Orrin O Hall and Judith Sprague (grandson of 13 & 14, granddaughter of 15 & 16)

[Jen's maternal GGrandparents]
[Madelyn Hall > grandson of 13 & 14, granddaughter of 15 & 16]

Orrin Otis Hall
BIRTH: 16 Jun 1892, Milbridge, Washington, Maine, United States
DEATH: 2 April 1985, Milbridge, Washington, Maine, United States


Judith Sprague
BIRTH: 1 Nov 1893, Milbridge, Washington, Maine, United States
DEATH: 22 Nov 1963, Milbridge, Washington, Maine, United States

Orrin Otis Hall

Orrin O Hall was born 16 June 1892 to  Nathan Pulsifer Hall (1847-1923),  and Mary Ella Strout (1862-1914).  He was born in Milbridge, Maine, the 8th of 16 children.

Orrin and daughter Phyllis

His father, Nathan, of Columbia, had been married previously to Athlona Adelia "Delia" Low (1843-1879), and had 5 kids through that marriage.
Lillian (1869-1870) (confirmed birth record)
Pulsifer D (1871-1884) (living with Nathan in 1880)
Nora H L (1874-1912) (unknown link to family--marr. records parents as Nathaniel/Cedelia)
Lucy Helen (1874-1943) (unknown link to family)
Simeon B (1879-??) (on 1900 census)

In 1880, Orrin's father Nathan was widowed, and he went to live with his brother-in-law, Vandeluer Lowe's family in Columbia, along with his son Pulsifer D, as of the June Census.   Later that fall, he remarried Mary Ella Strout of Milbridge on September 18, 1880, and commenced his life with his "second family". 


Siblings of Orrin Otis Hall
1. Edgar Matthew (1881-1912)  "Eddie", died at Charlestown, NH, lived at Bellows Falls.  Was a plumber, died of accidental drowning on July 4.
2. Leverett George (1882-1973) "Leverett"
3. John James (1884-1951) "John", a telephone lineman
4. Charles Herbert (1885-1951) "Charlie"
5. Naldin Abram (1889-1971) "Naldin", a sailor
6. Minnie Mabel (1890-1989) "Minnie"
7. Hattie F (??) (1891-1891) (unknown link) unnamed.  Casket purchased 1891.
8. Orrin Otis (1892-1985) "Orrin"
9. Lillian Edith (1893-1930) "Lillian"
10. no concise records
11. Leorance Eliza (1894-1972) "Eliza"

12. Harry  (1896-1896) died at 6 weeks, died of "spasm"
13. male Hall (1898-1898) (stillborn)
14. Mary  (1900-1900) "Mary" died as 4 month old
15. Harry Everett  (1901-1902)  died as 14 month old of pneumonia.
16. Harriet Bernice (1904-2003)

As of 1885-1912, the documents are fairly consistent stating that Nathan was a ship carpenter.

As of 1900, Nathan (50) and Mary (39) had been married for 20 years, and the record shows that of 14 children, 10 survived.

The 1910 Census confirms that Nathan P (60, m2) and Mary E (48, m1) had 16 children together, of which 10 were living (the bold children above were alive at the time of the 1900, 1910 census).  Orrin worked at the sardine factory that year, and his siblings had other various odd jobs (hiring out to do housework, sailors, telephone linemen, etc).  Also worthy of interest, that year, Orrin's uncle Darius D Sprague, (74 wd), who was Mary Ellen's brother-in-law (via Augusta Jane Strout) lived with them.  Darius's 1st cousin was Lafayett Sprague, Judith's father.  Lafayette's family lived 3 households down the street in 1910.

Hall Siblings: Simeon (from Nathan's first marriage), Minnie, Leverett George, Lydie, John, Naldin, Harriet, Orrin

Judith Sprague

Judith Sprague c. 1897

Judith Sprague was born in 1893 to Lafayette Sprague (1864-1948), a Mainer, and Nancy Cook (1868-1948), an English Canadian from New Brunswick.  At the time of her birth, her father was 29, and her mother was 23.

