She was probably the daughter of Josiah and Fereby (Bass) Wells, with her grandparents being Francis and Anna Wells, Sr. and Jacob Bass, Sr. Josiah and Fereby settled in Sumner Co., TN and Francis Sr. and Anna settled in Muhlenberg Co., KY.
She married Simon Wall or Walls on December 15, 1806, Muhlenberg Co., KY. Officiating: Charles Lewis, Esquire [father of William Lewis who later became the financial guardian in Franklin Co., MO of two of their children upon Simon's death in 1828]. They may have already married earlier in Sumner Co., TN. Most of her parents' families had settled in Muhlenberg Co., KY, including her grandfather Francis Wells, Sr., and that may be why they went to Kentucky. Simon was the son of Pierce Walls who died 1798 in Sumner Co., TN. Simon had at least one brother named Hugh.
Simon may have come to Kentucky soon after his father's death. In 1799, the year after his father died, a Simon Wall bought 200 acres of land in Muhlenberg Co., KY from the Federal government for the standard price of $20 for 100 acres. These lands were opened up for sale to other than veterans in 1797. The requirement was for the grantee to actually live on the land for one year before taking legal possession. This earlier date for Simon's move to Kentucky makes it seem likely that he either came to Kentucky with Capt Charles Lewis (the same man who later performed Simon's marriage and who lived in Sumner Co., TN before going to Kentucky probably in 1799) or came to join him immediately after his father Pierce Wall's death in 1798.
Name Simon Wall
Book 19
Page 331
Date of Survey 10-23-1799
County Muhlenberg
Watercourse none
If Simon did make the move in 1799, then it appears that Mary also came west to Kentucky before their marriage to join her extended family. Capt Charles Lewis performed their marriage in 1806. When he died two years later, his widow Elizabeth remarried to Mary's widowed father, Francis Wells, Sr., making Charles Lewis's son William who would go to Franklin Co., Missouri with them her stepbrother.
Simon and Mary were listed on the 1810 Muhlenberg Co., KY, census. Interestingly, an Ammon Knighten lives only three doors away and a Moses Knighten lives a little further away. "Knighten" is the unusual name our Simon & Mary would later give one of their sons. The Knightens came to Muhlenberg KY from NC about 1808. Ammon Knighten was b. 1787 in Stokes Co., NC, the son of Jesse & Hannah Knighten. He married Fannie Cox in 1810 and was in St. Louis by 1816 (came c. 1815), and his father Jesse died in Jefferson Co., MO probably 1830-40. Simon and Mary Wall came to Franklin Co, MO in 1815. It's possible the Knightens and Walls traveled together from Muhlenberg Co., KY to MO.
1810 census, Muhlenberg Co., KY, pg 390
Simon Walls
1 male aged 26-45 (b. 1765-84) Simon
1 female aged 16-26 (b. 1784-94) Mary
1 female under 10 (b. 1800-10) Mariah Jr.
Simon served in the War of 1812, Capt. Thomas Stokes' Company, 6th Regiment, KY militia. He was enlisted 1 Sep 1812 (along with the rest of the company) and again on 12 Dec 1812. He rose to the rank of Corporal.
An 1888 biography of Isaiah Wall, grandson of Simon & Mary, published in 1888:
Biographical Sketch of Isaiah Wall, Franklin County, Missouri From "History of Franklin, Jefferson, Washington, Crawford and Gasconade Counties", Biographical Appendix, Goodspeed Publishing Company, 1888.
It states of Isaiah's father John B. Wall that "He is a son of Simeon and Mary (Wells) Wall, natives of or very early settlers in Tennessee, who moved to Franklin County,Mo., about 1815, where the family was reared and the father died." [Later census returns indicate that they were both born in North Carolina.]
If they settled in 1815 on the land they later bought in 1820, they would have been among the first if not the first white settlers in the area.
The "History of Franklin, Jefferson, Washington, Crawford and
Gasconade Counties", Biographical Appendix, Goodspeed Publishing Company, 1888, p. 226, mentions their early settlement of Prairie Township. Note that "John Wall" was only a baby at the time; the reference should be to his father Simon Sr.:
"Prairie Township was occupied about 1820 by American settlers, among them the following [among others]: ...John Wall, Plato Cole...
In 1820, they bought 80 acres of land in Franklin Co., MO in what would become the Lonedell area, although the post office at the time was Mount Hope. Another Wall bought land at the same time very near (maybe adjoining) theirs. [The section "18" in Francis Wall's entry below should be an "8", as otherwise the land would not have been within miles of Mount Hope. This would also make it adjoin Simon's land.] It's possible this Francis was an older brother who wasn't provided for in their father's will, or perhaps some other relative.
Entryman, Post Office, Sec, T, Range, Date of entry
Wall, Francis, Mount Hope, 18, 41, 1e,
11 Dec 1820
Wall, Simon, Mount Hope, 8, 41, 2e,
23 Nov 1820
Francis Walls died without a will the next year. His estate was probated 17 Dec 1821.
Missouri didn't take a federal census in 1820, as it wasn't yet a state, but Simon appears on the 1823 Franklin county tax list:
Simon Wall, on Meramec River [the Little Meramec], Calvey Township
Simon died without a will shortly before 4 Feb 1828, when the probate process for his estate was started. His estate papers indicate eight children as heirs, but names only the five who were still minors.
The 80 acres of land which Simon and Mary bought and on which they lived and farmed included the plot that was later donated by their granddaughter and her husband, William Perry and Miranda (Short) Lewis, to build Oak Grove Baptist church and cemetery. It seems likely the church site was selected to include the already existing Wall family cemetery in the new church cemetery.
There is no record in Simon's estate papers of his land being sold, so presumably Mary continued to live on the family farm with her children. In 1830, Mary was listed next door to her daughter and son-in-law, Aaron & Mariah (Wall) Short. It seems likely that Aaron had moved onto the Wall farm either when he married Mariah or upon her father's death in 1828, as Mariah had no brothers left at home to help her widowed mother work the farm.
1830 census, Franklin Co., MO, pg 146
Mary Wall
One female aged 50-60, b. 1780-1790
- Mary
One female aged 15-20, b. 1820-25
- Miranda b.c. 1815; m. 1832
Two males aged 10-15, b. 1815-20
- Andrew b.c. 1818; never married
- John b. 1819; m. 1838
Two males aged 5-10, b. 1820-25
- Knighton b. 1822; m. 1847
- Anthony b.c. 1824; m. 1861
One male aged under 5, b. 1825-30
- Simon Jr. b. 1825-30
February 9th, 1832, received of Samuel Short two dollars for schooling one of the orphans of Simon Wall, dec'd.
(signed) Russel Twitty. (John R. Twitty)
[Molley Wall was Mary/Mariah/Polly Wall]
Aebem Ban the twenty Seleone? 1832
Received of Samuel Short, administrator of Simon Wall, deceased, the sum of one hundred and fifty-nine dollars and thirty-one cents, the full amount of my allowance made at the last February (session?) for feeding the children and taking care of them.
(signed by her mark X) Molley Wall
(witnessed by his mark X) Jesse Parker
In 1834, Plato Cole as financial guardian of three of Simon and Mary's children sues Samuel Short to force the sale of the three slaves, a woman named Sylph and her two children, in order to divide the money among the heirs. Another motive becomes apparent here, as Plato himself puts up the money to buy all three - the family is kept together and in the Wall household.
