Hale Family Cemetery   HALE, Joel Joseph Whitehead June 15, 1814 August 19, 1857 HALE, Urbin Fletcher February 14, 1846 June 2, 1847

We are grateful to Jeanne & Lewis Hale for contacting us about this small burial plot. They welcomed us into their home, gave us a small family history to include with this cemetery, contacted the owner of the land for permission to get to the cemetery, carried us to see the graves, and graciously lead us to another cemetery they knew we would have a hard time locating. Many thanks to the Hales!
 

1 Joel Joseph Whitehead Hale  1814-1854
..+Nancy Tigner Elder  1818-1899
...... 2 Pamela Frances Hale  1838-
...... 2 Wowell Pope I Hale 1839-1886
...... 2 Victoria Miranda Hale  1842-
...... 2 Urbin Fletcher Hale  1846-1847
...... 2 Elmira Ellen Hale  1848-1889
...... 2 Nancy Innocence Hale  1850-1918
...... 2 Susan Ann Hale  1851-
...... 2 Mancel Elder Hale  1857-
...... 2 Joel Blanton Hale  1853-1924
...........+ Mollie Virginia McHaney  1859-1952
................ 3 Blanche Hale  1850-
................ 3 Alonza Blanton Hale  1879-1961
................ 3 Ella Kate Hale  1880-1964
................ 3 Mancel Elder Hale  1882-1949
................ 3 Annie Sue Hale  1884-1969
................ 3 Willie Hale  1887-1982
................ 3 Joel Clifton Hale  1887-1968
................ 3 Mattie Blanche Hale  1891-1892
................ 3 Unnamed Hale  1893-
................ 3 Minnie Lillian Hale  1893-1895
................ 3 Dosca Watt Hale  1894-1989
................ 3 Homer Marvin Hale  1895-1980
................ 3 Bonnie Mae Hale  1895-1983
................ 3 Vallie Hale  1897-1961
................ 3 Floyd Randall Hale  1901-1923
................ 3 Mary Lois Hale  1889-1981
................ 3 Howell Pope 3 Hale  1886-1972
......................+ Mary Emma Holt  1889-1980
........................... 4 Max Edwin Hale  1914-
........................... 4 Howell Holt Hale  1923-1982
........................... 4 Louis France Hale  1916-
............................... + Ethel Jeanne Denman  1924-
....................................... 5 Louis France Hale Jr.  1947-
....................................... 5 William Denman Hale  1949-
....................................... 5 Howell Pope 4 Hale  1952-
....................................... 5 Martha Anne Hale  1952-
.......................................... +Duane Claude Deen  1950-
............................................... 6 Justin Claude Deen  1981-
............................................... 6 Jared Hale Deen  1983-
............................................... 6 Jesse Duane Deen  1987-

Mollie McHaney Hale's people were from Virginia. The historic Hale-McHaney Ranch at Crossroads Community in Rusk Co., TX. was established with land inherited from Molly's father, Cornelius 3 McHaney, who purchased it in 1856, just one owner removed from the original Texas land grant.

At one point, Cornelius McHaney gave his four older children each a section of the land. Later he did the same for his four younger children. This property has been largely in possession of Hales to present (1999). Each child's section was divided among their heirs through the years until no large blocks remained. Some sold their portions to persons outside the family.

Louis F. Hale, son of Howell Pope Hale, put together several small acreages purchased from various heirs, for a total of 165 acres. At one time, Louis Hale and wife, Jeanne, their three sons and a daughter and their families all lived on the land, which has received the Texas Dept. of Agriculture Heritage Award for "land that has been farmed or ranched by members of the same families for at least 100 years" (in this case, 144 years in 2000). In recent years, their daughter and her husband bought property at Monroe Community, Rusk Co., TX., but the three sons and their families continue to live on the historic property. Louis Hale and son Bill Hale are co-owners of Box H Cattle Co., with headquarters on the ranch.

LDS Microfilm #1985661, #1761142: Joel Whitehead Hale (1814-1854), son of Moab Hale (1794-1857), grandson of James Haile (1738-1828) and descended from John Haile (1575-1650), came to Texas from Clark Co., Georgia; bought 1,000 acres in Rusk County, 9 miles east of Kilgore. He was buried, along with infant son Urbin F., in the small Hale family cemetery on the farm of Joel Blanton Hale. This cemetery (in year 2000) is now on property owned by Lamar Lewis, contiguous to the historic Hale-McHaney Ranch, now owned by Louis France Hale Sr.  Joel Whitehead Hale's widow, Nancy Tigner Elder Hale, is buried in Danville Cemetery, Kilgore, Gregg Co., TX. She was the daughter of Hartwell M. Elder and granddaughter of David Elder. Most of the descending Hales are buried in Rusk County.

1860 Census, Rusk Co., TX.: Nancy T. Hale, 41; H.P., 20; M.V.(f), 17; Virginia, 15; Elmira, 12; Nancy, 10; Joes, 5; and Mansell 3 (misspelling - should be Mancel: per Jeanne Hale).

Joel Whitehead Hale's will was probated on Oct. 1, 1857; recorded Vol. 2, page 559, Rusk County Probate Minutes. Property of 631 acres of land, value $3.50 per acre, total $2208.50. An order to sell the cotton, and to purchase a Negro woman to be added to the estate. Separate property, 873 acres, 447 set apart to widow, balance to children as heirs; value of $959.95 to each child.

(There is one Joel W. Hale who drew land (lot 15?) in Clarke Co., Ga. in the Land Lottery of 1832. This Joel W. would have been too young. Was there another Joel W. Hale in Clarke Co., ca 1830? There was no Joel W. in Clarke Co. census of 1820, 1830 or 1840. Per the Elder history, this Joel W. and his wife Nancy Elder did not go to Texas until 1853. Went to Rusk Co., TX. in 1853 per Rogers Hale.)

The descendants of Joel Blanton "Blant" Haleand Mollie McHaney Hale held their first reunion the first weekend of Sept., 2000, in Henderson. About 120 people attended. It was a great event. Starting at 10 a.m. at the Fellowship Hall of Trinitiy Baptist Church on Hwy. 259, the Hales gathered to peruse old photos that each one brought, to visit with known relatives and to meet new ones, to eat a great barbecue lunch, to pose for a group picture (the photographer, Louis Lee, was on hand all day to shoot family groups), and then to hear about the Hale genealogy dating back to John Haile 1575 in England. Blant and Mollie's children are all deceased (the last one just a week before the reunion), so the First Cousins are now the senior members of
the tribe. Ages ranged downward to the newest-born infant. Everyone commented that it's too bad we didn't do it sooner!  I think all your families would agree to that. It's not so hard. Three of our ladies (Lillian Kinney Bass, Laverne Andrews Simpson, and Joyce (Mrs. Quentin) Hale) served as a steering committee, got out an early invitation, set up neat tables decorated with old photos, and made the event just super! I heartily recommend it.

Jeanne Denman Hale
Kilgore TX