney, a 1st generation Oregonian whose parents had emigrated from Illinois to Sutter's Mill, California in 1845, then traveled North to Oregon, settling in the Willamette Valley for the remainder of their days.
Sarah was born in Aug 1853. She and Benjamin married in Polk County in 1873 and moved into a new dwelling in Buena Vista, Polk County where Ben became a Teamster, supplying fresh horses mainly for stagecoaches that traveled thruout the Willamette Valley. By June 7, 1880, when the 1880 census was taken, they had been blessed with the 1st of two daughters, Cara "Carrie" Eliza, born May 1874. Martha Hall was now 73 yrs. of age and living with them. It was customary for the elderly parent to live among the different adult children in their later years, and Martha boarded with Ben, Sarah and her granddaughter. By 1900, Martha Hall had passed from this life, joining her husband in Paradise in 1889 and being buried by him at Buena Vista Cemetery. Benjamin and Sarah had now been married for 27 years and had moved to South Salem in Marion County, OR. when the census was taken on Jun 9th, 1900. Their home was owned by them, mortgage free. Benjamin was now a ferryman, operating the Buena Vista Ferry that his father had built so many years ago when he had first settled his family in Oregon and built the town of Buena Vista. They now were the parents of two daughters. Carrie had graduated from Monmouth Teacher's College then gone on to marry Charles Edward Tyler who worked as a ferryman with his father-in-law, Benjamin. The younger daughter, Althea, had been born in May 1883 and was attending school in 1900. The Halls made one final move, relocating to Cleveland St. in Woodburn, Marion Co. by the time that the 1910 census was taken on Apr 27, 1910. No employment was listed, although Benjamin stated he had his own income. He and Sarah lived together in their home there, both of them in their 60's. The 1920 census was taken on Jan 8, 1920 and the couple was still on Cleveland Street in Woodburn, proud owners of their mortgage free home. No income or occupation was listed for either of them, although I would assume their financial situation was the same as it had been back in 1900. Sarah Ellen, Benjamin's dear wife of nearly 64 yrs., passed away from heart problems (angina pectoris) on Feb 26, 1929 and was buried at Belle Passi Cemetery in Woodburn, Marion County. When the 1930 census was taken on Apr 10, 1930, Benjamin estimated his home's value at $2500, and he was now 78 yrs. old and retired. [The person who transferred the 1930 census information to computer made a grievous error, referring to Benjamin Hall as "Burgman" Hall. I was lucky I could locate his census.] Benjamin had purchased a monument with both his and Sarah's names on it. It is obvious he did not plan to remarry, at first, and that he planned to be buried with his beloved wife. I don't know when he met Nellie Olivia (Burkhart) Baker, twice a widow, her 1st husband being George Scott Royce (1860-1890), and her 2nd husband being William Thomas Baker (1844-1900). Nellie had been a widow for quite some time when she and Benjamin Hall met, possibly through friends or relatives as the Halls and Burkharts were related via marriage and they probably had friends in common. They were probably lonely and got along well together so decided to marry for companionship in the early 1930's, some time after the 1930 census was taken, as she still listed herself as living alone and as a widow when the census was taken in June, 1930, in Albany, Linn County, where she lived, but, when the 1940 census was taken, just a few months before Benjamin's death in 1940, they both stated they had lived at the same residence since 1935, together, and were married. Benjamin was 8 yrs. older than Nellie but, per his step granddaughter's recollections, Patricia Jean Taylor (my mother), he was a very nice, kind and gentle man, a joy to be around and he loved the wilds of Oregon. He enjoyed collecting sea shells, the different kinds of wildflowers as well as different woods from most, if not all of the types of trees that grew throughout Oregon. He gave these collections, as well as a collection of Callapooya Tribe baskets, arrowheads, and a mortar and pestal to Champoeg State Park before his death, for all visitors to the park to enjoy. Originally, the wood collection encircled the ceiling of the museum and the shell and flower collections were also on display along with beeswax recovered from a shipwreck*. However, when the museum updated their exhibits, they disposed of the wood collection; also, the shell and flower collections were lost. The museum has kept the collection of Indian artifacts and believes it may have sent the beeswax to a museum on the Oregon coast because of the story of the shipwreck* and it's ties with their exhibit. {Therefore, my earlier memorial, written 6/12/2011, stating that the park was going to return the wood, shell and flower collections to me was in error, hence this was sadly rewritten. The Park Ranger advised me that he left no next of kin to give the collections to, which is why they disposed of them when the museum was remodeled, due to lack of storage space. He seemed quite embarrassed, especially when I started crying.}
Benjamin and Nellie enjoyed each other's companionship for a number of years, marrying before 1935, then living together at 758 Young Street, Woodburn, in a home he owned and valued at $2500.00, until Benjamin's death on May 3rd, 1940 at the age of 89 yrs., just three weeks after the 1940 census was taken (on Apr 13, 1940). Per his pre planned burial and request, he was buried next to his beloved 1st wife, Sarah, at the Belle Passi Cemetery in Woodburn, Marion County, Oregon.