Franklin County Court
November term 1834
Now at this day Plato Cole moves the court to order Samuel Short, administrator of the estate of Simon Wall, deceased, to make sale of the slaves of the said Simon, it appearing to the satisfaction of the court here that Plato Cole is interested in the estate and slaves of said Simon and that an equal division thereof cannot be made in kind, and it appearing further to the satisfaction of the court that each person entitled to distribution of the estate of the said Simon Wall has been notified by the said Plato Cole of this application ten days previous to the sitting of this term of the court, and the court finds and determines that the said Plato Cole is entitled to three-eighths of the proceeds of said sale of the said slaves and in addition thereto one-third of the other five eighths during the life of the widow, Mary Wall, and John, Andrew, Knighten, Anthony, and Simon Wall are each entitled to the one-eighth part of two-thirds of the money arising from the sale of said slaves. It is therefore ordered that Samuel Short, administrator as aforesaid, sell at public auction at the courthouse door in the town of Union on the first day of February next on a credit of twelve months, giving thirty days notice of the time and pace of the sale of the slaves of said estate. And it is further ordered that he sell the woman named Sylph and the youngest child Abraham in one lot, and that he pay the proceeds of the said sale to the several persons entitled to distribution according to their several interests as by the court determined. And it is further ordered that the said Samuel Short be served with a copy of this order and that he report here at our next court. -- A copy of the order given under my hand the 6th day of November 1834. (signed) Wm G. Owens, clerk
Received February 3rd 1835 of Samuel Short, administrator of the estate of Simon Walls, deceased, the sum of two hundred and thirty dollars, seventy-five cents in full of the shares of Knighten Walls, Anthony Walls, and Simon Walls (heirs of Simon Walls, dec'd) with money issueing from the sale of the slaves belong to the estate of Simon Walls, dec'd. (signed) Plato Cole, guardian of Knighten Walls & Anthony Walls and Simon Walls, being heirs of Simon Walls, dec'd.
In the County Court of Franklin County February Session 1835 –
Samuel Short, administrator of the estate of Simon Wall, deceased, comes here into court and "reports" that in (pursuance?) of an order of this court made at the last November session thereof, he proceeded to sell the slaves belonging to the estate of Simon Wall, dec'd (having previously given thirty days notice of the time, place, & terms of the sale) at public auction at the county court house door in the town of Union on the first day of January in the year one thousand and eight hundred and thirty-five on a credit of twelve months and, in said sale he sold the negro woman name Sylph and her youngest child named Abraham in one lot and the other boy in another lot, and that Plato Cole being the highest and last bidder became the purchaser of the woman and youngest child Abraham at the price of four hundred and sixty-three dollars, and also he became the purchaser of the other boy at the price of two hundred and fifty-two dollars, making in the whole the sum of eight hundred and fifteen dollars, for which the said Cole gave his bond with approved security payable twelve months after date, and that he the said Short paid to said Cole by giving him a credit on said note the sum of four hundred and seventy-five dollars forty-one cents, being the three eights of the whole amount of the said sale & one and one-third of the other five eights. Also the said Short paid in like manner the said Cole the further sum of four hundred and three dollars seventy-five cents as guardian of Nighten Wall & Anthony Wall and Simon Wall, being the shares of the said Nighten, Anthony, and Simon Wall, heirs of Simon Wall, dec'd, being three-fifths of two-thirds of the proceeds of said sale, and that there yet remains due of the proceeds of said sale the sum of one hundred and thirty-five dollars, eighty-three? Cents, which is the shares of John Wall and Andrew Wall & to be paid to William Lewis their guardian. All of which is respectfully submitted. (signed) Samuel Short, adm'r of the estate of
Simon Wall, deceased.
In 1840, Mary still has two boys at home, but Andrew is listed as the head-of-family. Married son John is living two doors away:
1840 census, Franklin Co., MO, pg 235
Andrew Wall
One male aged 20-30 - Andrew
One male aged 10-15 - Simon
One female aged 40-50 - Mary (she was at least 5 years older)
[two doors away]
Johm Wall
One male aged 20-30 - John
One female aged 20-30 - Lucinda (Moore)
About 1841, Mary's granddaughter, Miranda Short (daughter of Aaron and Mariah (Wall) Short) married William P. Lewis. Mary sold at least part of the old Wall farm to the young couple, as by 1846 they had built a house on it and would later donate land right by their house for the construction of Oak Grove Missionary Baptist church. Miranda was apparently the one who cared for Mary in her old age.
From the pamphlet "Historic Landmarks – Franklin County, Missouri, 1818-1968," a picture and excerpt which I believe was taken from the 1958 Lewis Family History:
"Built in 1840 by William Perry Lewis (center), the now abandoned building can be seen from Oak Grove Baptist Church just north of Highway 30 at Lonedell. Wm. Perry, one of the sons of Daniel Lewis, homesteaded land for three cents an acres in the fertile mouth of the little Meramec where his parents settled in 1828. There are hundreds of Lewis progeny in the vicinity today. The old home is now owned by Mr. and Mrs. Everett Whitworth of Lonedell."
Mary died without a will sometime before 27 Dec 1848, when her estate was probated, in Franklin County, MO. Plato Cole was appointed administrator.
Children:
1. Mariah Wall, Jr., b.c. 1807, Muhlenberg Co., KY; m. 4 Oct 1823, Franklin Co., MO, to Aaron Short, son of Samuel & Lydia (Fields) Short. Aaron's father officiated as a Justice of the Peace. She d.c. 1839, Moselle, Franklin Co., MO; buried Cove cemetery.
2. Unknown Wall, b.c. 1810; married or otherwise out of the house by 1830; probably living in Nov 1834, when father's estate papers specify that each child is entitled to "one eighth of two-thirds" of the estate, the other third going to their mother. This means there were either eight living children, or at least living heirs of an eight child. There was a Robert Wall who married a Mary Cole on 6 Mar 1827, Franklin Co., MO, Justice of the Peace John Caldwell officiating. It's possible this Robert was the missing eighth child.
3. Miranda Wall, b.c. 1815, Muhlenberg Co., KY or Missouri; m. 29 Jan 1832 to Levi Woolsy (Woolsey). Justice of the Peace Jeremiah Hamilton officiated. Possible son was Noah Woolsey, b. 1834, listed on the 1860 Franklin Co., MO census, Calvey Twp., p. 145 as single laborer, age 26.
4. Andrew Wall, b.c. 1818, Missouri; never married; Upon his father's death in 1828, Andrew became the ward of William Lewis. Andy was a friend of William Perry Lewis, son of Daniel and Abigail Lewis, and was mentioned in an 1840 letter from Perry to his brother James as being "too bashful" to ask his girlfriend to marry him. In 1840 he was living in Calvey Township, Franklin Co., MO. Probably buried Oak Grove cemetery, Lonedell, Franklin Co., MO.
5. Judge John B. Wall, b. 1819, Missouri. He m. 1st 27 Aug 1838, Franklin Co., MO, to Lorinda Moore [b.c. 1817, St. Louis Co., MO; d. by 1858]. Justice of the Peace Plato Cole officiated. He m. 2nd 28 May 1858 to Mary Ann Thurmond [b.c. 1827; d. 30 Jan 1899, d/o of John and Nancy (Burns) Thurmond - she was the widow of Vespasian Cole, brother of Plato Cole]. John d. 25 Jan 1899, Logan, Lawrence Co., MO. According to one report, John was taken back to be buried on a farm south of St. Clair, Franklin Co., MO.
6. Knighton B. Wall (Nighton B. Wall), b. 15 Apr 1822, Lonedell, Franklin Co., MO; m. 19 May 1847, Columbia, Monroe Co., IL to Eliza Divers [b. 1830 IL, daughter of John and Sarah (Johnston) Divers]; he d. 15 Nov 1853, Columbia, Monroe Co., IL,aged 31 yrs, 7 mos ; buried Palmier Cemetery.
7. Anthony Wayne Wall, b.c. 1824, Lonedell, Franklin Co., MO; m. 1861 to Mrs. Lavicia (Emmons) Short [1836-1923, widow of Squire Woodford Short and daughter of Julius and Lavicia (Robinett) Emmons]; he d. 1900-1910, Blackwell, Washington Co., MO; buried Blackwell Masonic cemetery.
8. Simon Wall, Jr., b.c. 1826, Lonedell, Franklin Co., MO; 6 Jan 1848, Franklin Co., MO, to Caroline Cole [ daughter of Plato Cole, son of Eleven Cole]; he d. 1850-1854, probably buried Oak Grove cemetery, Lonedell, Franklin Co., MO.
