Sorting Out Same-Name Individuals: Adaline Hale

From Bledsoe Co., Tennessee, Deed Book O, p 473, J H Griffith to Adaline Hale

(see source note below)

Received in 

Office for 

Registration

At 11 a.m.

Oct 10/70

To Adaline Hale and her heirs, a certain tract of land

containing by estimation fifty acres, be the same more or less, lying in Bledsoe County, Tennessee Dist No. 1, for and in consideration of fifty dollars to me paid.

Beginning at a Stake on the north east line of the

Hasker tract running with the meanders of Annons

Creek near a cave ford to a stake then across to the

South East line of the same to the same survey above

the old ford on the Flat Rock Branch, thence with said

land to the corner near the top of the round knob

Then, with said land to the beginning of the spring and 

one-half acre around it. known as the Sam Turner Spring 

is not included nor conveyed in this deed, but she is to 

have access to the water by taking care

of the springs

When I found this deed for the transfer of land in Bledsoe County, Tennessee, that mentioned Adaline Hale, I thought this might be my 3rd Great-Grandmother, Adaline Elzie Hale, who was the widow of William Taylor Hale. Her family lived in Civil District 6 & at times Civil District 8 of Van Buren Co, TN. I have never been able to find the family enumerated in the 1860 or 1870 US Federal Census, despite records such as the marriages of the children suggesting they were still in the area. The land in the deed is in District 1 of Bledsoe Co, TN, which is just east of Van Buren County. Several of Adaline's children are married and living in District 1 of Bledsoe County at the time of the 1880 US Federal Census.

There is no one mentioned in the deed with Adaline that connects this document to my Van Buren Co, TN, Adaline Hale. Further research finds more deeds concerning the land in Adaline's deed.  These records offer insight into the relationships, none of which are part of my Adaline Elzie Hale's FAN.  I was able to find Richard Hale's 1880 Census, which showed that he and his wife Adaline were enumerated in Bledsoe County, TN, when my Adaline Hale was in Van Buren County, TN, District 8. (Info from the two census records below) 

1880 Bledsoe Co., Tennessee District 7, Page 48B
Richard Hale Self M M W 65 TN Laborer TN / TN
Adaline Hale Wife F M W 52 TN Keeping House TN / TN
William Hale Son M S W 16 TN TN / TN
John Hale Son M S W 13 TN TN / TN
Thunsy Hale Dau F S W 6 TN TN / TN

1880 Van Buren Co., Tennessee District 8, Page 273A

Adaline Hale W F 65 W TN Keeping House  

Lucinda Davis W F 35 Daughter M  TN At Home TN TN

John Hale W M 20 Son S  TN Works on Farm  TN TN

Monroe Bishop W M 14 Grandson S  TN At Home  TN TN

Luther Davis W M 3 Grandson S TN  TN TN

The listing of names(shown below in my abstract and in the image) seems to suggest that the Hale wives and the wife of Jesse Brock were Griffiths before their marriages.  I find it odd that Richard Hale is not mentioned in the Book O pg 473 deed, but that may be because it was only necessary to mention him when the land was passing from her ownership. 

Abstract of Names:  Bledsoe Co, TN Minute Book, Sept 1867-Sept 1872, p 12

Susan Griffith, widow of Wm M Griffith, dec

Thos J Griffith

Richard Hale & wife Adaline

Burrell Hale & wife Sarah

John Hale & wife Jane

S P Griffith

Martha Griffith

Jesse Brock & wife Nancy

Conclusion:   Given all that evidence, I feel confident in saying that the Adaline Hale mentioned in the original deed is NOT the same person as my Adaline Elzie Hale.

Sources:

Bledsoe County, Tennessee Deeds, Deed Book O, p 473, J H Griffith to Adaline Hale (50 Acres); image, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3Q9M-C39J-4L15 : accessed 20 Dec 2025), IGN 8478560, Image 268 of 719.

Bledsoe Co TN Minute Book, (Sept 1872 - Sept 1881) p 193, T.J. Griffith & others vs. Gabrilla Griffith & others --18 March 1875; image, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3Q9M-C39J-896W-D : accessed 2 Jan 2026), IGN 8478559,  Image 129 of 611.

Bledsoe Co TN Deed Book O, p 474, R & A Hale to Isaac Roberson (registered Oct 10, 1870); image, Familysearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3Q9M-C39J-4L11 : accessed 2 Jan 2026), 

IGN 8478560, Image 269 of 719. [This one says "Adaline Hale WIFE OF Richard Hale"]

Bledsoe Co TN Minute Book Sept 1867-Sept 1872, p 12; image, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3Q9M-CS5W-1SSH-L : accessed 2 Jan 2026),

IGN 8264061, Image 497 of 714.[This lists the Hales and Griffiths but not the exact relationships other than the "wife of." The information given here seems to suggest that the wives of the Hale men were Griffiths]

1880 US Federal Census, Van Buren County, TN, District 8 page 273A(stamped), Dwelling 203 Family 206, Adaline Hale(head); image, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:33S7-9YBL-9MTN : accessed 2 Jan 2026), IGN 5162517, Image 553 of 810.

1880 US Federal Census, Bledsoe County, TN, District 7, page 48B(stamped), Dwelling 212, Family 213, Richard Hale (Head); image, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:33S7-9YBH-R6M : accessed 2 January 2026), IGN 5162348, Image 101 of 732.