One of the family members my great-grandfather communicated with about our family history was Rev. W. A. "Gus" Hall.  Most of the letters I have are shared between Gus and Claiborne II.

Gus Hall's response is transcribed below, along with the images of the letter.

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107 Glenway St.,
Jackson, Miss., Aug. 29, 1961

My dear Claiborne,

Thank you for your letter of 21st and the enclosed. How I do appreciate your writing to me, and how I have enjoyed reading everything. Do try to come to the McDonald's reunion this Sunday, Sept. 3, at McDonald's Chapel three miles from Collins. Get there by 11 a.m. as I am to preach at that hour. I would think that you had very much to come to Hattiesburg, Collins. You went from Collins to the church. You have stirred me and Sam as cousins to see you, and see what we can learn from one another. I am so sorry that I didn't learn something of our McDonalds before my grandmother died at my house 33 years ago. I have wanted to know of them. I have read a few of the great grandparents of the Dales, and Evans on my father's side, and of the great grandparents on my grandmother's side, but know nothing of the McDonalds. Do you know if grandfather McDonald had any brothers or sisters? This is about all that I knew when my mother Effie McDonald was twelve years old, she carried some fresh water to her father, a farmer, who was ploughing, and she found him dead between the plough handles. Today, I'd say heart attack.

I do not know his name. I think he was known as Sandy McDonald. My grandmother was Elizabeth McRae. They had seven children - Samuel, who is buried at McDonald's Cemetery near the church where the reunion is to be held Sunday. He and the oldest of his children might have it covered, but the younger ones do not know it. Then there was John, Alex, Neal. Neal never married. He and both of his parents are buried near Mt. Olive. The girls were Janet, the second wife of my grandfather, Dr. A. H. Hall. Mary, the second wife of my grandfather, Dr. A. H. Hall. Belinda whose husband was Wm. Barnes, and my mother Effie. I know all the descendants of theirs and of the McRaes, but most of the McDonalds - and how I'd love to know of them. There are to be some McDonalds in some of Jasper counties that may be related. Clarence's son was a dentist and married Hattie Evans, Ben Jane Evans, my grandmother's daughter. My mother was born June 24, 1844, my father March 17, 1845. They married on Dec. 25, 1865, after the Civil War when he served for three years, being married in 1865. My oldest sister was born Nov. 21, 1866. She and her husband Dr. J.B. Harper are buried in Hattiesburg. Congressman R. L. Hall, my brother, two years younger than I. Judge Franklin Hall of H'Burg is his oldest son. My father was appointed Chancery and Circuit Court (combined) in April '74 three months after I was born at Mt. Carmel. In the first 18 years

of my life was spent in Williamsburg. Congressman R. L. Hall's son Edward works at the old house in H'Burg. I suppose it was sentimental reasons. The fields where McDonald's lived when in time Mrs. Sam McDonald died. Lived in old home now gone. Mrs. Sam McDonald lived, buried here. Some of the best people in that country. Then it was Uncle Sam McDonald, father of McDonald's at McDonaldville. Uncle Sam was called this his two sons were known as Uncle Sam and Uncle Sam Jr. Some of the best friends of Sam McDonald's children were Hattie, Deane, Laura, Marion, and others. I do not know why I did not know of your father. My grandfather was at Trenton, Smith Co., Jan. 1901-8. Mrs. Hester, Vernon's grandmother, raised pigs and very seldom preached more than three times, preaching sometimes. She is now 85. She is the law of my church required me to retire after I had been pastor of the Prentiss Memorial Presbyterian Church for 17 years. Was ordained a Presbytery at Central Mississippi Jan. 11, 1902. I have been blessed with six years and 300 voices, and preached somewhere about every Sunday for years, and then being at the Prentiss Memorial Presbyterian Church every Sunday. Now I hope that I can be looking right in your face. The Halls are near Mt. Carmel. Come to see me, and we will talk together. Love, Gus Hall

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