Sarah Hall

Sarah created illustrations to accompany the work of her husband, famous geologist and paleontologist James Hall (1811–1898). Little is known about Sarah’s early life, other than that her father was a lawyer from Troy, New York, and that she had at least one sister. Sarah married James in 1838, and they had four children.

Sarah created illustrations for two of James’ natural history publications, Geology of New York (part 4) and Paleontology of New York, which were published in 1843 and 1847. She is credited in various ways: as Mrs. Hall, Mrs. S.M. Hall, and, probably, S.M.H. Her sister, whose name is only recorded as Mrs. Brooks, also contributed drawings to Paleontology of New York. These state-sponsored works were part of the first geologic survey of New York. The survey helped scientists understand how New York’s environment changed over millions of years.

Sarah also pursued her own creative projects and published an illustrated book of poetry, Phantasia, and Other Poems, in 1849. Notably, her book of poetry was inscribed “to Lady Lyell . . . with sentiments of sincere regard and friendship.” Lady Lyell was Mary Horner Lyell (1808–1873), wife of famous British geologist Charles Lyell.

In the 1860s and 1870s, Sarah made trips to Europe, accompanied by one or more of her children. James traveled to Europe as well in 1872. Sarah and James eventually drifted apart, and Sarah moved into a separate house on their property. The reasons for this break are not completely clear. One account cites infidelity. Another account suggests that Sarah simply became more religiously devout and less invested in her husband’s work in her later years.

Despite her important scientific contributions, Sarah is barely mentioned in biographies of her famous husband and little has been written about her. No portraits or pictures of Sarah are known to exist. She died on April 25, 1895, and is buried with James in Albany Rural Cemetery in Menands, New York.

Works with illustrations by Sarah Aikin Hall

Hall, J. 1843. Geology of New York, part 4. Carroll and Cook, Albany. Link

Hall, J. 1847. Palaeontology of New York, vol. 1. C. Van Benthuysen, Albany. Link

Other works by Sarah Aikin Hall

Hall, Mrs. James. 1849. Phantasia, and other poems. George P. Putnam, New York. Link 

Biographical references & further reading

Anonymous. 2019. ARCE: Albany rural cemetery explorer: James Hall, Jr. (1811–1898) [SECTION 18 LOT 93]. Link

Aldrich, M. 1982. Women in paleontology in the United States, 1840–1960. Earth Sciences History 1: 14–22. Link

Blum, A.S. 1987. “A better style of art”: The illustrations of the Paleontology of New York. Earth Sciences History 6: 72–85. Link

Clarke, J. M. 1921. James Hall of Albany—Geologist and Paleontologist, 1811–1898. Albany. Privately printed, 565 pp. Link

Dott, R.H. 2005. James Hall Jr. 1811–1898. Biographical Memoirs 87: 1–19. National Academies Press, Washington, D.C. Link

Kohlstedt, S. G.1978. In from the periphery: American women in science, 1830–1880. Vol. 4, No. 1. Women, Science, and Society pp. 81–96 , University of Chicago Press. Link