John Newlin Hall
"Commemorative Biographical Record of Central Pennsylvania, Including the Counties
of Centre, Clearfield, Jefferson, and Clarion, Containing Biographical Sketches of
Prominent and Representative Citizens, and of Many of the Early Settled Families.,"
Chicago: J.H. Beers & Co., 1898. Pg.885-886.
JOHN NEWLIN HALL.
The subject of this sketch stands second to none among the prominent
agriculturists of Howard township, Centre county, and his record it has been deemed wise
to preserve in this manner for the perusal of the coming generation. As a judicious tiller
of the soil he has met with success, and as a man and citizen he holds a good position
among his neighbors. He is also one of the honored pioneers of the township, in whose
development and progress he has borne an active part. A practical and skillful hunter, for
forty years during its early history, he engaged in hunting and trapping with remarkable
success, having killed many buffaloes, bears, deer, wild-cats, panthers, etc., and
trapping one of the only two black wolves ever caught in the county.
Mr. Hall was born in Bellefonte, May 1, 1831, and is the son of John
and Sarah (Weaver) Hall, the former a native of Chester county, and the later of Berks
county, Penn. His paternal grandparents, Hon. John W. and Hannah Hall, were born in
Pennsylvania, and in 1796 located in Centre county; thus for a century has the family been
prominently identified with the interests of that county. The grandfather, an expert
blacksmith by trade, established one of the first smithies in the county, but spent his
last days in retirement upon a farm. He took a prominent part in public affairs, and was
the first member of the Legislature sent from Centre county, being elected in 1800.
The father of our subject accompanied his parents to Centre county and
located in Bellefonte. In his family were seven children, namely: Joseph B., who died at
Howard, in March, 1894; Daniel W., an extensive farmer of Fayette county, Iowa; Hannah,
widow of Rev. Thomas Barnhart, of Red Oak, Iowa; Sarah, wife of ex-Sheriff Daniel Z.
Kline, of Centre county; John N., the subject of this review; William M., an expert
blacksmith, who died in October, 1880, and Mary J., who died September 27, 1895.
Since the early age of six years the subject of this sketch has resided
upon his present farm in Howard township, whose well-tilled fields and neat appearance
testify to his skill and ability as a practical farmer. His literary education was
obtained in the schools of Centre county. On April 17, 1856, Mr. Hall was united in
marriage with Miss Susannah Allbaugh, of Blair county, Penn., and to them
have been born six children, namely: John D., of Bellefonte, is a conductor on the
Pennsylvania Central railroad, and made the first trip on that road in which an accident
occurred, the engine turning over owing to the rails being spread, but no one was hurt.
Ida M. is the wife of D.N. Johnson, a farmer of Marion, Linn Co., Iowa. Sarah Alice is the
wife of George Stiffler, and both are school teachers in Blair county, Penn. Temperance,
who has engaged in teaching for fifteen years, is at home. Mollie K., who has also taught
for eight terms, resides with her parents. William H. is also at home.
Mrs. Hall is a native of Blair county, her birth having occurred in
Hollidaysburg, November 16, 1829, and she is a daughter of Rev. David and
Elizabeth (Snyder) Allbaugh, the former a native of West Virginia, and the latter
of Blair county, Penn., where their marriage was celebrated in 1814. By occupation the
father was a farmer and miller, and he also served as a minister of the German Baptist
Church. He was born August 23, 1776, and died at the home of his daughter, Mrs. Mary A.
Harris, in Cambria county, Penn., March 4, 1865; his wife passed away in Blair county,
January 25, 1855, at the age of sixty-nine years. Their family consisted of ten children: Sallie,
widow of Levi Hoover, of Linn county, Iowa; Jacob, John
and Thomas, who all died when young; Mary, widow of
William Harris, residing near Johnstown, Cambria county; Catherine, who
married Abraham Good, but both are now deceased; Susannah A., wife of our
subject; Joseph, who served for three years during the Civil war, and is
now a gardener of Cambria county; David, who died when young; and Daniel
W. who was also a Union soldier, and was killed at the Battle of Nashville. The
paternal grandparents of Mrs. Hall, David and Florence Allbaugh, were
natives of Virginia, and died upon a farm in Blair county, Penn., while the maternal
grandparents, Thomas and Mary Snyder, were born in Hagerstown, Md., and also spent their
last days upon a farm in Blair county.
Politically, Mr. Hall supports the men and measures of the Democratic
party, and has served his fellow citizens in several official positions. In 1874 he was
elected county commissioner, and so acceptable was his service that he was re-elected the
following year for a three-years term. After faithfully serving for six years as school
director, he retired from office in 1895, during which time he had been secretary of the
board, and attended every meeting, 108 in all. For two years he was also overseer of the
poor. Socially he is a member of the Grange at Howard, and religiously holds to the faith
of the Methodist Episcopal Church, and possesses a large share of the benevolence which
induces him to take an active interest in that which is going on around him, and which
most nearly affects the welfare of the community.