Hall's Eagle Plow Works

In the 1870's, '80's and 90's, my Great-grandfather, James Houston Hall, Jr., his three brothers: Samuel, John and Will and their father, James H. Hall, Sr. went to New Orleans to represent their plow factory at the annual Industrial Exhibition. They displayed various plow models designed for peanut, cotton, sorghum and sugarcane farming through out the South and Caribbean and Central and South America. They usually stayed at the St. Charles Hotel in New Orleans until after Mardi Gras when, they returned to Maysville with plow orders which would keep the factory busy for most of the following year. This picture shows the very handsome display of plows at one of the the annual New Orleans Industrial Exhibitions. The James H. Hall or Eagle Plow Works died a natural death in the early years of 1900 when the four brothers failed to invest capital to convert their equipment (originally designed to be pulled by oxen, mules or horses) to operate with the 'new' motor driven tractors.

Thom Anderson Bob, the plow factory covered the block between Union St. and Houston Avenue. The names 'Houston Avenue' and 'Hall Alley' are from my Great-great-grandfather. Tommy, you are right. There were two plows originally on top of the Banner, I believe the larger one was named "Big Jim" and the smaller (one that remained longest) was "Little Jim." The larger one fell apart and was removed sometime in the late '50's or early 60's. Ben Breslin probably knows about the smaller one. My uncle, Thomas J. Hall retrieved some bolts from the remains of "Big Jim" and had several gold plated and gave them to family members as gifts.

From a Facebook post by Thom Anderson