The article below was found on the front page of the March 13, 1885, Springfield Express newspaper. Springfield is about a hundred miles from Moundville, so it was somewhat surprising that this article was front page news. When such an article was published in 1885, one wonders if the information was sensationalized. However, census records from 1850 to 1880, were consulted and they seem to confirm the story about the family.

The entire article is reprinted below, but to summarize it, it tells that Mrs. Parson Hale had boarded the train at Ellis, MO, bound for Clinton, MO. Mrs. Hale was accompanied by four adult children which were all then described: 1) The oldest son was age 53, and was said to suffer from imbecility and physical deformities. 2) the next son was not so badly deformed, but was nearly incapable of moving himself. 3) a daughter could walk but sometimes lost her balance and fell heavily and 4) a daughter who had little control of her body.

The article goes on to say that of the eight children born to Mr. and Mrs. Hale, that seven of them were "imbeciles." The newspaper then went on to editorialize about the family by noting that Mr. and Mrs. Hale were "own cousins" and that Mr. Hale's parents had been cousins and Mrs. Hale's father and mother had been related. This is of course, what is being referred to by the title, "AN AWFUL WARNING", and the subtitle, "Against the Marriage of Parties Closely Related."

John Hale was referred to as "Parson". The article makes note that his "paradoxisms of religious excitement" were "evidence of his mental aberration." It would be interesting to know what was meant by that.

The 1887 History of Vernon County (page 789) tells that the "Rev. John Hale lived on the southern side of section 2, west of Drywood, and near his son-in-law, John Hawkins".

NOTE from Lyndon - This has been a difficult page to develop. I found the article quite interesting but did not want to post something that would be embarrassing to a family. Therefore I have been cautious to just include the information as I found it.

Census records for the Hale Family follow. There appear to be many age discrepancies. Name Age Census comments 1850 Bates County, MO, District 6 John Hale 40 Long Hale 40 James Hale 20 Idiot Wiley Hale 18 Idiot Martha Hale 16 Idiot Catherine Hale 14 Idiot Minerva Hale 13 Idiot William Hale 2 1860 Deerfield Township, Vernon County, MO John Hale 50 Margaret Hale 56 James Hale 28 Insane Catharine Hale 23 cannot read and write Minerva Hale 22 cannot read and write W. H. Hale 11 P. A. Hale 8 1870 Moundville Township, Vernon County, MO John Hale 55 Margaret Hale 53 Catharine Hale 28 Permelia Hale 18 Wm. H. Hale 15 1880 Moundville, Township, Vernon County, MO John Hale 68 Margaret Hale 68 James Hale 48 Insane, Maimed or Crippled Catharine Hale 43 Insane, Maimed or Crippled Minerva Hale 40 Insane, Maimed or Crippled In 1880, there was also a "Census of Defectives." The Hale family of Moundville Township family appeared in it. John and Margaret Hale were both age 68 and were listed as normal. Living with them were three adult children that the census taker listed on the Census as "Idiots". James Hale was age 48; Catharine was age 43; and Minerva was age 40. It was the job of the census taker to provide more information. Each of the three was described a "deformed" and had been that way since birth. It was noted that the three were supported at the cost of the county. Two of the Hale children are buried in now-deserted McMullen Cemetery which was about two miles south and two miles east of Moundville. Permelia A. Hale, November 26, 1851 - March 20, 1871 William H. Hale, March 22, 1849 - November 5, 1875 Note that the Hale's being listed in 1850 Bates County and 1860 Vernon County does NOT mean they moved. Vernon was not yet a county in 1850. It was formed out of Bates.

The Hale's were early residents of Vernon County. The early burials in McMullen Cemetery give an idea as to what area some of the Hales lived in. It is interesting that another burial in McMullen is that of James Skaggs, who died in 1871. This is mentioned because James' wife was Nancy Hale, daughter of Luke Hale. We should note that Nancy had a brother, named John Hale. However, one John had died in 1865 in Kansas (and had a wife, Rachel). So we must be careful not to confuse the two early John Hale's. The John Hale discussed on this web page certainly followed similar location patterns as the Skaggs family did. I hope someone has some ideas about how these families fit together.

The 1850 census shows two John Hale families living in District 6 of Bates County. One is the family listed above who was born about 1810. The other one is referred to as John K. Hale, who had the wife Rachel. John K. Hale was born about 1815. By 1860, this John Hale was listed married to his second wife, Sarah, and living in Kansas. This John Hale is the son of Luke Hale and brother of Nancy Hale Skaggs.

The 1887 History of Vernon County (page 584) tells that John Hale was one of the first actual settlers of Center Township, having arrived in 1840. Luke Hale and James Skaggs, arrived in August 1841. Luke Hale was the father of this John Hale and James Skaggs was John's brother-in-law. It tells that Luke Hale died in the fall of 1853 and was buried in the "old graveyard", northwest of Nevada. It also tells that John Hale died in Kansas and that James Skaggs died in Moundville township in 1871, which is consistent with the McMullen burial record.

Researchers who are referring to the 1887 History of Vernon County should note a correction made by the author of that volume on page 584. He wrote, "On page 169 of this volume, by a slip of the compiler's pen, the name of John Hale is wrongfully inserted instead of that of his father Luke Hale, as it should be. It was Luke Hale who was so devout and renowned a Methodist".

When one refers back to page 169, the author had written that John Hale, a staunch old Methodist, had lived in an area that became known as Haletown. This then means that Luke Hale, his father, was the staunch old Methodist. So this then further complicates the Hale story, since the John Hale referred to at the top of this page was called Parson Hale.

Note from Lyndon: These families are extremely easily confused and I've done my best to sort things out. However, if Hale descendants have suggestions or more information, I'd be glad to make additions or corrections.

Contact Lyndon if you have photos or information to share to share.

Go back to the Moundville page.