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Hall, Gilbert[1]

Male 1861 - 1942  (80 years)


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  • Name Hall, Gilbert 
    Birth 20 Dec 1861  Floyd, Kentucky, United States Find all individuals with events at this location 
    Gender Male 
    Census 1870  Kentucky, United States Find all individuals with events at this location  [2
    Occupation Pike, Kentucky, United States Find all individuals with events at this location 
    a gambler, timber buyer, and farmer 
    Death 22 Apr 1942  Ironton, Lawrence, Ohio, United States Find all individuals with events at this location  [3
    Address:
    Ironton General Hospital 
    Burial 25 Apr 1942  Woodland Cemetery, Ironton, Lawrence, Ohio, United States Find all individuals with events at this location  [4
    Person ID I24682  Pioneers of the Appalachian Highlands
    Last Modified 16 Jul 2020 

    Father Hall, David,   b. 9 Oct 1838, Lee, Virginia, United States Find all individuals with events at this locationd. 28 Apr 1913, Ironton, Lawrence, Ohio, United States Find all individuals with events at this location (Age 74 years) 
    Mother Hall, Susan Emaline,   b. 1841, Pike, Kentucky, United States Find all individuals with events at this locationd. 28 Mar 1877, Virgie, Pike, Kentucky, United States Find all individuals with events at this location (Age 36 years) 
    Marriage 21 Aug 1860  Pike, Kentucky, United States Find all individuals with events at this location 
    Family ID F3985  Group Sheet  |  Family Chart

    Family 1 Sweaney, Martha 
    Family ID F11998  Group Sheet  |  Family Chart
    Last Modified 12 Mar 2024 

    Family 2 Cloud, Naoma White 
    Family ID F12000  Group Sheet  |  Family Chart
    Last Modified 12 Mar 2024 

    Family 3 Nicholson, Mary 
    Marriage Evansville, Vanderburgh, Indiana, United States Find all individuals with events at this location 
    Family ID F12001  Group Sheet  |  Family Chart
    Last Modified 12 Mar 2024 

  • Event Map
    Link to Google MapsBirth - 20 Dec 1861 - Floyd, Kentucky, United States Link to Google Earth
    Link to Google MapsCensus - 1870 - Kentucky, United States Link to Google Earth
    Link to Google MapsOccupation - a gambler, timber buyer, and farmer - - Pike, Kentucky, United States Link to Google Earth
    Link to Google MapsDeath - Address:
    Ironton General Hospital - 22 Apr 1942 - Ironton, Lawrence, Ohio, United States
    Link to Google Earth
    Link to Google MapsBurial - 25 Apr 1942 - Woodland Cemetery, Ironton, Lawrence, Ohio, United States Link to Google Earth
    Link to Google MapsMarriage - - Evansville, Vanderburgh, Indiana, United States Link to Google Earth
     = Link to Google Earth 
    Pin Legend Address Cemetery Populated Place Township Parish City County/Shire State/Province Country Region Not Set

  • Notes 
    • Gilbert was born in Floyd County, KY, grew up and married Martha Sweaney,daughter of "Big Jim" Sweaney. They lived in the Breks of the mountainson the Big Sandy River. To them, no children were born.

      By trade Gilbert was a Gambler, Timber Buyer/ dealer, and farmer.

      He lived with Martha Sweaney for a number of years then decided to leaveher. He left her with $500 in gold, 400 acres of fine timber andfarmland in the Breaks, and a good 6room Log Cabin to live in.

      After leaving Martha he went to Ironton, Lawrence County, OH, and enteredthe Saloon and Restaurant business. It was on the corner of 3rd andSpruce Streets. The place was properous for 5 years. Then on one Saturdayafternon, the place was full, and two brothers named Wise came in todrink beer and whiskey. They got high, started trouble. Gilbert went toput them out and they jumped on him, starting a fight. He killed one ofthem and shot the other. He had to leave the state of OH.

      He went to evansville, IN, were he me and married Mary Nicholson. Helived with her for 3 years and they had two sons. Their names andwhereabouts are unknown at this time. She died, and he sold his businessand moved back to the Breaks onthe Big Sandy River in Pike County, KY.