As of the 1900 Census, they had been married for 14 years, and had 5 children, of which 5 were living.  Lafayette was a laborer at the sardine factory.

By 1910, the family had grown.  Nancy (40), after 24 years of marriage, had borne 10 children, of which 9 survived.  Lafayette was working as a fireman at a sawmill.  Oldest son Harry E (abt 22) was working as a hired teamster.

Siblings of Judith Sprague
1. Harry Elmer (1886-1958) m. 1940 Aggie Nora Garey (1885-?)
2. Mary Ann "Mazie" (1888-1949) m. 1909 Ralph L Driscoll (1882-1964), m2. 1939 Walter M Harvey (1884-?)
3. William Forest (1891-1958) m. 1919 Mildred Grant (1899-?)
4. Judith (1893-1963) m. Orrin Otis Hall (1892-1985)
5. Amos (1897-1976) m 1922 Althea L. Fickett (1905-??)
6. Sydney (1900-1901) boy died at age 4 months
7. Elvira W (1903-1993) m. 1924 Percy Reel Merchant (1902-1989)
8. Clifford (1905-1987) m. 1936 Phyllis Coombs (1902-2001)
9. Almena (1907-1976) m. 1925 Milford Ray (1904-1983)
10. Lena (1910-1987) m. 1927 Millard Ray (1904-1986)

Charles (73, wd), Lafayette's father, lived next door with Charles Jr , and grandson Whitney

Judith's parents both lived full lives.  Lafayette died on 2 May, 1948 at age 84.  His wife died a week later on 10 May at age 80.  They are both buried in Milbridge, Maine.

Life Together 
Orrin and Judith were married on 13 September 1913.  Two months later, they had their first child (Lawrence, lived only a few months), and over the next 19 years, they would have 13 more children.

 Orrin's draft registration in 1917 declared him as employed by JC & G R Strout as a laborer.  He claimed exempt due to his wife and two children.  He claimed medium height, medium build, light brown eyes, and dark brown hair.

Judith and Orrin Hall

In 1920, Orrin lived next door to his Father.   Nathan (71) was a retired widower, and had in his household his Orrin's younger sister Lillian (26), her husband Ira B Smith (32), and their three young children (Warren (8), Mary E (3), Norman R (1)).

Orrin (27) and Judith(25) owned their house (albeit with a mortgage) on Bridge Street, and had three young children of their own at home.  Helen M (4), George L (3), and Nancy L  (1).   Orrin worked as a clerk at the hardware store at the time.

In 1930, Orrin (37) and Judith (35) owned their house on Harrington Road, next door to Lafayett and Nancy Sprague (Judith's parents).   Clifford Sprague (24, one of Judith's younger brother) and Phyllis (27) lived just the other side with their three kids (Albert(4), Oscar(2), and Bernice(3 mos.)).  Orrin is still working as a salesman at the hardware store.

Orrin and Judith had 14 children:

1. Lawrence (1913-1914) died at 10 weeks old.
2. Helen Mary (1915-1932) m. Oct 1831/2 Adrian Strout (1910-1982) died at age 17, six weeks after her marriage to Adrian Strout (in childbirth? the family tree indicates a stillborn baby boy here).
3. George Leverett (1916-1920) died at age 4
4. Nancy Lillian (1918-1966) m 1938 James Dickens (1917-1994) husband was in the service in Europe in 1940.
5. James Archibald (1920-1994) m. 1945 Doris Gelly (1924-2007)
6. Natalie Elvira (1921-1985) m. 1941 Robie Kelly (1921-1995)
7. John Leverett(1923-2004) m. 1943 Muriel M Holland (1926-1998)
8. Irene Louise (1925-1926) died 3 days prior to her first birthday
9. Orrin Otis Jr (1926-2000) m abt 1945 Estella Meshurle (), m2 1962 Janet Winnifred Dearborn (1931-2001)
10. Althea Louise (1928-2010) m. 1948 Alden Getchell Griffin (1926-2008)
11. Mary E (1930-Living) m.  ?? Ernest Peterson ()
12. George S (1931-2004) m. 1951 Murielle Rita Gallant (1933-2013), served in army during the Korean War
13. Madelyn Joyce (1932-Living) m. 1950 Raymond Vaughn Mitchell Jr (1931-living)
14. Phyllis (1941 -Living) m1. David Martin (-living) m2. Brad Butler (living)

Back row: Natalie, Nancy, Orrin Sr, James, Judith. Front row: John, Madelyn, George, Mary, Althea.  c. 1935.

