| Notes |
- http://www.rootsweb.com/~ohashtab/pioneer/PWASHTABULA.htm
Pioneer Women of Ashtabula
Elizabeth Ingersol, born in Lee, Mass. in 1797 came with her husband, James Hall to Ashtabula on her bridal trip, in a one-horse covered wagon, a part of the way from Buffalo, on the ice of Lake Erie.
Upon reaching here, the husband left his bride with his brother, the Rev. John Hall, and went to Dover, Ohio to prepare the log house, with its floor of tree bark, for her reception. Two years later, they returned to make Ashtabula their home and became identified with every good work. Mrs. Hall was a charter member in the Presbyterian church, transferring her membership to the Congregational church, when the division was made in 1860, and was for many years, President of the ladies' society. She was, also charter member of the first Temperance society, formed here, her father, Rev. Moses Ingersol delivering the first temperance lecture. He was so rigid in his views that he cut down his apple trees, that the apples might not be made into cider.
Perhaps his extreme measures may not appear so unwarranted, if we remember the customs of those days and some of the stories that have been handed down to us. A certain amount of stimulant was thought to be necessary to health, the whiskey toddy was a common drink even of good men of the most rigid morals in other particulars.
One day one of these good men, who was a wit and very intelligent when sober, met another, with a long beard and accosted him by asking why he did not have it cut.
"I belong to the sect of Drunkards," replied the other, "and never cut my beard."
"Well, I belong to the set of drunkards, too, but I'll be blamed if I don't keep sober long enough to shave," he replied.
Mrs. Hall's home, ever open to the needy, was the rendezvous for the escaping slave in ante-bellum days. It was on Walnut street at the harbor, and from there, fugitives were aided to Canada by boat. Mrs. Hall was granddaughter of Rev. Jonathan Edwards of Yale College, and mother of Dr. Perry Hall of Ashtabula. Another of her five children, Lucinda Hall, wife of Joseph Dewey Hulbert, a woman of sweet and refined nature and rare amiability, remained to follow in her mother's footsteps in all her loved characteristics. For many years president of the Congregational society, she was the central figure around which the ladies loved to cluster. The old homestead is yet occupied by Mr. Hulbert, who is one of the pioneer business men of the town.
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1797 - 1874 (77 years)
