Lawrence M. Hall was a son of Reason Bowie and Martha (Wright) Hall, born in Bureau County, Illinois in Nov 1839. At the age of six years, he and his family came to the Oregon Territory taking Applegate's Cut Off and arriving in the Willamette Valley in the Spring of 1847. [While crossing the Rocky Mountains, twin brothers were born and both survived, as did Martha]. His father took up a Donation Land Claim in Polk County and platted out a town which he named "Buena Vista" meaning "Beautiful View". It is thought that he did this in remembrance of relatives who had fought the Battle of Buena Vista in the Mexican-American War. The little town was situated on the Willamette River and his father built a ferry, which he initially ran, then turned over to his son to operate, known as Buena Vista Ferry [I've taken this ferry which is now operated using electric power. It is still a pretty crossing; when I took it at first, I had no idea as to the history or my connection with this ferry, back in the mid 1960's]. By 1860, Lawrence had married a young woman named Laura. She was from Missouri and only @16 yrs. of age when they wed. Lawrence was 20 yrs. of age and farming his own land claim in what was then the Lane Precinct of Polk County, Oregon. He had $400 cash when the census was taken on Aug 4th, 1860. Laura would bare three children during the three years she was married to Lawrence. James E. was born in 1860 (d.1879), Josie Edna was born in 1861/2 (d.1884) and Laura was born in 1863. Their mother, Laura, died Jan 20th, 1863 and was buried at Buena Vista Cemetery. Sad to say, her headstone is now in pieces, but says, in part, "Tred lightly for the ground is Holy." Lawrence did not remarry until two years later in 1865 when he married a woman named Rachel, b.1844, a native of Illinois, who had been married previously. By 1870, she had borne him three children in addition to caring for his children from his prior marriage. When the 1870 Census was taken on July 28th of that year, Lawrence was 30, still a farmer, with land valued at $1400, cash on hand of $735, and his 2nd wife, Rachel, his widowed mother Martha Hall, and children: James, age 9, Laura, age 7, Addie, age 5, Margret, age 4, and Lawrence Ellis age 2, living together on his donation land claim. By 1880, they had moved into a new dwelling in Dalles, Polk County, Oregon. Lawrence was now going by the 1st name of "Lark", a name he would use for some time. He was still farming but was also now a Sheriff. He and Rachel now had six children living in the home: Addie, 14, Ellis, 11, Clara, 9, and Annie, 7, were all in school, plus Dora, 4, and Opal, 2, who were the youngest when the Census was taken on Jun 11, 1880. No Census was taken in 1890, but in 1900, Lawrence and Rachel had moved to Monmouth in Polk County where he was now an Insurance Agent. Rachel stated that she was the mother of nine children, but only six were living. Four daughters were living in the home: Dora, b.Nov 1875, Opal, b.May 1878, and now a school teacher, Ethel, b.May 1881, also a school teacher, and Irma, b. Jan 1884, a student. [There would be no more children from what I can discern.] The 1900 Census was taken on June 6th, 1900. By 1910, Lawrence was again going by "Lark". He was now 70 yrs. of age and Rachel was 65, again stating she was the mother of nine children but only six were living. Dora, who was 34 yrs. of age and unmarried, lived with her parents on Jackson St. in N. Monmouth, Polk County, Oregon. Her father now stated he was a Laborer. The census was taken on Apr 15th, 1910. Lawrence "Lark" M. Hall died Dec 17th, 1919 at the age of 80 years old. He was buried at the same cemetery that held his parents, his 1st wife, many of his siblings and children, Buena Vista Cemetery in Buena Vista, Polk County, Oregon. Rachel continued to live with Dora in Buena Vista until her death the following year, on Feb 29th, 1920. She was then laid to rest at Buena Vista Cemetery also. Dora never married and died in 1954. She was buried at Buena Vista Cemetery and joined her parents in Paradise.