      He remarried Martha Sweaney and went into business again. While he wasaway in Ohio and Indiana, she met a man named Newsom and had quite anaffair with him.

      In the summer of 1903, Gilbert got wise to it, and one day told her hewas going to Wise, VA. When it got dark Gilbert came back. Newsom was inthe house with Martha. Gilbert killed him, but she got away and ran abouta mile to her father's house. Martha told him that gilbert had killedNewsom and was afraid he was going to kill her too.

      Big Jim and her five brothers grabbed up guns and started for Gilbert'splace. Gilbert had gone to the barn at the back of his house to saddlehis horse and leave when the Sweaney's arrived. They started shooting upthe place and swearing they were going to kill Gilbert.

      Staying in the dark with two .45 caliber Colt pistols on him, Gilberwaited for then get into the lights of the house. He killed Big Jim andthree of his boys, leaving the other two shot. They both died later.

      With seven more to his credit, he jumped on his horse and rode out of themountains into the night. He went to his brother William's place atProsperty, on Big Blaine Creek, Lawrence County, KY. He hid out there forthree days until he could get $500 together. He hid out there for about 3days. Then under the cover of dakness, he rode out into the night headingWest.

      Gilbert traveled the country for two years, ventured up to Canada, andfinaly going to "Indian Teritory", which is now Oklahoma.

      While riding the range in the new teritory on a hot day, he was picked upby a band (or tribe) of Indians known as the Oasage Tribe. They carriedhim to there camp and to their Chief, who could speak a little French andEnglish, ( a God's blessing for Gilbert). Gilbert talked to them the besthe could, and beged for his life.

      Gilbert had two bottles of whiskey in his saddle bags. He got them, tooka drink and gave the rest to the chief, who drank "fire water" too. Thechief had a "pow-wow" with his band of braves. They kept Gilbert tied upfor five days. On the sixth day the chief had Gilbert brought to him. Hemade a son of Gilbert. They plucked all of his hair out except for alittle lock, Indian style.

      He lived with them for 12 years, taking the name of Big John, Son ofWhite Cloud. He married the daughter of the chief, Naoma White Cloud. Hetook her to Dodd City to live, nad went into the whiskey and gamblingbusiness. They had no children. She lived six years with him, and died.She was taken back home in Oklahoma and buried in the true Indian style,in a large Indian grave yard. The funeral lasted for three days.

      Gilbert left Dodd City after two more years. He sold out and rambledaround the country again.

      He teamed up with a man named old man Zack Miller, and they started the"101 Ranch". The ranch had 101 thosand acres, most of which was a grantfor a homestead from the U.S. Government. the ranch took in 9 counties.They had cattle, Buffalo, and horses. They hired about 300 Indians andMexicans to work for then at very cheap wages. All was prospering wuitewell until Miller and Gilbert had a small misunderstanding.

      Rather than kill Miller, which Gilbert said he was going to do, he toldMiller "One of us has to buy the other out, and one man own it all".

      Miller was married to an Indian and had six sons. Gilbert had no one.Miller offered Gilbert $10,000 in gold, which he refused. two weeks laterMiller offered Gilbert "$12,000 and no more. Gilbert told Miller that hewould him $12,000 and for him to get out, but Miller wouldn't take it.

      Three weeks later Gilbert and Miller had another arguement that almostended with gun play. Five Indians loyal to Gilbert grabbed Miller, tookhis guns, and almost beat him to death. Two days later Miller sent forGilbert.

      Gilbert, known as "Big John", supposedly was 7feet 1 inch tall andweighed 240 Lbs. He took his "band of savages" to Miller's Ranch Home,finding Miller in bed suffering from the beating two days before. Millertold Gilbert, "Make me a reasonable offer that I can reach, and I willbuy you out before one of us had to die". Gilbert offered him $15,000 ingold "give or take". Miller told him to come back in three day and hewould give him his answer.

      Three days later Gilbert went back to see Miller. Miller told Gilbert allhe could get was $14,000 and 200 head of good cattle, nad Gilbert tookthe offer. The next day, Gilbert and 25 of his best Indians rounded up200 head of cattle. he loaded up 3 wagons and also took 16 horses and 30riding ponies.

