A Place to Start

 

Yes, here are the two we can all thank for the Hall and Richards branches in our family tree. For at least eight of us who read this blog, this is THE common nexus, for the wider circle of readers, it only amounts to half, or a quarter (although unless my older 2-3 grandchildren have picked it up, this site doesn't have that reach yet).

Howard Hall and Raona Richards have left us a great legacy in their own right. In addition to the wide selection of "how I lost my leg" stories, and similar input from Good Ol' HG, there is the continuing nurture and concern and care of Mom for us all, now three generations deep, sixty years and counting. But they also brought in, genetically as well as attitudinally, a large number of other characters and characteristics.

Up until now I have randomly posted interesting (to me) information about the ancestors out on the limbs and branches of this Hall-Richards tree. Today in Stake Conference I was prompted to proceed in a more orderly manner and see if this blog can be resuscitated.

Howard Gallatin Hall

February 6, 1928 Bozeman, Gallatin County, Montana

May 22, 1997 Yuba City, Sutter County, California (age 69)

Grew up during the depression in Montana, Utah, Wyoming, and Idaho.

Served in the Central Atlantic States Mission (mostly in North Carolina).

Married Raona Richards October 30, 1950 (roughly five weeks after returning from his mission)

Attended Officer Training School in Fort Belvoir, Fairfax County, Virginia and became a 2nd Lieutenant in the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers.

Stationed in Korea, where he continued to spread the gospel to both Americans and Koreans.

Returned home to Raona and two sons to settle in Yuba City, CA and work for the California Department of Highways (which eventually morphed into CalTrans).

Bishop, High Councilor, Scoutmaster, Seminary Teacher, and most of all father to Michael, Joseph, Richard (initially without the s), Peter, Jacqueline, Steve, Wesley, and Suzanne.

After a rather trying set of circumstances, ultimately resulting in the loss of his leg, he retired, traveled rather extensively with Mom (including to the Holy Land), and served a mission with her in Alabama. There was a significant amount of temple work in his schedule as well. He also worked with his cousin Victor Hall to wrap up as many loose ends in the genealogical efforts of his father after he passed away.

Howard lost his mother when he was only about five and was raised by his stepmom/aunt (more on this when we get to his parents). He survived his father by only about six and a half years and preceded his mom Eleanor in death by about four years. His only brother, Charles, is also gone.

HG Quotes: "There is a time and a place for everything." "If we don't get on the ball, we'll all be killed."

My hope is to do a summary of each individual with what I know or can gather and work my way back, seeing how far I get before I run out of material. Not being a great one for formality and structure, the content is likely to lack consistency although I hope to at least improve considerably on the consistency of posting.