Adendem: Nellie (Burkhart) Hall chose not to remarry again.
She spent her last years living with her daughter, Pearl Laura (Baker) Taylor and Pearl's husband, Harry Hoyt Taylor, in Oakland, Alameda Co., CA, where she died in 1948 at the age of 89 yrs. Her remains were returned to Oregon where she was interred at the Masonic Cemetery in Albany, Linn County, Oregon, next to her 1st husband and a son who had lived for only one year. She is buried under "Nellie O. Hall".
Thank you, Mr. Hall, for making my great grandmother's last years happy and providing my mother with such nice memories.
*Beeswax was found on the beach along the Oregon Coast at Nehalem Beach in Tillamook County, Oregon, from a shipwreck occurring in the early 19th Century. OPS TV had a special regarding the quality beeswax that washed ashore following the shipwreck, along with other items that the ship had been carrying. There is a web site entitled "The Beeswax Wreck Project", giving much more information on the subject. Benjamin Hall owned a piece (more like a large "chunk") of that beeswax, with it's tie to Oregon's history, and donated it to the Park along with his collections. The Park has given it to a museum on the Oregon Coast to add to it's exhibit regarding that shipwreck that occurred possibly two hundred years ago.
With All Sincerity, Kathie L. Webb Blair, 5 Aug 2014, updated 8 May 2016.
Sarah was born in Aug 1853. She and Benjamin married in Polk County in 1873 and moved into a new dwelling in Buena Vista, Polk County where Ben became a Teamster, supplying fresh horses mainly for stagecoaches that traveled thruout the Willamette Valley. By June 7, 1880, when the 1880 census was taken, they had been blessed with the 1st of two daughters, Cara "Carrie" Eliza, born May 1874. Martha Hall was now 73 yrs. of age and living with them. It was customary for the elderly parent to live among the different adult children in their later years, and Martha boarded with Ben, Sarah and her granddaughter. By 1900, Martha Hall had passed from this life, joining her husband in Paradise in 1889 and being buried by him at Buena Vista Cemetery. Benjamin and Sarah had now been married for 27 years and had moved to South Salem in Marion County, OR. when the census was taken on Jun 9th, 1900. Their home was owned by them, mortgage free. Benjamin was now a ferryman, operating the Buena Vista Ferry that his father had built so many years ago when he had first settled his family in Oregon and built the town of Buena Vista. They now were the parents of two daughters. Carrie had graduated from Monmouth Teacher's College then gone on to marry Charles Edward Tyler who worked as a ferryman with his father-in-law, Benjamin. The younger daughter, Althea, had been born in May 1883 and was attending school in 1900. The Halls made one final move, relocating to Cleveland St. in Woodburn, Marion Co. by the time that the 1910 census was taken on Apr 27, 1910. No employment was listed, although Benjamin stated he had his own income. He and Sarah lived together in their home there, both of them in their 60's. The 1920 census was taken on Jan 8, 1920 and the couple was still on Cleveland Street in Woodburn, proud owners of their mortgage free home. No income or occupation was listed for either of them, although I would assume their financial situation was the same as it had been back in 1900. Sarah Ellen, Benjamin's dear wife of nearly 64 yrs., passed away from heart problems (angina pectoris) on Feb 26, 1929 and was buried at Belle Passi Cemetery in Woodburn, Marion County. When the 1930 census was taken on Apr 10, 1930, Benjamin estimated his home's value at $2500, and he was now 78 yrs. old and retired. [The person who transferred the 1930 census information to computer made a grievous error, referring to Benjamin Hall as "Burgman" Hall. I was lucky I could locate his census.] Benjamin had purchased a monument with both his and Sarah's names on it. It is obvious he did not plan to remarry, at first, and that he planned to be buried with his beloved wife. I don't know when he met Nellie Olivia (Burkhart) Baker, twice a widow, her 1st husband being George