Who Do You Think You Are - Jerry Hall 3rd Sep

[kiterunner]

On BBC1 at 9 p.m., and repeated next Tuesday night at 11:35 p.m., also on BBC1.

[kiterunner]

Episode synopsis:

Jerry Hall was born on a farm in Harwood, Texas, one of five children of John Printis Hall and his wife. Jerry has four children by Mick Jagger: Elizabeth, Georgia, James and Gabriel.[B] Jerry now lives in Richmond, Surrey, with her son Gabriel.

Jerry's father's family originally came from England, and her mother's family were among the first settlers in Texas in the 1820's.

Jerry's father fought with General Patton. He died in 1979. His father's name was [B]John Travis Hall, son of James Hall who travelled to the US from Oldham, England, and worked as a foreman on the railroad Jerry's great-grandmother's name was Parthenia Denham.

Jerry went to see a restored cotton mill and Lancashire, and she was shown the Hall family's entry on the 1861 census where 10 year old James is listed as a Cotton Piecer. Later documents show him as a supervisor in a mill. On the 1881 census, James was living at 18 Waverley Street, Oldham, with wife Martha (nee Standeven) and their daughter Clara age 1. James's mother and sister were living at numbers 16 and 14. Jerry went to look at Waverley Street, where the houses still stand.

Jerry was then shown the birth certificate of James Hall jr from 1882, and a passenger list showing that James sr sailed to New Orleans in 1881, age 31, without Martha and Clara.


Jerry went to Houston, Texas, to find out about the railroad construction which was going on at the time, and about how workers were recruited from England. She was shown a passenger list from 1882 showing Martha, Clara, and James jr with their destination shown as Luling, Texas.

Jerry went to Luling, which was built as a railroad town. She was shown a letter from James's sister Margaret Clegg in Oldham, and Martha's death notice dated 30 Dec 1883 in the Galveston Daily News. Martha died from kidney disease. A genealogist told Jerry that Clara was adopted by a friend of the Hall family, but they have not been able to trace what happened to James jr. A land deed from Aug 1884 showed that James acquired 118 1/2 acres of land. Jerry was also shown a note from Oct 1886 in which James invited Miss P Denham (Parthenia) out for a walk, and the couple's marriage license dated 14 Nov 1886.

On the 1910 census, James and Parthenia are living in Gonzales County, Texas, with several children (they had eight altogether). Jerry went to see the land where they lived, part of which is still owned by her father's cousin Joyce Hall, daughter of James and Parthenia's youngest son Cecil Hall. Joyce showed her a photo of Parthenia and one which they believe to be James.

Jerry was told that James continued working for the railroad until his retirement, while also running his farm. She was shown a copy of his obituary.

Jerry then turned to the family of her mother, who died two years ago. Jerry went to Austin, Texas, to see her maternal cousins Jonelle and Sylvia, and looked at old family photos and also badges from the Daughters of the Republic of Texas. To qualify to belong to this organisation, women had to prove their descent from Texas pioneers, and the pioneers' names on Jerry's mother's badges were Isaac Best and Mary Margaret Wilkins.

Jerry met a DRT archivist, who told her that Mary Wilkins was Isaac Best's wife, and that Isaac(Jerry's 5xg-grandfather) was one of the original 300 colonists of Texas. She was shown a list dated Feb 1823 which included Isaac, age 47, but said that his family had not yet arrived. A tax list showed that Isaac was a farmer and stockholder with 5 children and 4 slaves. A land deed from Oct 1823 showed that Isaac had sold land in Missouri.

Jerry next went to a place called Best's Bottom near St Charles, Missouri, and was told that it was the place where Isaac and Mary had lived. Maps from that time showed that it was very near to the Native American territories. Interviews with old pioneers documented by a Dr Draper from the 1840's and 1850's mentioned that Isaac Best had lived there in 1814 at the time of an attack by Native Americans. Jerry went to St Charles to see Isaac's report of the attack and the possessions he had lost, totalling $1,572 in value. Documents showed that Isaac had joined the Missouri Militia after this, his unit being Lieut Col Dodge's command, under Capt Daniel Boone (son of the Daniel Boone.) Isaac's eldest son, Isaac jr, also joined the militia and was killed in Apr 1815 in an engagement with the Native Americans.

Jerry was then shown a land record from Kentucky which said that Humphrey Best, Isaac's father, was granted land there after raising a crop in 1775. She was told that Humphrey Best arrived there at about the same time as theDaniel Boone, and was shown a list of the few people there in 1775, including both Daniel Boone and Humphrey Best. She also saw a monument to the Boonesborough pioneers, which included the names Humphrey Best, Moses Best, and Stephen Best.