She married Simon Wall or Walls on December 15, 1806, Muhlenberg Co., KY. Officiating: Charles Lewis, Esquire [father of William Lewis who later became the financial guardian in Franklin Co., MO of two of their children upon Simon's death in 1828]. They may have already married earlier in Sumner Co., TN. Most of her parents' families had settled in Muhlenberg Co., KY, including her grandfather Francis Wells, Sr., and that may be why they went to Kentucky. Simon was the son of Pierce Walls who died 1798 in Sumner Co., TN. Simon had at least one brother named Hugh.
Simon may have come to Kentucky soon after his father's death. In 1799, the year after his father died, a Simon Wall bought 200 acres of land in Muhlenberg Co., KY from the Federal government for the standard price of $20 for 100 acres. These lands were opened up for sale to other than veterans in 1797. The requirement was for the grantee to actually live on the land for one year before taking legal possession. This earlier date for Simon's move to Kentucky makes it seem likely that he either came to Kentucky with Capt Charles Lewis (the same man who later performed Simon's marriage and who lived in Sumner Co., TN before going to Kentucky probably in 1799) or came to join him immediately after his father Pierce Wall's death in 1798.
Name Simon Wall
Book 19
Page 331
Date of Survey 10-23-1799
County Muhlenberg
Watercourse none
If Simon did make the move in 1799, then it appears that Mary also came west to Kentucky before their marriage to join her extended family. Capt Charles Lewis performed their marriage in 1806. When he died two years later, his widow Elizabeth remarried to Mary's widowed father, Francis Wells, Sr., making Charles Lewis's son William who would go to Franklin Co., Missouri with them her stepbrother.
Simon and Mary were listed on the 1810 Muhlenberg Co., KY, census. Interestingly, an Ammon Knighten lives only three doors away and a Moses Knighten lives a little further away. "Knighten" is the unusual name our Simon & Mary would later give one of their sons. The Knightens came to Muhlenberg KY from NC about 1808. Ammon Knighten was b. 1787 in Stokes Co., NC, the son of Jesse & Hannah Knighten. He married Fannie Cox in 1810 and was in St. Louis by 1816 (came c. 1815), and his father Jesse died in Jefferson Co., MO probably 1830-40. Simon and Mary Wall came to Franklin Co, MO in 1815. It's possible the Knightens and Walls traveled together from Muhlenberg Co., KY to MO.
1810 census, Muhlenberg Co., KY, pg 390
Simon Walls
1 male aged 26-45 (b. 1765-84) Simon
1 female aged 16-26 (b. 1784-94) Mary
1 female under 10 (b. 1800-10) Mariah Jr.
Simon served in the War of 1812, Capt. Thomas Stokes' Company, 6th Regiment, KY militia. He was enlisted 1 Sep 1812 (along with the rest of the company) and again on 12 Dec 1812. He rose to the rank of Corporal.
An 1888 biography of Isaiah Wall, grandson of Simon & Mary, published in 1888:
Biographical Sketch of Isaiah Wall, Franklin County, Missouri From "History of Franklin, Jefferson, Washington, Crawford and Gasconade Counties", Biographical Appendix, Goodspeed Publishing Company, 1888.
It states of Isaiah's father John B. Wall that "He is a son of Simeon and Mary (Wells) Wall, natives of or very early settlers in Tennessee, who moved to Franklin County,Mo., about 1815, where the family was reared and the father died." [Later census returns indicate that they were both born in North Carolina.]
If they settled in 1815 on the land they later bought in 1820, they would have been among the first if not the first white settlers in the area.
The "History of Franklin, Jefferson, Washington, Crawford and
Gasconade Counties", Biographical Appendix, Goodspeed Publishing Company, 1888, p. 226, mentions their early settlement of Prairie Township. Note that "John Wall" was only a baby at the time; the reference should be to his father Simon Sr.:
"Prairie Township was occupied about 1820 by American settlers, among them the following [among others]: ...John Wall, Plato Cole...
In 1820, they bought 80 acres of land in Franklin Co., MO in what would become the Lonedell area, although the post office at the time was Mount Hope. Another Wall bought land at the same time very near (maybe adjoining) theirs. [The section "18" in Francis Wall's entry below should be an "8", as otherwise the land would not have been within miles of Mount Hope. This would also make it adjoin Simon's land.] It's possible this Francis was an older brother who wasn't provided for in their father's will, or perhaps some other relative.
Entryman, Post Office, Sec, T, Range, Date of entry
Wall, Francis, Mount Hope, 18, 41, 1e,
11 Dec 1820
Wall, Simon, Mount Hope, 8, 41, 2e,
23 Nov 1820
Francis Walls died without a will the next year. His estate was probated 17 Dec 1821.
Missouri didn't take a federal census in 1820, as it wasn't yet a state, but Simon appears on the 1823 Franklin county tax list:
Simon Wall, on Meramec River [the Little Meramec], Calvey Township
Simon died without a will shortly before 4 Feb 1828, when the probate process for his estate was started. His estate papers indicate eight children as heirs, but names only the five who were still minors.
The 80 acres of land which Simon and Mary bought and on which they lived and farmed included the plot that was later donated by their granddaughter and her husband, William Perry and Miranda (Short) Lewis, to build Oak Grove Baptist church and cemetery. It seems likely the church site was selected to include the already existing Wall family cemetery in the new church cemetery.
There is no record in Simon's estate papers of his land being sold, so presumably Mary continued to live on the family farm with her children. In 1830, Mary was listed next door to her daughter and son-in-law, Aaron & Mariah (Wall) Short. It seems likely that Aaron had moved onto the Wall farm either when he married Mariah or upon her father's death in 1828, as Mariah had no brothers left at home to help her widowed mother work the farm.
1830 census, Franklin Co., MO, pg 146
Mary Wall
One female aged 50-60, b. 1780-1790
- Mary
One female aged 15-20, b. 1820-25
- Miranda b.c. 1815; m. 1832
Two males aged 10-15, b. 1815-20
- Andrew b.c. 1818; never married
- John b. 1819; m. 1838
Two males aged 5-10, b. 1820-25
- Knighton b. 1822; m. 1847
- Anthony b.c. 1824; m. 1861
One male aged under 5, b. 1825-30
- Simon Jr. b. 1825-30
February 9th, 1832, received of Samuel Short two dollars for schooling one of the orphans of Simon Wall, dec'd.
(signed) Russel Twitty. (John R. Twitty)
[Molley Wall was Mary/Mariah/Polly Wall]
Aebem Ban the twenty Seleone? 1832
Received of Samuel Short, administrator of Simon Wall, deceased, the sum of one hundred and fifty-nine dollars and thirty-one cents, the full amount of my allowance made at the last February (session?) for feeding the children and taking care of them.
(signed by her mark X) Molley Wall
(witnessed by his mark X) Jesse Parker
In 1834, Plato Cole as financial guardian of three of Simon and Mary's children sues Samuel Short to force the sale of the three slaves, a woman named Sylph and her two children, in order to divide the money among the heirs. Another motive becomes apparent here, as Plato himself puts up the money to buy all three - the family is kept together and in the Wall household.
