Page:Encyclopedia of Virginia Biography volume 4.djvu/655

 VIRGINIA BIOGRAPHY

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time of his death his many friends and ac- quaintances had just completed a campaign providing- for his nomination for the office of state treasurer, and although he had never sought public preference his reputa- tion as a sound and able financier would have undoubtedly carried him to victory had his name appeared upon a ticket, an end that was prevented by his serious illness and death.

Major Hall married Francesca Cleveland, born in Skaneateles, New York, died in Syracuse, New York, in 1896, aged sixty- six years, daughter of S. S. Cleveland. Her father, a native of Western New York, was an artist of more than local reputation, and derived from his art a generous income, his paintings finding a ready sale, many, with local subjects, adorning the New York man- sions of the wealthy. Francesca (Cleve- land) Hall was residing in Syracuse at her death. Children of Major Thomas Jefferson and Francesca (Cleveland) Hall, three being deceased: i. J. Cleveland, of whom further. 2. Georgine Worthington, married Fred- erick C. Beard, and resides in Fayetteville, New York. 3. James A., lives in Isabel, Illinois. 4. Hattie, married Jesper P. ]\Ior- gan. of Chicago, Illinois. 5. Dixie, married Jerome S. Van Keuren, of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. 6. Jeft'erson Beauregard, of Chicago, Illinois, a bookkeeper. 7. Marie, married William T. Diggs, of Washington, District of Columbia.

Rev. J. Cleveland Hall, son of Major Thomas Jefiferson and Francesca (Cleve- land) Hall, was born in San Francisco, Cali- fornia. April 20, 1854. He obtained his ele- mentary education in New Orleans, Louisi- ana. In 1871 he received an appointment to the United States Military Academy at W^est Point, New York, reporting at that institution in April of that year. He was a member of the class of 1875, and after passing three years as a student in the acad- emy resigned in his junior year to assist his mother in the administration of the estate left by his father. His standing in the acad- emy had been of the highest and in all of his classes he held rank among the leaders, a natural aptitude for mathematics giving him leadership in that branch of study. Having thus made his entry into the busi- ness world, from 1875 to 1886 he was en- gaged successively in hardware dealing, and insurance and real estate transactions, the

first in New York state until 1880, the latter in Kansas City, Missouri. In 1886 he enter- ed the Union Theological Seminary, Hamp- den-Sidney, Virginia, and after his gradua- ti(jn and ordination into the Presbyterian ministry was made pastor of the church of that faith in Manchester, Virginia, where he remained for several years, when he re- signed from the Presbyterian ministry, and passing the chaplain's examinations of the Protestant Episcopal church was admitted to the deaconate and the priesthood of that church in the same year. He was ordained by the Right Rev. Francis T. Whittle, his first charge being as rector of Zion Church, at Fairfax, Virginia, filling the same office at Falls Church, Falls Church, Virginia. Until 1895 ^^ ^^^^ rector of Christ Church, Roanoke, Virginia, in that year accepting his present charge, the Church of the Epi- phany, of Danville. In the twenty years that he has ministered to the needs of this congregation he has conducted a work that has resulted in a greatly, enlarged sphere of usefulness for its members and, still more important, a spirit and a disposition to take advantage of these opportunities for service. He is a prominent figure in the diocese of Southern Virginia, and for many years has been president of the standing committee, an office he holds at the present time. For fourteen years he has been chaplain of the First Regiment Infantry, Virginia Volun- teers, and is chaplain-in-chief of the Sons of Confederate Veterans. He has been affiliated with the Masonic order for a long period of time, being past eminent com- mander of Dove Commandery, No. 7, Knights Templar, of Danville, and is grand prelate of the Grand Commandery of Vir- ginia. His other fraternal associations are with the Knights of Pythias, the Independ- ent Order of Odd Fellows, being a repre- sentative to the Grand Lodge, and Danville Lodge, No. 227, Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks, of which he is an honorary life member and chaplain. The Theological Seminary of Virginia has made him an honorary alumnus, a tribute showing high appreciation of his ministerial career and one of the valued recognitions from such an institution. Mr. Hall's connection with Danville has been the most pleasant, and his labors in that city have borne excellent fruit. All avenues of the city life are open to him and he has a part in nearly every organiza-