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Obed Hall was born to Silas & Esther Hall in New York on April 3, 1823. He first married Nancy Jane Brown on April 21, 1853. They had four children together: 1. Isabelle, who was called Elizabeth, born May 29, 1855 and died May 7,1938. 2. Henrietta Jane who was called Etty born Apr. 12, 1858 3. Henry Lincoln born Apr. 19, 1860 4. Estello Celestic born May 23, 1864. She died at 18 months of age on Nov. 3, 1865. Obed's wife Nancy died eight months later in 1866 July 19. She was 31 years. 10 mos. and 7 days. We understand that it was due to giving birth to their fifth child, but I have not been able to locate a death certificate on her so that cannot be verified. Two months after Nancy's death, Obed marries a widow lady by the name of Catherine Root Peck. Catherine had three children with her first husband and together, she and Obed had three more, making a total of nine children.
After marrying Catherine, Obed moved from Muskegon Co. West of Bailey Michigan to Newaygo Co. in Fremont, Michigan. It was here that their first son together was born. His name was Harry Peter Hall, and he was born July 31, 1867. Then Mary Inez was born Nov. 9, 1871 but Newaygo Co. does not have a record of her birth. Their last child, Hiram Franklin was born in Newaygo Co. on Aug. 11, 1873.
Obed was a trustee of the United Brethren Church and signed the deed along with another trustee, Sidney B. Mills when they purchased property in the village of Fremont Center on Lot 1 Block 37 for their church. This was Dec. 11, 1882 at 12:15 p.m. The amount paid for this property was $200.00. It was purchased from Fredrick and Ellen Nims, residents of the city of Muskegon, Muskegon County.
His son Hiram Franklin, or Frank as he was called, wrote a page of memories regarding his dad Obed, and the building of that church. Frank said Obed was as honest as the day was long. He wrote that the United Brethren Conference transferred a good hard working minister, and sent in one who had no interest in working for the church or the people, so Obed finished the church and got into debt doing it. He said he got some donations of work and some logs. He paid the lumber bill, the hardware and the plasters. He hauled sand from Crystal Lake, and hauled the logs to the saw mill, paying the painters with the Hall's Family organ.
Frank also said about his dad, Obed, that he had two horses, some cattle, sheep and hogs, along with chickens and geese which his wife Catherine helped take care of besides raising nine children and knitting socks and making shirts and pants for them. I do not know what happened to that church building, or when Obed and his family left Newaygo Co., but at some point in time they did, moving to So. Dakota then to Ill., then back to So. Dakota and finally on to Washington where he lived the last eleven years of his life. He died in Pierce Co., Ollah, Wash. Aug. 25, 1914. He was 91 years, 4 months and 22 days old. He and Catherine are buried in Kitsap Co. Washington.
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