David Hall (ca. 1775/1779-1840) moved from Pennsylvania or Virginia to Mercer County, Kentucky, married widow Elizabeth (Ruble) Hale in 1800, and (after several moves) settled in Breckenridge County. Kentucky. Descendants and relatives lived in Kentucky, Tennessee, Arkansas, Oklahoma, Texas, Arizona, California and elsewhere.

The Republic of Texas has a vivid past - its ancestors ventured west to settle an uneasy land - from exploration by the Spaniards to war with the Mexican government and its declaration of independence in 1836. Read about these ancestor's stories through hundreds of biographies with photographs of most. A comprehensive index provides easy reference for genealogical research.

Surname also spelled Allan, Allin, Allyn, Allein, Alleyn, etc.

In distinctive, engaging prose, S. R. Martin Jr. crafts the story of his forebears and their westward journey, begun even before the great black migration that occurred around the two world wars. By narrating the struggles and triumphs of his family--both paternal and maternal--during their move west, he illuminates an under-studied facet of African American history. As Martin explains it, he and his brother "arrived on the scene at the confluence of these family streams in time to catch a ride to the shining sea." Students, scholars, and interested general readers of modern African American history and sociology will be greatly rewarded by reading this warm and vivid personal and family memoir.