Franklin County Court
November term 1834
Now at this day Plato Cole moves the court to order Samuel Short, administrator of the estate of Simon Wall, deceased, to make sale of the slaves of the said Simon, it appearing to the satisfaction of the court here that Plato Cole is interested in the estate and slaves of said Simon and that an equal division thereof cannot be made in kind, and it appearing further to the satisfaction of the court that each person entitled to distribution of the estate of the said Simon Wall has been notified by the said Plato Cole of this application ten days previous to the sitting of this term of the court, and the court finds and determines that the said Plato Cole is entitled to three-eighths of the proceeds of said sale of the said slaves and in addition thereto one-third of the other five eighths during the life of the widow, Mary Wall, and John, Andrew, Knighten, Anthony, and Simon Wall are each entitled to the one-eighth part of two-thirds of the money arising from the sale of said slaves. It is therefore ordered that Samuel Short, administrator as aforesaid, sell at public auction at the courthouse door in the town of Union on the first day of February next on a credit of twelve months, giving thirty days notice of the time and pace of the sale of the slaves of said estate. And it is further ordered that he sell the woman named Sylph and the youngest child Abraham in one lot, and that he pay the proceeds of the said sale to the several persons entitled to distribution according to their several interests as by the court determined. And it is further ordered that the said Samuel Short be served with a copy of this order and that he report here at our next court. -- A copy of the order given under my hand the 6th day of November 1834. (signed) Wm G. Owens, clerk
Received February 3rd 1835 of Samuel Short, administrator of the estate of Simon Walls, deceased, the sum of two hundred and thirty dollars, seventy-five cents in full of the shares of Knighten Walls, Anthony Walls, and Simon Walls (heirs of Simon Walls, dec'd) with money issueing from the sale of the slaves belong to the estate of Simon Walls, dec'd. (signed) Plato Cole, guardian of Knighten Walls & Anthony Walls and Simon Walls, being heirs of Simon Walls, dec'd.
In the County Court of Franklin County February Session 1835 –
Samuel Short, administrator of the estate of Simon Wall, deceased, comes here into court and "reports" that in (pursuance?) of an order of this court made at the last November session thereof, he proceeded to sell the slaves belonging to the estate of Simon Wall, dec'd (having previously given thirty days notice of the time, place, & terms of the sale) at public auction at the county court house door in the town of Union on the first day of January in the year one thousand and eight hundred and thirty-five on a credit of twelve months and, in said sale he sold the negro woman name Sylph and her youngest child named Abraham in one lot and the other boy in another lot, and that Plato Cole being the highest and last bidder became the purchaser of the woman and youngest child Abraham at the price of four hundred and sixty-three dollars, and also he became the purchaser of the other boy at the price of two hundred and fifty-two dollars, making in the whole the sum of eight hundred and fifteen dollars, for which the said Cole gave his bond with approved security payable twelve months after date, and that he the said Short paid to said Cole by giving him a credit on said note the sum of four hundred and seventy-five dollars forty-one cents, being the three eights of the whole amount of the said sale & one and one-third of the other five eights. Also the said Short paid in like manner the said Cole the further sum of four hundred and three dollars seventy-five cents as guardian of Nighten Wall & Anthony Wall and Simon Wall, being the shares of the said Nighten, Anthony, and Simon Wall, heirs of Simon Wall, dec'd, being three-fifths of two-thirds of the proceeds of said sale, and that there yet remains due of the proceeds of said sale the sum of one hundred and thirty-five dollars, eighty-three? Cents, which is the shares of John Wall and Andrew Wall & to be paid to William Lewis their guardian. All of which is respectfully submitted. (signed) Samuel Short, adm'r of the estate of
Simon Wall, deceased.
In 1840, Mary still has two boys at home, but Andrew is listed as the head-of-family. Married son John is living two doors away:
1840 census, Franklin Co., MO, pg 235
Andrew Wall
One male aged 20-30 - Andrew
One male aged 10-15 - Simon
One female aged 40-50 - Mary (she was at least 5 years older)
[two doors away]
Johm Wall
One male aged 20-30 - John
One female aged 20-30 - Lucinda (Moore)
About 1841, Mary's granddaughter, Miranda Short (daughter of Aaron and Mariah (Wall) Short) married William P. Lewis. Mary sold at least part of the old Wall farm to the young couple, as by 1846 they had built a house on it and would later donate land right by their house for the construction of Oak Grove Missionary Baptist church. Miranda was apparently the one who cared for Mary in her old age.
From the pamphlet "Historic Landmarks – Franklin County, Missouri, 1818-1968," a picture and excerpt which I believe was taken from the 1958 Lewis Family History:
"Built in 1840 by William Perry Lewis (center), the now abandoned building can be seen from Oak Grove Baptist Church just north of Highway 30 at Lonedell. Wm. Perry, one of the sons of Daniel Lewis, homesteaded land for three cents an acres in the fertile mouth of the little Meramec where his parents settled in 1828. There are hundreds of Lewis progeny in the vicinity today. The old home is now owned by Mr. and Mrs. Everett Whitworth of Lonedell."
Mary died without a will sometime before 27 Dec 1848, when her estate was probated, in Franklin County, MO. Plato Cole was appointed administrator.
Children:
1. Mariah Wall, Jr., b.c. 1807, Muhlenberg Co., KY; m. 4 Oct 1823, Franklin Co., MO, to Aaron Short, son of Samuel & Lydia (Fields) Short. Aaron's father officiated as a Justice of the Peace. She d.c. 1839, Moselle, Franklin Co., MO; buried Cove cemetery.
2. Unknown Wall, b.c. 1810; married or otherwise out of the house by 1830; probably living in Nov 1834, when father's estate papers specify that each child is entitled to "one eighth of two-thirds" of the estate, the other third going to their mother. This means there were either eight living children, or at least living heirs of an eight child. There was a Robert Wall who married a Mary Cole on 6 Mar 1827, Franklin Co., MO, Justice of the Peace John Caldwell officiating. It's possible this Robert was the missing eighth child.
3. Miranda Wall, b.c. 1815, Muhlenberg Co., KY or Missouri; m. 29 Jan 1832 to Levi Woolsy (Woolsey). Justice of the Peace Jeremiah Hamilton officiated. Possible son was Noah Woolsey, b. 1834, listed on the 1860 Franklin Co., MO census, Calvey Twp., p. 145 as single laborer, age 26.
4. Andrew Wall, b.c. 1818, Missouri; never married; Upon his father's death in 1828, Andrew became the ward of William Lewis. Andy was a friend of William Perry Lewis, son of Daniel and Abigail Lewis, and was mentioned in an 1840 letter from Perry to his brother James as being "too bashful" to ask his girlfriend to marry him. In 1840 he was living in Calvey Township, Franklin Co., MO. Probably buried Oak Grove cemetery, Lonedell, Franklin Co., MO.
5. Judge John B. Wall, b. 1819, Missouri. He m. 1st 27 Aug 1838, Franklin Co., MO, to Lorinda Moore [b.c. 1817, St. Louis Co., MO; d. by 1858]. Justice of the Peace Plato Cole officiated. He m. 2nd 28 May 1858 to Mary Ann Thurmond [b.c. 1827; d. 30 Jan 1899, d/o of John and Nancy (Burns) Thurmond - she was the widow of Vespasian Cole, brother of Plato Cole]. John d. 25 Jan 1899, Logan, Lawrence Co., MO. According to one report, John was taken back to be buried on a farm south of St. Clair, Franklin Co., MO.
6. Knighton B. Wall (Nighton B. Wall), b. 15 Apr 1822, Lonedell, Franklin Co., MO; m. 19 May 1847, Columbia, Monroe Co., IL to Eliza Divers [b. 1830 IL, daughter of John and Sarah (Johnston) Divers]; he d. 15 Nov 1853, Columbia, Monroe Co., IL,aged 31 yrs, 7 mos ; buried Palmier Cemetery.
7. Anthony Wayne Wall, b.c. 1824, Lonedell, Franklin Co., MO; m. 1861 to Mrs. Lavicia (Emmons) Short [1836-1923, widow of Squire Woodford Short and daughter of Julius and Lavicia (Robinett) Emmons]; he d. 1900-1910, Blackwell, Washington Co., MO; buried Blackwell Masonic cemetery.
8. Simon Wall, Jr., b.c. 1826, Lonedell, Franklin Co., MO; 6 Jan 1848, Franklin Co., MO, to Caroline Cole [ daughter of Plato Cole, son of Eleven Cole]; he d. 1850-1854, probably buried Oak Grove cemetery, Lonedell, Franklin Co., MO.