      Gilbert signed all the papers and started across the plains and went intoNew Mexico, which was still Mexico at that time. There he bought out aMexican rancher who had about 640 acres of grazing land and 100 head ofcattle. Gilbert went to work with his little band of savages. He kept thecattle for two years and then drove them to Texas and to market.

      Gilbert and his Indians went back to the ranch. Gilbert gave them thereanch and $500 apiece. He took a team of horses and one wagon packedfull of his belonging and started back to the States.

      Coming to Kansas, Gilbert bought a wheat ranch and once more settled downfor a few years near Whichita. He had good luck with the wheat crops, andbought and sold real estate.

      During this time Oklahoma became a state,the Government carelled all theIndians and put them on reservations. The oil boom hit and White Cloudand his people became very wealthy. Gilbert went back to Oklahoma toclaim his wife's share. He was given a large grant of several thousanddollars for her share, and went back to Whichita. He fooled around andmarried a smart widow who had three sons. He lived with her for a fewyears, and she took him nearly $100,000 in cash and real estate.

      Gilbert was out west for 31 years. During this time, none of his brothersand sisters had heard from him. All of his people were dead except fortwo brother, Wilburn and Owen, and one sister, Anna Mays. After all thistime Gilbert wrote a short note and mailed it to Wilburn in Louisa, KY.He signed it "John Hall".

      Wilburn knew right away from the contents that it was from Gilbert. Aftersix months of carrousing, Wilburn sent his son Wiliam J. Hall toWhichita, Kansas to give Gilbert a message. After ten days, Williamreturned to Louisa with news that "John Gilbert Hall" would arrive atLouisa in the Fall. Gilbert arrived and visited for three months. He wentback to Whichita, setteled his affairs there. $25,000 in cash was all hecould manouver away from his wife.

      Gilbert returned to Louisa in the spring and stayed for two months. Hewent to Pikeville, KY, to give himself up for the killing years before.He was tried in court. He was represented by Waugh & Bird lawyers, thebest criminal lawyers that could be found at a fee of $5,000 each. He wasfound guilty and drew 11 years inprison at Frankfort, KY.

      Gilbert stayed there for six months, and for another $6,000 the lawersbought him a pardon. He then returned to Louisa, KY, and lived about ayear with his brother Wilburn.

      Gilbert then decided to go back to Ironton, OH, his old stomping grounds,where his sister Anna lived. (Nobody knew anything of his business:howmuch money he had left, or where it was. It was generally known amongsome people that he carried on his person somewhere between fur and fivethousnd dollars). He bought a 9 room, 2 story house on a lage lot ofabout 2 acres for $9,500 in cash. He bought a bunch of hogs and was inbusiness again. This property was located between 1st and (Race?) Streetsbetween Spruce and Walnut Streets.

      At first he was living by himself, then took in a no-good woman, withthree kids, who was fooling around with his sister Delcinia's son. threeweeks after she moved in with him, Gilbert supposedly fell down somestairs, hit his head on something, losing conciousness. He was ushed toIronton General Hospital, on April 18, 1942, where he died in a coma, onApril 22, 1942.

      When Gilbert was takento the hospital, his pockets were bare. Nomoney ofbonds were found in his house either. After the hospital, funeral andother bills were paid off, there was a ballance of $1,200 to divided upamong his heirs. It is generally believed that there should have been$20-30,000 some where. Every thing in Kansas had been grabbed by his wife.

      It is also believed that Gilbert had been poisoned by the woman that he took in and her nephew, and afraid that wasn't going to kill him, hit him over the head and threw him down the stairs to make it look like a fall.Dr's and hospital staff said that he had a brain concussion, showed signs of poisoning, before he died.
      Gilbert was buried in the Woodland Cemetery, Ironton, OH, not far fromDavid Hall's grave.

  • Sources 
    1. [S320] GEDCOM: HALL (Tony).

    2. [S88345] Gilbert Hall in household of David Hall, "United States Census, 1870".

    3. [S88343] Gilbert Hall, "Ohio Deaths, 1908-1953".

    4. [S88344] Hall, "Find A Grave Index".