The Hale's

ENGLAND > MA > VT > NY> IL > WI

Great Great Grandmother Nettie HALE

b. 03 Jul 1842, Delaware County, NY

d. 06 Dec 1903, Kansas

Obituary

"The funeral of Mrs. James Bratt was held Tuesday afternoon at 2'oclock at the Grace Methodist church. Rev. Ramsburg conducted the services and interment was made at Maplewood cemetery.

Mrs. Bratt died last Sunday. She was born in Delaware county, New York, in 1841. Her parents were Orlando and Nancy Hale. She was married to James Bratt in 1859. The following year they moved to Wisconsin and from Wisconsin to Kansas where they have made their home for the past twenty-seven years. The following children survive her: Edwardeen Bodine, Maude Girth, Bessie Evans, Blanche Senn, Richard Bratt, Jessie Evans and James Bratt..."

Interestingly, the family that I have the most early information on is proving to be the most difficult to connect. Thanks to the superlative research done by east coast genealogists and historians, especially R. Hamel - the history of how the Hales got to the US from England is quite clear; the early name was spelled Heald.

John Heald, born abt 1610, came from England To Massachusetts in 1638 aboard the ship "Dorathea Royal", accompanied by his wife and infant son, John. He opened a livery stable. One of his sons was named Isreal.

Isreal HEALD b: 30 JUL 1660 in Concord, Middlesex County, MA married Martha WRIGHT b: 18 JUN 1659 in Concord, Middlesex Co, MA

one of theirs sons was:

Oliver HALE b: 8 SEP 1686 in Stow , MA who married Hannah GATES b: 13 FEB 1688/89 in Stow , MA

their son:

Joseph Hale b: 27 JUN 1724 in Stow , MA married Lucy Howe b: 20 MAR 1725/26

And their son, Oliver Hale was born 5 APR 1756 in Bolton, MA.

In 1775 he served as a private in the American Revolution.

From 1778 to 1782 he lived in Marlborough, MA and then moved to Dummerston, VT. From there he went to Delaware County, NY, where he died.

For those of you interested in Delaware County NY research please visit their excellent website at rootsweb.

That is where I found the two following histories:

The History of Delaware County
W.W. MUNSELL 1797-1880

"Hale's Eddy is a hamlet and station on the Erie railroad, near an eddy in the river five miles below Deposit. The name of the eddy and hamlet is derived from Oliver Hale, who went there in 1790 and settled on the John Dickinson place, now owned by Holdridge Thomas. After living here two or three years he removed to the Gilbert Travis place, after Benjamin Jones left, and a few years later moved on to the Trout creek above Cannonsville, where he died. "

"Trout Creek, or Teedville

This is a post-office hamlet on the Gannuissy creek, about nine miles northeast by north from Cannonsville. John Teed and brother were its first settlers. Lebbeus Teed, son of John, is a prominent and substantial farmer and lumberman.

There is a Baptist church with a church edifice in the place. The church was organized in 1852. Being small in numbers and financial ability, the members have been unable to sustain regular preaching for much of the time. The present number of members, according to the last report, is thirty-four.

Among the early settlers of this valley were: Peter and Jacob Huyck, Joseph Crawford, John Ostram, Jacobus Bradt, Oliver Hale, Joseph Adair, John Magee, John Wallers,--Jackson, --Bullock and Joseph Cannon, all respectable farmers, who raised families"

The town of Hale's Eddy is sadly - no longer around, and much of the area is now under water due to the decision to build a reservoir. For information on the heroic efforts of townspeople to relocate cemeteries and preserve some of the information go to: Cannonsville - defunct.

According to the HISTORY OF CANNONSVILLE, by Mrs. Hester Lane Miles (another history of Delaware County, NY)

"OLIVER HALE built a house and lived there. He came from Boston , Mass. And had three wives. He first came to Hale's Eddy which was named after him, then he lived opposite the Federal Mill which was long known as the GILLETT farm. His first wife children were BETSEY who married CAPT. ISAAC GILLETT. DORCAS married SAMUEL ADAMS and SALLY married JOSHUA DEAN.

The second wife's children JOSEPH moved to Iowa and died there. SOPHIA married MR. AUSTIN lived in Easton , Pa. LUCY married A. HARRINGTON and later JOHN ROSE. She died about two years ago, aged 95.

Third wife, OLIVER HALE'S last wife, was a widow and she had been twice married. Her name was PAMELIA WARREN of Norwalk, Conn. Children were: CYNTHIA, born 1797 married JOSIAH FREEMARK. OLIVER, TIMOTHY, ORLANDO, ORVILLE and EMALINE. The sons moved out west and some were very successful as land speculators. EMALINE married EPHRAIM BEERS."

In 1830 I find Orlando HALE in census records for Delaware County NY. Curiously he lives near a James Bradt - his not yet born daughter, Nettie later marries a James Bratt (also spelled Bradt in records) I have not yet connected this - but it sure is an interesting coincidence.

Some time after 1830 and before 1840 - it is not yet clear - the brothers Hale begin their trek westward.

I find Oliver, and Orlando HALE in Boone County Illinois in the 1840 census.

1840 HALE OLIVER Boone County IL 146 Belvedere Federal Population Schedule IL 1840 Federal Census Index ILS4a1119151

Listed right beneath Oliver HALE is Orlando HALE.

There are 2 male children under 5, 2 between 5 and 10, one male between 30 and 40 (Orlando) and one female between 20 and 30.

Oliver is listed as between 40 and 50, and in his household are 1 male between 5 and 10, one female between 5 and 10 , one female between 10 and 15 and one female between 30 and 40.

In 1850 I cannot find Orlando Hale - though Oliver Hale is still in Boone County.

This is the link I am missing . There is an O.E. Hale listed in Boone County in 1850 - but I think that may be brother Orville Hale. I'm digging

Nettie Hale was born in 1842, according to family bible records, in Illinois. The obituary above contradicts this.

Census data also confuses the issue - with some records listing her as born in NY and others showing Illinois. It is clear however that her parents were born in NY.

She married James BRATT (Bradt), and gave birth to my great grandmother Edwardeen Hortense BRATT in Sauk County, Wisconsin, I have not yet found either marriage records or birth records.

Nettie BRATT age 20 and James BRATT, 29, are found in census records for 1860 in Kingston, Sauk County, Wisconsin. In 1861 James enlists to fight for the Union in the Civil War. He is mustered out in October of 1864.

Found them in 1870 under a mis-spelling:

BRAND, JAMES (1870 U.S. Census)
Wisconsin , SAUK, PRAIRIE DU SAC, Age 39, Male, Race: White, Born: NY
Series: M593 Roll: 1739 Page: 205

Listed are James and Nettie - this time Nettie is listed born New York, but it is definitely them because in the household is daughter Edwardeen, age 8 and younger sister Madeline.

By 1880 they are in Lyon County Kansas, with 6 children. Nettie Hale Bratt is listed as born in Illinois in this census. Their oldest is daughter Edwardeen, age 17, who on Dec. 18th, 1884 marries my great grandfather George Emerson BODINE in Kansas.

The record becomes clear in again in Kansas - there are bible records, birth and marriage records, death records and obituaries.

I am now stuck in the "fuzzy period" between 1840 and 1870. I am hoping that someone else tracing these lines will have some input, or pieces to add to the puzzle.

Feel free to contact me at DOlivervelez@hvc.rr.com

click lamp to return to Denise's main page