She was probably the daughter of Josiah and Fereby (Bass) Wells, with her grandparents being Francis and Anna Wells, Sr. and Jacob Bass, Sr. Josiah and Fereby settled in Sumner Co., TN and Francis Sr. and Anna settled in Muhlenberg Co., KY.
She married Simon Wall or Walls on December 15, 1806, Muhlenberg Co., KY. Officiating: Charles Lewis, Esquire [father of William Lewis who later became the financial guardian in Franklin Co., MO of two of their children upon Simon's death in 1828]. They may have already married earlier in Sumner Co., TN. Most of her parents' families had settled in Muhlenberg Co., KY, including her grandfather Francis Wells, Sr., and that may be why they went to Kentucky. Simon was the son of Pierce Walls who died 1798 in Sumner Co., TN. Simon had at least one brother named Hugh.
Simon may have come to Kentucky soon after his father's death. In 1799, the year after his father died, a Simon Wall bought 200 acres of land in Muhlenberg Co., KY from the Federal government for the standard price of $20 for 100 acres. These lands were opened up for sale to other than veterans in 1797. The requirement was for the grantee to actually live on the land for one year before taking legal possession. This earlier date for Simon's move to Kentucky makes it seem likely that he either came to Kentucky with Capt Charles Lewis (the same man who later performed Simon's marriage and who lived in Sumner Co., TN before going to Kentucky probably in 1799) or came to join him immediately after his father Pierce Wall's death in 1798.
Name Simon Wall
Book 19
Page 331
Date of Survey 10-23-1799
County Muhlenberg
Watercourse none
If Simon did make the move in 1799, then it appears that Mary also came west to Kentucky before their marriage to join her extended family. Capt Charles Lewis performed their marriage in 1806. When he died two years later, his widow Elizabeth remarried to Mary's widowed father, Francis Wells, Sr., making Charles Lewis's son William who would go to Franklin Co., Missouri with them her stepbrother.
Simon and Mary were listed on the 1810 Muhlenberg Co., KY, census. Interestingly, an Ammon Knighten lives only three doors away and a Moses Knighten lives a little further away. "Knighten" is the unusual name our Simon & Mary would later give one of their sons. The Knightens came to Muhlenberg KY from NC about 1808. Ammon Knighten was b. 1787 in Stokes Co., NC, the son of Jesse & Hannah Knighten. He married Fannie Cox in 1810 and was in St. Louis by 1816 (came c. 1815), and his father Jesse died in Jefferson Co., MO probably 1830-40. Simon and Mary Wall came to Franklin Co, MO in 1815. It's possible the Knightens and Walls traveled together from Muhlenberg Co., KY to MO.
1810 census, Muhlenberg Co., KY, pg 390
Simon Walls
1 male aged 26-45 (b. 1765-84) Simon
1 female aged 16-26 (b. 1784-94) Mary
1 female under 10 (b. 1800-10) Mariah Jr.
Simon served in the War of 1812, Capt. Thomas Stokes' Company, 6th Regiment, KY militia. He was enlisted 1 Sep 1812 (along with the rest of the company) and again on 12 Dec 1812. He rose to the rank of Corporal.
An 1888 biography of Isaiah Wall, grandson of Simon & Mary, published in 1888:
Biographical Sketch of Isaiah Wall, Franklin County, Missouri From "History of Franklin, Jefferson, Washington, Crawford and Gasconade Counties", Biographical Appendix, Goodspeed Publishing Company, 1888.
It states of Isaiah's father John B. Wall that "He is a son of Simeon and Mary (Wells) Wall, natives of or very early settlers in Tennessee, who moved to Franklin County,Mo., about 1815, where the family was reared and the father died." [Later census returns indicate that they were both born in North Carolina.]
If they settled in 1815 on the land they later bought in 1820, they would have been among the first if not the first white settlers in the area.
The "History of Franklin, Jefferson, Washington, Crawford and
Gasconade Counties", Biographical Appendix, Goodspeed Publishing Company, 1888, p. 226, mentions their early settlement of Prairie Township. Note that "John Wall" was only a baby at the time; the reference should be to his father Simon Sr.:
"Prairie Township was occupied about 1820 by American settlers, among them the following [among others]: ...John Wall, Plato Cole...
In 1820, they bought 80 acres of land in Franklin Co., MO in what would become the Lonedell area, although the post office at the time was Mount Hope. Another Wall bought land at the same time very near (maybe adjoining) theirs. [The section "18" in Francis Wall's entry below should be an "8", as otherwise the land would not have been within miles of Mount Hope. This would also make it adjoin Simon's land.] It's possible this Francis was an older brother who wasn't provided for in their father's will, or perhaps some other relative.
Entryman, Post Office, Sec, T, Range, Date of entry
Wall, Francis, Mount Hope, 18, 41, 1e,
11 Dec 1820
Wall, Simon, Mount Hope, 8, 41, 2e,
23 Nov 1820
Francis Walls died without a will the next year. His estate was probated 17 Dec 1821.
Missouri didn't take a federal census in 1820, as it wasn't yet a state, but Simon appears on the 1823 Franklin county tax list:
Simon Wall, on Meramec River [the Little Meramec], Calvey Township
Simon died without a will shortly before 4 Feb 1828, when the probate process for his estate was started. His estate papers indicate eight children as heirs, but names only the five who were still minors.
The 80 acres of land which Simon and Mary bought and on which they lived and farmed included the plot that was later donated by their granddaughter and her husband, William Perry and Miranda (Short) Lewis, to build Oak Grove Baptist church and cemetery. It seems likely the church site was selected to include the already existing Wall family cemetery in the new church cemetery.
There is no record in Simon's estate papers of his land being sold, so presumably Mary continued to live on the family farm with her children. In 1830, Mary was listed next door to her daughter and son-in-law, Aaron & Mariah (Wall) Short. It seems likely that Aaron had moved onto the Wall farm either when he married Mariah or upon her father's death in 1828, as Mariah had no brothers left at home to help her widowed mother work the farm.
1830 census, Franklin Co., MO, pg 146
Mary Wall
One female aged 50-60, b. 1780-1790
- Mary
One female aged 15-20, b. 1820-25
- Miranda b.c. 1815; m. 1832
Two males aged 10-15, b. 1815-20
- Andrew b.c. 1818; never married
- John b. 1819; m. 1838
Two males aged 5-10, b. 1820-25
- Knighton b. 1822; m. 1847
- Anthony b.c. 1824; m. 1861
One male aged under 5, b. 1825-30
- Simon Jr. b. 1825-30
February 9th, 1832, received of Samuel Short two dollars for schooling one of the orphans of Simon Wall, dec'd.
(signed) Russel Twitty. (John R. Twitty)
[Molley Wall was Mary/Mariah/Polly Wall]
Aebem Ban the twenty Seleone? 1832
Received of Samuel Short, administrator of Simon Wall, deceased, the sum of one hundred and fifty-nine dollars and thirty-one cents, the full amount of my allowance made at the last February (session?) for feeding the children and taking care of them.
(signed by her mark X) Molley Wall
(witnessed by his mark X) Jesse Parker
In 1834, Plato Cole as financial guardian of three of Simon and Mary's children sues Samuel Short to force the sale of the three slaves, a woman named Sylph and her two children, in order to divide the money among the heirs. Another motive becomes apparent here, as Plato himself puts up the money to buy all three - the family is kept together and in the Wall household.