[Olde Crone]

I waited for this to warm up and get interesting but sadly, for me, it didn't.

OC

[kiterunner]

I found it refreshing that Jerry didn't cry when reading out obituaries and death notices!

[Olde Crone]

LOL Kate!

I think she was having too much trouble actually reading to be able to cry as well.

OC

[Margaret in Burton]

In my opinion this should have been in the USA version. Nothing much to hold a British audience.

[crawfie]

Episode synopsis:

Jerry next went to a place called Best Spottem(?)


According to the sub-titles it was Bests Bottom.

Wasn't very thrilled by this one - her voice got on my nerves a bit, and I felt there was a lot of her just talking about the same things over and over, plus she seemed to wear a different outfit in every shot!

[kiterunner]

This must be the 1861 census entry for James Hall:
1861 census on ancestry (http://interactive.ancestry.co.uk/8767/LANRG9_3016_3020-0916/14647178?backurl=http%3a%2f%2fsearch.ancestry.co.u k%2fcgi-bin%2fsse.dll%3fdb%3duki1861%26gss%3dangs-d%26new%3d1%26rank%3d1%26msT%3d1%26MS_AdvCB%3d1%26 gsfn%3dja*s%26gsfn_x%3d1%26gsln%3dhall%26gsln_x%3d 1%26msbdy%3d1851%26msbdy_x%3d1%26msbpn__ftp_x%3d1% 26msrpn__ftp_x%3d1%26msypn__ftp_x%3d1%26msfng_x%3d 1%26msfns_x%3d1%26msmng_x%3d1%26msmns_x%3d1%26msbn g0_x%3d1%26mssng0_x%3d1%26mssns0_x%3d1%26mscng0_x% 3d1%26MSAV%3d2%26uidh%3dvm5%26gl%3d%26gst%3d%26hc% 3d10%26fh%3d10%26fsk%3dBEDmZmYIgAAiPwBrHV8-61-&ssrc=&backlabel=ReturnSearchResults)
Terrace Street, Oldham, Lancashire
Mary Hall Head Widow 40 House Keeper
Margaret Do Daur 13 Cotton Card Room Hand Lancashire Blackburn
James Do Son 10 Cotton Peicer Do Do
Joseph Nield Lodger Widower 50 Cotton Willower Yorkshire Huddersfield
John Do Son Un 16 Do Peicer Lancashire Oldham
Mary Do Dau Un 10 Do Do Do Do

[kiterunner]

According to the sub-titles it was Bests Bottom.



Thanks! I'll correct it!

[kiterunner]

And this is that 1881 census entry:
1881 census on ancestry (http://interactive.ancestry.co.uk/7572/LANRG11_4079_4081-0346/11135240?backurl=http%3a%2f%2fsearch.ancestry.co.u k%2fcgi-bin%2fsse.dll%3fdb%3duki1881%26so%3d2%26pcat%3d188 1UKI%26gss%3dangs-c%26new%3d1%26rank%3d1%26msT%3d1%26MS_AdvCB%3d1%26 gsfn%3dclara%26gsfn_x%3d1%26gsln%3dhall%26gsln_x%3 d1%26msbpn__ftp_x%3d1%26msrpn__ftp_x%3d1%26msypn__ ftp_x%3d1%26msfng%3dja*s%26msfng_x%3d1%26msfns_x%3 d1%26msmng%3dmart*%26msmng_x%3d1%26msmns_x%3d1%26m sbng0_x%3d1%26msbns0_x%3d1%26mssng0_x%3d1%26mssns0 _x%3d1%26mscng0_x%3d1%26mscns0_x%3d1%26MSAV%3d2%26 uidh%3dvm5&ssrc=&backlabel=ReturnSearchResults)

14 Waverley St, Oldham
Mary Ann Hall Head W 60 Charwoman Cheshire Dutton
16 Waverley St
Travis Clegg Head Mar 38 Cotton Weaver Lancashire Shaw
Margaret E Do Wife Mar 33 Do Blackburn
Mary Ann Do Daur 16 Cotton Weaver Do Oldham
Alice Do Daur 6 Scholar Do Do
Ellen Do Daur 3 Do Do Do
John Do Son 3 mths Do Do
John Barratt Boarder Wdr 71 Brewer Do Bury
18 Waverley St
James Hall Head Mar 30 Cardroom Jobber Do Blackburn
Martha Ann Do Wife Mar 32 Cotton Weaver Yorkshire Saddleworth
Clara Hall Daur 1 Lancashire Oldham

[kiterunner]