Scott Royce (1860-1890), and her 2nd husband being William Thomas Baker (1844-1900). Nellie had been a widow for quite some time when she and Benjamin Hall met, possibly through friends or relatives as the Halls and Burkharts were related via marriage and they probably had friends in common. They were probably lonely and got along well together so decided to marry for companionship in the early 1930's, some time after the 1930 census was taken, as she still listed herself as living alone and as a widow when the census was taken in June, 1930, in Albany, Linn County, where she lived, but, when the 1940 census was taken, just a few months before Benjamin's death in 1940, they both stated they had lived at the same residence since 1935, together, and were married. Benjamin was 8 yrs. older than Nellie but, per his step granddaughter's recollections, Patricia Jean Taylor (my mother), he was a very nice, kind and gentle man, a joy to be around and he loved the wilds of Oregon. He enjoyed collecting sea shells, the different kinds of wildflowers as well as different woods from most, if not all of the types of trees that grew throughout Oregon. He gave these collections, as well as a collection of Callapooya Tribe baskets, arrowheads, and a mortar and pestal to Champoeg State Park before his death, for all visitors to the park to enjoy. Originally, the wood collection encircled the ceiling of the museum and the shell and flower collections were also on display along with beeswax recovered from a shipwreck*. However, when the museum updated their exhibits, they disposed of the wood collection; also, the shell and flower collections were lost. The museum has kept the collection of Indian artifacts and believes it may have sent the beeswax to a museum on the Oregon coast because of the story of the shipwreck* and it's ties with their exhibit. {Therefore, my earlier memorial, written 6/12/2011, stating that the park was going to return the wood, shell and flower collections to me was in error, hence this was sadly rewritten. The Park Ranger advised me that he left no next of kin to give the collections to, which is why they disposed of them when the museum was remodeled, due to lack of storage space. He seemed quite embarrassed, especially when I started crying.}
Benjamin and Nellie enjoyed each other's companionship for a number of years, marrying before 1935, then living together at 758 Young Street, Woodburn, in a home he owned and valued at $2500.00, until Benjamin's death on May 3rd, 1940 at the age of 89 yrs., just three weeks after the 1940 census was taken (on Apr 13, 1940). Per his pre planned burial and request, he was buried next to his beloved 1st wife, Sarah, at the Belle Passi Cemetery in Woodburn, Marion County, Oregon.
Adendem: Nellie (Burkhart) Hall chose not to remarry again.
She spent her last years living with her daughter, Pearl Laura (Baker) Taylor and Pearl's husband, Harry Hoyt Taylor, in Oakland, Alameda Co., CA, where she died in 1948 at the age of 89 yrs. Her remains were returned to Oregon where she was interred at the Masonic Cemetery in Albany, Linn County, Oregon, next to her 1st husband and a son who had lived for only one year. She is buried under "Nellie O. Hall".
Thank you, Mr. Hall, for making my great grandmother's last years happy and providing my mother with such nice memories.
*Beeswax was found on the beach along the Oregon Coast at Nehalem Beach in Tillamook County, Oregon, from a shipwreck occurring in the early 19th Century. OPS TV had a special regarding the quality beeswax that washed ashore following the shipwreck, along with other items that the ship had been carrying. There is a web site entitled "The Beeswax Wreck Project", giving much more information on the subject. Benjamin Hall owned a piece (more like a large "chunk") of that beeswax, with it's tie to Oregon's history, and donated it to the Park along with his collections. The Park has given it to a museum on the Oregon Coast to add to it's exhibit regarding that shipwreck that occurred possibly two hundred years ago.
With All Sincerity, Kathie L. Webb Blair, 5 Aug 2014, updated 8 May 2016.