Franklin County Court
November term 1834
Now at this day Plato Cole moves the court to order Samuel Short, administrator of the estate of Simon Wall, deceased, to make sale of the slaves of the said Simon, it appearing to the satisfaction of the court here that Plato Cole is interested in the estate and slaves of said Simon and that an equal division thereof cannot be made in kind, and it appearing further to the satisfaction of the court that each person entitled to distribution of the estate of the said Simon Wall has been notified by the said Plato Cole of this application ten days previous to the sitting of this term of the court, and the court finds and determines that the said Plato Cole is entitled to three-eighths of the proceeds of said sale of the said slaves and in addition thereto one-third of the other five eighths during the life of the widow, Mary Wall, and John, Andrew, Knighten, Anthony, and Simon Wall are each entitled to the one-eighth part of two-thirds of the money arising from the sale of said slaves. It is therefore ordered that Samuel Short, administrator as aforesaid, sell at public auction at the courthouse door in the town of Union on the first day of February next on a credit of twelve months, giving thirty days notice of the time and pace of the sale of the slaves of said estate. And it is further ordered that he sell the woman named Sylph and the youngest child Abraham in one lot, and that he pay the proceeds of the said sale to the several persons entitled to distribution according to their several interests as by the court determined. And it is further ordered that the said Samuel Short be served with a copy of this order and that he report here at our next court. -- A copy of the order given under my hand the 6th day of November 1834. (signed) Wm G. Owens, clerk
Received February 3rd 1835 of Samuel Short, administrator of the estate of Simon Walls, deceased, the sum of two hundred and thirty dollars, seventy-five cents in full of the shares of Knighten Walls, Anthony Walls, and Simon Walls (heirs of Simon Walls, dec'd) with money issueing from the sale of the slaves belong to the estate of Simon Walls, dec'd. (signed) Plato Cole, guardian of Knighten Walls & Anthony Walls and Simon Walls, being heirs of Simon Walls, dec'd.
In the County Court of Franklin County February Session 1835 –
Samuel Short, administrator of the estate of Simon Wall, deceased, comes here into court and "reports" that in (pursuance?) of an order of this court made at the last November session thereof, he proceeded to sell the slaves belonging to the estate of Simon Wall, dec'd (having previously given thirty days notice of the time, place, & terms of the sale) at public auction at the county court house door in the town of Union on the first day of January in the year one thousand and eight hundred and thirty-five on a credit of twelve months and, in said sale he sold the negro woman name Sylph and her youngest child named Abraham in one lot and the other boy in another lot, and that Plato Cole being the highest and last bidder became the purchaser of the woman and youngest child Abraham at the price of four hundred and sixty-three dollars, and also he became the purchaser of the other boy at the price of two hundred and fifty-two dollars, making in the whole the sum of eight hundred and fifteen dollars, for which the said Cole gave his bond with approved security payable twelve months after date, and that he the said Short paid to said Cole by giving him a credit on said note the sum of four hundred and seventy-five dollars forty-one cents, being the three eights of the whole amount of the said sale & one and one-third of the other five eights. Also the said Short paid in like manner the said Cole the further sum of four hundred and three dollars seventy-five cents as guardian of Nighten Wall & Anthony Wall and Simon Wall, being the shares of the said Nighten, Anthony, and Simon Wall, heirs of Simon Wall, dec'd, being three-fifths of two-thirds of the proceeds of said sale, and that there yet remains due of the proceeds of said sale the sum of one hundred and thirty-five dollars, eighty-three? Cents, which is the shares of John Wall and Andrew Wall & to be paid to William Lewis their guardian. All of which is respectfully submitted. (signed) Samuel Short, adm'r of the estate of
Simon Wall, deceased.
In 1840, Mary still has two boys at home, but Andrew is listed as the head-of-family. Married son John is living two doors away:
1840 census, Franklin Co., MO, pg 235
Andrew Wall
One male aged 20-30 - Andrew
One male aged 10-15 - Simon
One female aged 40-50 - Mary (she was at least 5 years older)
[two doors away]
Johm Wall
One male aged 20-30 - John
One female aged 20-30 - Lucinda (Moore)
About 1841, Mary's granddaughter, Miranda Short (daughter of Aaron and Mariah (Wall) Short) married William P. Lewis. Mary sold at least part of the old Wall farm to the young couple, as by 1846 they had built a house on it and would later donate land right by their house for the construction of Oak Grove Missionary Baptist church. Miranda was apparently the one who cared for Mary in her old age.
From the pamphlet "Historic Landmarks – Franklin County, Missouri, 1818-1968," a picture and excerpt which I believe was taken from the 1958 Lewis Family History:
"Built in 1840 by William Perry Lewis (center), the now abandoned building can be seen from Oak Grove Baptist Church just north of Highway 30 at Lonedell. Wm. Perry, one of the sons of Daniel Lewis, homesteaded land for three cents an acres in the fertile mouth of the little Meramec where his parents settled in 1828. There are hundreds of Lewis progeny in the vicinity today. The old home is now owned by Mr. and Mrs. Everett Whitworth of Lonedell."
Mary died without a will sometime before 27 Dec 1848, when her estate was probated, in Franklin County, MO. Plato Cole was appointed administrator.
Children:
1. Mariah Wall, Jr., b.c. 1807, Muhlenberg Co., KY; m. 4 Oct 1823, Franklin Co., MO, to Aaron Short, son of Samuel & Lydia (Fields) Short. Aaron's father officiated as a Justice of the Peace. She d.c. 1839, Moselle, Franklin Co., MO; buried Cove cemetery.
2. Unknown Wall, b.c. 1810; married or otherwise out of the house by 1830; probably living in Nov 1834, when father's estate papers specify that each child is entitled to "one eighth of two-thirds" of the estate, the other third going to their mother. This means there were either eight living children, or at least living heirs of an eight child. There was a Robert Wall who married a Mary Cole on 6 Mar 1827, Franklin Co., MO, Justice of the Peace John Caldwell officiating. It's possible this Robert was the missing eighth child.
3. Miranda Wall, b.c. 1815, Muhlenberg Co., KY or Missouri; m. 29 Jan 1832 to Levi Woolsy (Woolsey). Justice of the Peace Jeremiah Hamilton officiated. Possible son was Noah Woolsey, b. 1834, listed on the 1860 Franklin Co., MO census, Calvey Twp., p. 145 as single laborer, age 26.
4. Andrew Wall, b.c. 1818, Missouri; never married; Upon his father's death in 1828, Andrew became the ward of William Lewis. Andy was a friend of William Perry Lewis, son of Daniel and Abigail Lewis, and was mentioned in an 1840 letter from Perry to his brother James as being "too bashful" to ask his girlfriend to marry him. In 1840 he was living in Calvey Township, Franklin Co., MO. Probably buried Oak Grove cemetery, Lonedell, Franklin Co., MO.
5. Judge John B. Wall, b. 1819, Missouri. He m. 1st 27 Aug 1838, Franklin Co., MO, to Lorinda Moore [b.c. 1817, St. Louis Co., MO; d. by 1858]. Justice of the Peace Plato Cole officiated. He m. 2nd 28 May 1858 to Mary Ann Thurmond [b.c. 1827; d. 30 Jan 1899, d/o of John and Nancy (Burns) Thurmond - she was the widow of Vespasian Cole, brother of Plato Cole]. John d. 25 Jan 1899, Logan, Lawrence Co., MO. According to one report, John was taken back to be buried on a farm south of St. Clair, Franklin Co., MO.
6. Knighton B. Wall (Nighton B. Wall), b. 15 Apr 1822, Lonedell, Franklin Co., MO; m. 19 May 1847, Columbia, Monroe Co., IL to Eliza Divers [b. 1830 IL, daughter of John and Sarah (Johnston) Divers]; he d. 15 Nov 1853, Columbia, Monroe Co., IL,aged 31 yrs, 7 mos ; buried Palmier Cemetery.
7. Anthony Wayne Wall, b.c. 1824, Lonedell, Franklin Co., MO; m. 1861 to Mrs. Lavicia (Emmons) Short [1836-1923, widow of Squire Woodford Short and daughter of Julius and Lavicia (Robinett) Emmons]; he d. 1900-1910, Blackwell, Washington Co., MO; buried Blackwell Masonic cemetery.
8. Simon Wall, Jr., b.c. 1826, Lonedell, Franklin Co., MO; 6 Jan 1848, Franklin Co., MO, to Caroline Cole [ daughter of Plato Cole, son of Eleven Cole]; he d. 1850-1854, probably buried Oak Grove cemetery, Lonedell, Franklin Co., MO.
