AQUILA
HALL was born in Harford, then Baltimore county, Jan.
10, 1727. He was a son of Aquila, who was the
youngest son of John Hall, of Cranberry, and
was one of the most prominent of all the men of Harford in
the early days. In 1763 he was elected to the House of
Delegates to represent Baltimore county, his colleagues
being Charles Ridgely, Thomas C. Deye and Walter
Tolley. In 1762 he was sheriff of Baltimore
county. Aquila Hall is the second in the list
of commissioners named by the Act of Assembly for the
formation of Harford county. By virtue of the Dedimus
indorsed on the commission for forming the new county, he
administered the oaths to his fellow-justices on the first
day of the organization of the county government, Mar. 22,
1774, his colleagues on the bench being Thomas Bond,
Jeremiah Sheredine, Benedict Edward Hall, William Webb
and Aquila Paca.
The first court for the county was held in a house
at Harford Town, or Bush, owned by him and occupied by
Thomas Miller, who was named as sheriff of the county.
In the famous Bush declaration of March, 1775, the name
of Aquila Hall is the first on the list. He was
zealous in the cause of his country in the Revolution, and
on Sept. 9, 1775, organized a military company, of which he
was elected captain, with Samuel Griffith, first
lieutenant; Jacob Forwood, second lieutenant, and
John Chancey, ensign.
On June 11, 1774, he presided over a meeting at Bush,
at which resolutions were passed expressing sympathy with
Boston in her tax troubles, and at which a committee was
appointed to meet the committees of other counties in this
province to consult and agree on the most effectual means to
preserve our constitutional rights and liberties, etc.
By the State Convention, which convened December 7,
1775, resolutions were passed Jan. 1, 1776, looking to the
formation of a proper military force for the State, and for
the Upper Battalion of Harford, Aquila Hall was named
as colonel, with John Love as lieutenant- colonel;
Josias Carvil Hall, first major; Dr. John Archer,
second major, and Richard Dallam, quartermaster.
The General
Assembly on June 29, 1777, selected lieutenants for the
various counties, and Aquila Hall was named for
Harford.
The last record of Aquila Hall in public life is
to be found in the meeting of the court at Bush, Mar. 23,
1779, at which time he was present as one of the Lords
Justices. He died in April, 1779, leaving the
following children, viz.: Thomas Hall, James White
Hall, William Hall, John Hall, Edward Hall, Charlotte Hall,
Mary Hall, Sophia Hall and Martha Hall.
His wife was his first cousin, Sophia, daughter
of Col. Thomas White, whom he married Feb. 14, 1750,
and who died in 1785, aged fifty-four years.
Aquila Hall built the large brick house at "Sophia's
Diary" in 1768.
Source: History of Harford Co., Maryland - by Walter W.
Preston, A. M. Bel Air, Maryland - 1901 - Page 221 |