By 1940, Orrin (47) and "Judy" (45) and their large family were renting a house on Wyman Lane (along the Narraguagas Bay) for $5 a month.  They had 10 kids at home.  Orrin had worked 48 hours the week prior to the Census at an unknown job.  Three of the kids, Nancy (22), Natalie (19), and John L (17) worked as snippers and shockers at the clam factory, while James (20) was an apprentice at the US Naval Hospital.

thanks to Ted Dickens

[from an interview with Madelyn]
Orrin's brother was working at Portland in the shipyard during the war, and recommended that he take his family down to Old Orchard to work at the ship yard also, because he could make good money to support his large family.  Otherwise, times were quite lean DownEast.  His brother paid the fare for the family to move.  When the war closed down, he went back to work at a Hardware store in South Portland.  He decided to work there for the rest of his career.

They discovered that Judith had cancer, and they gave her 5 months.  Their son John had a house that he had available for Judith and Orrin, and he helped them relocate in 1962/63, and he looked after them.  She died on the same day that President Kennedy was assassinated: November 22, 1963 at age 70.  She died in Bar Harbor, Maine and is buried at the Evergreen Cemetery.

Interestingly, the family was so attuned to the death of their mother, that they missed the news about Kennedy until after the funeral.


Orrin was hit by a car at one point (may have been drinking) and it fractured his skull.  Brother John put him in a home that was designed for elderly.  He was in a private home, then moved him to a place in Machias, then returned to a nursing home in Milbridge.  He had dementia during his later years, and didn't recognize most of his family members.   He wanted to get out of bed, but the home wasn't very good at helping him get up during the days.


 Orrin lived to age 92, passing away on 2 April, 1985.  He was at Marchalin Healthcare Center at the time of his death, and is buried alongside Judith at Evergreen.


Memories, according to Madelyn Hall Mitchell
Lived right next door to the Methodist church.   Orrin was a bellringer, and would bring the kids to church and he sang in the choir.  He would pull the rope down, and let the kids be pulled back up when the bell swung.  Mother wasn't very religious, and never attended with us.

My mother knew how to make something out of nothing.  We always had chickens.
People who didn't live in the city knew how to be self-sufficient.

We were poor, but never remember feeling poor.  In times of need, the government does a good job of taking care of large families.

Phyllis Martin-Butler recalls: 

"I don't know that [my older siblings] had bunk beds; but, sisters shared beds. I remember my sister Mary telling me about sharing a bed with our sister Althea (and there were no queen or king sized beds). I'm sure my other sisters shared beds also. Since I was the youngest, I slept between mom and dad in their bed until I was 8 years old. By then I was the only child at home; but, we only had two bedrooms. Mom and I shared a bed and dad had his own room. I was 14 before I finally got my own bedroom!!"

Orrin and Judith never had a car.  They would take the public transportation in South Portland, if necessary.  When asked how that affected shopping, Phyllis says, "There was always a "corner store", local neighborhood store that carried some groceries and other "odds & ends". We didn't buy a lot of groceries, not when I was growing up and I'm sure not when all those brothers and sisters of mine were living at home. I always referred to myself, when it came to food, as a "gatherer and gleaner". A lot of what we ate came from dad's vegetable garden, for the abundance of fruit trees, fields of berry bushes, lawns alive in the spring with dandelion greens, lots of fish (especially when Bud was home!! He loved to go fishing). Whatever Mother Nature had to offer, I gathered it up and mom cooked it!!"