She married Simon Wall or Walls on December 15, 1806, Muhlenberg Co., KY. Officiating: Charles Lewis, Esquire [father of William Lewis who later became the financial guardian in Franklin Co., MO of two of their children upon Simon's death in 1828]. They may have already married earlier in Sumner Co., TN. Most of her parents' families had settled in Muhlenberg Co., KY, including her grandfather Francis Wells, Sr., and that may be why they went to Kentucky. Simon was the son of Pierce Walls who died 1798 in Sumner Co., TN. Simon had at least one brother named Hugh.
Simon may have come to Kentucky soon after his father's death. In 1799, the year after his father died, a Simon Wall bought 200 acres of land in Muhlenberg Co., KY from the Federal government for the standard price of $20 for 100 acres. These lands were opened up for sale to other than veterans in 1797. The requirement was for the grantee to actually live on the land for one year before taking legal possession. This earlier date for Simon's move to Kentucky makes it seem likely that he either came to Kentucky with Capt Charles Lewis (the same man who later performed Simon's marriage and who lived in Sumner Co., TN before going to Kentucky probably in 1799) or came to join him immediately after his father Pierce Wall's death in 1798.
Name Simon Wall
Book 19
Page 331
Date of Survey 10-23-1799
County Muhlenberg
Watercourse none
If Simon did make the move in 1799, then it appears that Mary also came west to Kentucky before their marriage to join her extended family. Capt Charles Lewis performed their marriage in 1806. When he died two years later, his widow Elizabeth remarried to Mary's widowed father, Francis Wells, Sr., making Charles Lewis's son William who would go to Franklin Co., Missouri with them her stepbrother.
Simon and Mary were listed on the 1810 Muhlenberg Co., KY, census. Interestingly, an Ammon Knighten lives only three doors away and a Moses Knighten lives a little further away. "Knighten" is the unusual name our Simon & Mary would later give one of their sons. The Knightens came to Muhlenberg KY from NC about 1808. Ammon Knighten was b. 1787 in Stokes Co., NC, the son of Jesse & Hannah Knighten. He married Fannie Cox in 1810 and was in St. Louis by 1816 (came c. 1815), and his father Jesse died in Jefferson Co., MO probably 1830-40. Simon and Mary Wall came to Franklin Co, MO in 1815. It's possible the Knightens and Walls traveled together from Muhlenberg Co., KY to MO.
1810 census, Muhlenberg Co., KY, pg 390
Simon Walls
1 male aged 26-45 (b. 1765-84) Simon
1 female aged 16-26 (b. 1784-94) Mary
1 female under 10 (b. 1800-10) Mariah Jr.
Simon served in the War of 1812, Capt. Thomas Stokes' Company, 6th Regiment, KY militia. He was enlisted 1 Sep 1812 (along with the rest of the company) and again on 12 Dec 1812. He rose to the rank of Corporal.
An 1888 biography of Isaiah Wall, grandson of Simon & Mary, published in 1888:
Biographical Sketch of Isaiah Wall, Franklin County, Missouri From "History of Franklin, Jefferson, Washington, Crawford and Gasconade Counties", Biographical Appendix, Goodspeed Publishing Company, 1888.
It states of Isaiah's father John B. Wall that "He is a son of Simeon and Mary (Wells) Wall, natives of or very early settlers in Tennessee, who moved to Franklin County,Mo., about 1815, where the family was reared and the father died." [Later census returns indicate that they were both born in North Carolina.]
If they settled in 1815 on the land they later bought in 1820, they would have been among the first if not the first white settlers in the area.
The "History of Franklin, Jefferson, Washington, Crawford and
Gasconade Counties", Biographical Appendix, Goodspeed Publishing Company, 1888, p. 226, mentions their early settlement of Prairie Township. Note that "John Wall" was only a baby at the time; the reference should be to his father Simon Sr.:
"Prairie Township was occupied about 1820 by American settlers, among them the following [among others]: ...John Wall, Plato Cole...
In 1820, they bought 80 acres of land in Franklin Co., MO in what would become the Lonedell area, although the post office at the time was Mount Hope. Another Wall bought land at the same time very near (maybe adjoining) theirs. [The section "18" in Francis Wall's entry below should be an "8", as otherwise the land would not have been within miles of Mount Hope. This would also make it adjoin Simon's land.] It's possible this Francis was an older brother who wasn't provided for in their father's will, or perhaps some other relative.
Entryman, Post Office, Sec, T, Range, Date of entry
Wall, Francis, Mount Hope, 18, 41, 1e,
11 Dec 1820
Wall, Simon, Mount Hope, 8, 41, 2e,
23 Nov 1820
Francis Walls died without a will the next year. His estate was probated 17 Dec 1821.
Missouri didn't take a federal census in 1820, as it wasn't yet a state, but Simon appears on the 1823 Franklin county tax list:
Simon Wall, on Meramec River [the Little Meramec], Calvey Township
Simon died without a will shortly before 4 Feb 1828, when the probate process for his estate was started. His estate papers indicate eight children as heirs, but names only the five who were still minors.
The 80 acres of land which Simon and Mary bought and on which they lived and farmed included the plot that was later donated by their granddaughter and her husband, William Perry and Miranda (Short) Lewis, to build Oak Grove Baptist church and cemetery. It seems likely the church site was selected to include the already existing Wall family cemetery in the new church cemetery.
There is no record in Simon's estate papers of his land being sold, so presumably Mary continued to live on the family farm with her children. In 1830, Mary was listed next door to her daughter and son-in-law, Aaron & Mariah (Wall) Short. It seems likely that Aaron had moved onto the Wall farm either when he married Mariah or upon her father's death in 1828, as Mariah had no brothers left at home to help her widowed mother work the farm.
1830 census, Franklin Co., MO, pg 146
Mary Wall
One female aged 50-60, b. 1780-1790
- Mary
One female aged 15-20, b. 1820-25
- Miranda b.c. 1815; m. 1832
Two males aged 10-15, b. 1815-20
- Andrew b.c. 1818; never married
- John b. 1819; m. 1838
Two males aged 5-10, b. 1820-25
- Knighton b. 1822; m. 1847
- Anthony b.c. 1824; m. 1861
One male aged under 5, b. 1825-30
- Simon Jr. b. 1825-30
February 9th, 1832, received of Samuel Short two dollars for schooling one of the orphans of Simon Wall, dec'd.
(signed) Russel Twitty. (John R. Twitty)
[Molley Wall was Mary/Mariah/Polly Wall]
Aebem Ban the twenty Seleone? 1832
Received of Samuel Short, administrator of Simon Wall, deceased, the sum of one hundred and fifty-nine dollars and thirty-one cents, the full amount of my allowance made at the last February (session?) for feeding the children and taking care of them.
(signed by her mark X) Molley Wall
(witnessed by his mark X) Jesse Parker
In 1834, Plato Cole as financial guardian of three of Simon and Mary's children sues Samuel Short to force the sale of the three slaves, a woman named Sylph and her two children, in order to divide the money among the heirs. Another motive becomes apparent here, as Plato himself puts up the money to buy all three - the family is kept together and in the Wall household.
