Herbert Miller Wall

The Long brothers' great-grandfather.

How they’re connected
  1. Herbert Miller Wall
  2. ↓ Eleanor L. Wall
  3. ↓ Carol Perry Long
  4. ↓ John, Perry and Patrick Long

b. 1899 · d. Jan 1969

Great-grandfather of John, Perry and Patrick Long (generation 3)

Descent to the Long Brothers

Every generation, from the recorded chain. Each link shows its confidence; “record pending” marks a link that rests on the FamilySearch tree, with no record attached yet.

  1. great-grandfatherHerbert Miller Wall1899 – 1969LQYK-5LF●Verified
    link●SourcedThe 1940 and 1930 censuses name her as his daughter[1][2]
  2. grandmotherEleanor L. Wall1926 – 2013G8D9-8ZF●Verified
  3. Carol Perry Long
  4. John, Perry and Patrick Long

Sources for the marriages

  1. “United States Census, 1940,” database, FamilySearch, Herbert M Wall household, Ward 6, Newton, Middlesex, Massachusetts: wife Catherine L, daughter Eleanor L.
  2. “United States Census, 1930,” database, FamilySearch, Herbert Wall household, Newton, Middlesex, Massachusetts: wife Catherine, daughter Eleanor L, mother-in-law Bridget Thornton.

What the Records Show

Herbert Miller Wall was born at Boston on 15 December 1899, the son of William E. Wall and Mary E. Simpson. [1] He grew up in the Roslindale section of Boston, where the census found the family in 1900 and 1910, and in 1920 he was living with his parents in Revere. [2] [3] [4] He registered for the First World War draft at Winthrop, Massachusetts, under his full name, Herbert Miller Wall. [5]

By April 1925 he and his wife, Catherine, were living on Cummings Road, Newton Centre. [10] In 1930 they lived there with their daughters and Catherine's mother, Bridget Thornton; the family was in the same house in 1935 and 1940. [6] [7] Catherine died in August 1967, survived by her husband. [11] The Social Security Death Index records his death in January 1969, in Middlesex County. [8]

Family memory

In the family he is remembered as a tool-and-die maker, and as "tall, bald, a big man." He kept a rowing machine in the basement, and he warned the grandchildren that there were alligators in the toilet. [12]

Open questions

  • His birth date: two indexes give 15 December 1899, one gives 10 December. [1] [9] His marriage record is attached on FamilySearch but could not be read on the beta site.

Notes

  1. “Massachusetts Births, 1841–1915,” database, FamilySearch, Herbert Wall, 15 December 1899, Boston; father William E. Wall, mother Mary E. Simpson.
  2. “United States Census, 1900,” database, FamilySearch, Herbert M Wall, age 1, born December 1899, son, in the household of William E Wall, Roslindale, Boston Ward 23.
  3. “United States Census, 1910,” database, FamilySearch, Herbert M Wall, age 10, son, in the household of William E Wall, Boston Ward 23.
  4. “United States Census, 1920,” database, FamilySearch, Herbert M Wall, age 19, son, in the household of William Wall, Revere Ward 1.
  5. “United States World War I Draft Registration Cards, 1917–1918,” database, FamilySearch, Herbert Miller Wall, born 15 December 1899, registered at Winthrop, Massachusetts.
  6. “United States Census, 1930,” database, FamilySearch, Herbert Wall, age 30, head, Newton, with his wife Catherine and his mother-in-law Bridget Thornton.
  7. “United States Census, 1940,” database, FamilySearch, Herbert M Wall, age 40, head, Ward 6, Newton (same house in 1935).
  8. “United States Social Security Death Index,” database, FamilySearch, Herbert Wall, born 15 December 1899, died January 1969, Middlesex, Massachusetts.
  9. “Massachusetts Births and Christenings, 1639–1915,” database, FamilySearch, Herbert Wall, 10 December 1899, Boston; parents William E. Wall and Mary E. Simpson.
  10. Newton Graphic (Newton, Mass.), April 1925, Newton Centre notes: “Mr. and Mrs. Herbert M. Wall of Cummings road are rejoicing in the birth of a daughter.” archive.org
  11. Newton Graphic (Newton, Mass.), August 1967, funeral of Mrs. Katherine L. Wall, 71, of 63 Cummings Rd., Newton Centre, who died 1 August 1967: “She is survived by her husband, Herbert M. Wall.” archive.org
  12. Family recollection (oral history, Carol Perry Long, recorded 9 April 2026).

Photographs

Grandpa Wall, oval portrait
Grandpa Wall (Herbert Miller Wall) · undatedOval portrait, man with a handlebar mustache, suit. Back labeled “Grandpa Wall.” Herbert Miller Wall (1899–1969), identified in oral history, 9 Apr 2026.
Back of Grandpa Wall portrait
Grandpa Wall. Back · undatedReverse of the Grandpa Wall portrait. Handwritten: “Grandpa Wall.” Herbert Miller Wall, identified in oral history, 9 Apr 2026.

Source: Warren-Winter photo collection, family archive. The full collection is on Photos.

Life

Residence:
Roslindale, Boston, in 1900 and 1910; Revere in 1920.[1][2][3]
Event:
Registered for the First World War draft at Winthrop, Massachusetts.[4]
Residence:
Cummings Road, Newton Centre, by April 1925, and there through 1940; still living in Newton in 1967.[5][6][7][8]
  1. “United States Census, 1900,” database, FamilySearch, Herbert M Wall, age 1, born December 1899, son, in the household of William E Wall, Roslindale, Boston Ward 23.
  2. “United States Census, 1910,” database, FamilySearch, Herbert M Wall, age 10, son, in the household of William E Wall, Boston Ward 23.
  3. “United States Census, 1920,” database, FamilySearch, Herbert M Wall, age 19, son, in the household of William Wall, Revere Ward 1.
  4. “United States World War I Draft Registration Cards, 1917–1918,” database, FamilySearch, Herbert Miller Wall, born 15 December 1899, registered at Winthrop, Massachusetts.
  5. Newton Graphic (Newton, Mass.), April 1925, Newton Centre notes: “Mr. and Mrs. Herbert M. Wall of Cummings road are rejoicing in the birth of a daughter.” archive.org
  6. “United States Census, 1930,” database, FamilySearch, Herbert Wall, age 30, head, Newton, with his wife Catherine and his mother-in-law Bridget Thornton.
  7. “United States Census, 1940,” database, FamilySearch, Herbert M Wall, age 40, head, Ward 6, Newton (same house in 1935).
  8. Newton Graphic (Newton, Mass.), August 1967, funeral of Mrs. Katherine L. Wall, 71, of 63 Cummings Rd., Newton Centre, who died 1 August 1967: “She is survived by her husband, Herbert M. Wall.” archive.org

Family

Parents:
William Edward Wall L1YK-1BX; Mary Isabella Simpson L488-C4T
Spouse:
Catherine Louise Thornton G8Z2-KLP
Child on the line to the brothers:
Eleanor L. Wall G8D9-8ZF

Appears On

Sources

Mentioned On