This is James and Martha's marriage cert (needless to say, Martha's surname is mistranscribed on ancestry):
Manchester Marriages on ancestry (http://interactive.ancestry.co.uk/2962/40364_633870_3029-00125/2115451?backurl=http%3a%2f%2fsearch.ancestry.co.uk %2fcgi-bin%2fsse.dll%3fdb%3dmanchestermarriagescro%26so%3 d2%26pcat%3dROOT_CATEGORY%26gss%3dangs-g%26new%3d1%26rank%3d1%26MS_AdvCB%3d1%26gsfn%3dja* s%26gsfn_x%3d1%26gsln%3dhall%26gsln_x%3d1%26mswpn_ _ftp_x%3d1%26msgdy%3d1877%26msgdy_x%3d1%26msgpn__f tp_x%3d1%26gskw%3doldham%26gskw_x%3d1%26_83004002_ x%3d1%26cpxt%3d1%26cp%3d11%26catbucket%3drstp%26MS AV%3d2%26uidh%3dvm5&ssrc=&backlabel=ReturnSearchResults)
Apr 3 1877 St James, Oldham
James Hall, full age, bachelor, Cotton operative, Waverly St, father John Hall, butcher
Martha Ann Standeven, full age, spinster, weaver, Huddersfield Road, father Joseph Standeven, cotton spinner.
Witnesses Joseph Standeven and Sarah Ann Standeven.

[kiterunner]

Lancashire BMD shows that a Lily Hall, MMN Standeven, was born in Oldham in 1878. And there is a Lily Hall death registration in Oldham in the same year, age 0. On FreeBMD both registrations are in the first quarter of 1878.

[kiterunner]

This is James in 1851:
1851 census on ancestry (http://interactive.ancestry.co.uk/8860/LANHO107_2259_2259-0008/12065523?backurl=http%3a%2f%2fsearch.ancestry.co.u k%2fcgi-bin%2fsse.dll%3fdb%3duki1851%26gss%3dsfs28_ms_db%2 6new%3d1%26rank%3d1%26msT%3d1%26MS_AdvCB%3d1%26gsf n%3dmarg*%26gsfn_x%3d1%26gsln%3dhall%26gsln_x%3d1% 26msbdy%3d1848%26msbdy_x%3d1%26msbdp%3d2%26msbpn__ ftp_x%3d1%26msrpn__ftp_x%3d1%26msypn__ftp_x%3d1%26 msfng_x%3d1%26msfns_x%3d1%26msmng%3dmary%26msmng_x %3d1%26msmns_x%3d1%26msbng0_x%3d1%26mssng0_x%3d1%2 6mssns0_x%3d1%26mscng0_x%3d1%26gskw%3dblackb*%26gs kw_x%3d1%26MSAV%3d2%26uidh%3dvm5&ssrc=&backlabel=ReturnSearchResults)
6 Lark Hill, Blackburn, Lancashire
John Hall Head Mar 33 Provision dealer Lancaster, Blackburn
Mary Ann Wife Mar 31 Do Dutton
Margaret Ellen Daur 3 Do Blackburn
James Son 6M Do Do
Catherine Ann McNally Lodger 10 Scholar Do Do
Arthur McDo Do 12 Do Do Do

[Guinevere]

I was a "bit interested" to be fair. I don't know much about American genealogy, so was interested in what records they have.

I don't much like Jerry Hall but I warmed to her in this programme. It was interesting that she was horrified to discover an ancestor kept slaves. I'd have thought most Texans would have a slave owning ancestor and wondered why she hadn't thought about it before.

[kiterunner]

I can't find James Hall or his mother or sister on the 1871 census; can anybody else? I did find Travis Clegg, but he is a widower in 1871.

[Ann from Sussex]

It was interesting that she was horrified to discover an ancestor kept slaves. I'd have thought most Texans would have a slave owning ancestor and wondered why she hadn't thought about it before.

I guess it is deemed necessary to actually be seen to be horrified at an ancestor having slaves rather than have it taken as read. My gt gt.gt.gt.grandfather Stephen van Arents is shown on a census of 1800 living in New York City. Only the heads of household were named on this census with the rest of the household being defined within certain categories by age, sex, colour and whether they were "free". Stephen was a cooper and there were 10 black slaves in his household. Yes, I was VERY shocked; it wasn't something I ever expected to come across in my family tree when I set out to research it but realise that, wrong as it was, it was the norm for the time and place in which this family lived.

I did find the Jerry Hall programme a bit boring.

[JBee]

I've got Clegg's from Oldham in one of my trees but haven't got any Hall's. So very distant if at all.