Franklin County Court
November term 1834
Now at this day Plato Cole moves the court to order Samuel Short, administrator of the estate of Simon Wall, deceased, to make sale of the slaves of the said Simon, it appearing to the satisfaction of the court here that Plato Cole is interested in the estate and slaves of said Simon and that an equal division thereof cannot be made in kind, and it appearing further to the satisfaction of the court that each person entitled to distribution of the estate of the said Simon Wall has been notified by the said Plato Cole of this application ten days previous to the sitting of this term of the court, and the court finds and determines that the said Plato Cole is entitled to three-eighths of the proceeds of said sale of the said slaves and in addition thereto one-third of the other five eighths during the life of the widow, Mary Wall, and John, Andrew, Knighten, Anthony, and Simon Wall are each entitled to the one-eighth part of two-thirds of the money arising from the sale of said slaves. It is therefore ordered that Samuel Short, administrator as aforesaid, sell at public auction at the courthouse door in the town of Union on the first day of February next on a credit of twelve months, giving thirty days notice of the time and pace of the sale of the slaves of said estate. And it is further ordered that he sell the woman named Sylph and the youngest child Abraham in one lot, and that he pay the proceeds of the said sale to the several persons entitled to distribution according to their several interests as by the court determined. And it is further ordered that the said Samuel Short be served with a copy of this order and that he report here at our next court. -- A copy of the order given under my hand the 6th day of November 1834. (signed) Wm G. Owens, clerk
Received February 3rd 1835 of Samuel Short, administrator of the estate of Simon Walls, deceased, the sum of two hundred and thirty dollars, seventy-five cents in full of the shares of Knighten Walls, Anthony Walls, and Simon Walls (heirs of Simon Walls, dec'd) with money issueing from the sale of the slaves belong to the estate of Simon Walls, dec'd. (signed) Plato Cole, guardian of Knighten Walls & Anthony Walls and Simon Walls, being heirs of Simon Walls, dec'd.
In the County Court of Franklin County February Session 1835 –
Samuel Short, administrator of the estate of Simon Wall, deceased, comes here into court and "reports" that in (pursuance?) of an order of this court made at the last November session thereof, he proceeded to sell the slaves belonging to the estate of Simon Wall, dec'd (having previously given thirty days notice of the time, place, & terms of the sale) at public auction at the county court house door in the town of Union on the first day of January in the year one thousand and eight hundred and thirty-five on a credit of twelve months and, in said sale he sold the negro woman name Sylph and her youngest child named Abraham in one lot and the other boy in another lot, and that Plato Cole being the highest and last bidder became the purchaser of the woman and youngest child Abraham at the price of four hundred and sixty-three dollars, and also he became the purchaser of the other boy at the price of two hundred and fifty-two dollars, making in the whole the sum of eight hundred and fifteen dollars, for which the said Cole gave his bond with approved security payable twelve months after date, and that he the said Short paid to said Cole by giving him a credit on said note the sum of four hundred and seventy-five dollars forty-one cents, being the three eights of the whole amount of the said sale & one and one-third of the other five eights. Also the said Short paid in like manner the said Cole the further sum of four hundred and three dollars seventy-five cents as guardian of Nighten Wall & Anthony Wall and Simon Wall, being the shares of the said Nighten, Anthony, and Simon Wall, heirs of Simon Wall, dec'd, being three-fifths of two-thirds of the proceeds of said sale, and that there yet remains due of the proceeds of said sale the sum of one hundred and thirty-five dollars, eighty-three? Cents, which is the shares of John Wall and Andrew Wall & to be paid to William Lewis their guardian. All of which is respectfully submitted. (signed) Samuel Short, adm'r of the estate of
Simon Wall, deceased.
In 1840, Mary still has two boys at home, but Andrew is listed as the head-of-family. Married son John is living two doors away:
1840 census, Franklin Co., MO, pg 235
Andrew Wall
One male aged 20-30 - Andrew
One male aged 10-15 - Simon
One female aged 40-50 - Mary (she was at least 5 years older)
[two doors away]
Johm Wall
One male aged 20-30 - John
One female aged 20-30 - Lucinda (Moore)
About 1841, Mary's granddaughter, Miranda Short (daughter of Aaron and Mariah (Wall) Short) married William P. Lewis. Mary sold at least part of the old Wall farm to the young couple, as by 1846 they had built a house on it and would later donate land right by their house for the construction of Oak Grove Missionary Baptist church. Miranda was apparently the one who cared for Mary in her old age.
From the pamphlet "Historic Landmarks – Franklin County, Missouri, 1818-1968," a picture and excerpt which I believe was taken from the 1958 Lewis Family History:
"Built in 1840 by William Perry Lewis (center), the now abandoned building can be seen from Oak Grove Baptist Church just north of Highway 30 at Lonedell. Wm. Perry, one of the sons of Daniel Lewis, homesteaded land for three cents an acres in the fertile mouth of the little Meramec where his parents settled in 1828. There are hundreds of Lewis progeny in the vicinity today. The old home is now owned by Mr. and Mrs. Everett Whitworth of Lonedell."
Mary died without a will sometime before 27 Dec 1848, when her estate was probated, in Franklin County, MO. Plato Cole was appointed administrator.
Children:
1. Mariah Wall, Jr., b.c. 1807, Muhlenberg Co., KY; m. 4 Oct 1823, Franklin Co., MO, to Aaron Short, son of Samuel & Lydia (Fields) Short. Aaron's father officiated as a Justice of the Peace. She d.c. 1839, Moselle, Franklin Co., MO; buried Cove cemetery.
2. Unknown Wall, b.c. 1810; married or otherwise out of the house by 1830; probably living in Nov 1834, when father's estate papers specify that each child is entitled to "one eighth of two-thirds" of the estate, the other third going to their mother. This means there were either eight living children, or at least living heirs of an eight child. There was a Robert Wall who married a Mary Cole on 6 Mar 1827, Franklin Co., MO, Justice of the Peace John Caldwell officiating. It's possible this Robert was the missing eighth child.
3. Miranda Wall, b.c. 1815, Muhlenberg Co., KY or Missouri; m. 29 Jan 1832 to Levi Woolsy (Woolsey). Justice of the Peace Jeremiah Hamilton officiated. Possible son was Noah Woolsey, b. 1834, listed on the 1860 Franklin Co., MO census, Calvey Twp., p. 145 as single laborer, age 26.
4. Andrew Wall, b.c. 1818, Missouri; never married; Upon his father's death in 1828, Andrew became the ward of William Lewis. Andy was a friend of William Perry Lewis, son of Daniel and Abigail Lewis, and was mentioned in an 1840 letter from Perry to his brother James as being "too bashful" to ask his girlfriend to marry him. In 1840 he was living in Calvey Township, Franklin Co., MO. Probably buried Oak Grove cemetery, Lonedell, Franklin Co., MO.
5. Judge John B. Wall, b. 1819, Missouri. He m. 1st 27 Aug 1838, Franklin Co., MO, to Lorinda Moore [b.c. 1817, St. Louis Co., MO; d. by 1858]. Justice of the Peace Plato Cole officiated. He m. 2nd 28 May 1858 to Mary Ann Thurmond [b.c. 1827; d. 30 Jan 1899, d/o of John and Nancy (Burns) Thurmond - she was the widow of Vespasian Cole, brother of Plato Cole]. John d. 25 Jan 1899, Logan, Lawrence Co., MO. According to one report, John was taken back to be buried on a farm south of St. Clair, Franklin Co., MO.
6. Knighton B. Wall (Nighton B. Wall), b. 15 Apr 1822, Lonedell, Franklin Co., MO; m. 19 May 1847, Columbia, Monroe Co., IL to Eliza Divers [b. 1830 IL, daughter of John and Sarah (Johnston) Divers]; he d. 15 Nov 1853, Columbia, Monroe Co., IL,aged 31 yrs, 7 mos ; buried Palmier Cemetery.
7. Anthony Wayne Wall, b.c. 1824, Lonedell, Franklin Co., MO; m. 1861 to Mrs. Lavicia (Emmons) Short [1836-1923, widow of Squire Woodford Short and daughter of Julius and Lavicia (Robinett) Emmons]; he d. 1900-1910, Blackwell, Washington Co., MO; buried Blackwell Masonic cemetery.
8. Simon Wall, Jr., b.c. 1826, Lonedell, Franklin Co., MO; 6 Jan 1848, Franklin Co., MO, to Caroline Cole [ daughter of Plato Cole, son of Eleven Cole]; he d. 1850-1854, probably buried Oak Grove cemetery, Lonedell, Franklin Co., MO.
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