More About Joseph Leonard Hall
From Dan Mohn Website:

Between 1889 and 1928 Occupation: preacher, farmer, store operator, and occasional postmaster at Craftsville (Millstone), KY. The store and post office were supposedly at the junction of the left and right forks of Millstone Creek, where the D. V. Bentley residence is now located, according to Robert Holbrook, who remembered visiting him there.

Between 7 Oct 1890 and 22 Jun 1892: served as the Millstone postmaster, Letcher Co KY. He was succeeded this role by the appointment of Arch C. Craft.

16 Jul 1907 to 17 Mar 1908: He was appointed postmaster of the Hilliard post office, Letcher Co KY. He succeeded Isabella Hall, who served from 20 Mar 1907 to 16 July 1907. He was succeeded as postmaster by Shade R. Combs on 17 Mar 1908.

About 1917: Joseph Leonard Hall was indicted and convicted of adultery, Letcher Co KY

23 Sept 1920 until his death Oct 1928: He was reappointed as the Millstone postmaster, Letcher Co KY. Irvin Collier was named as his successor on 22 November 1928.

To the left of his grave is that of his daughter, Pricy Hall. To the left of Pricy's grave is that of Lettie Craft Hall, his second wife. To the left of Lettie's grave is that of Joe's son Leonard S. Hall.Religion: a preacher of the Regular Primitive Baptist ChurchNote: He was a prominent "no-heller" preacher associated with the Three Forks of Powell River Association of "Regular Primitive Baptist". This small group or sub-sect of Baptists rejected the notion of "double predestination", believing rather that all humanity would the fullness of time be reconciled to God through Christ's redemptive acts. Their concept of " hell" focused on the ills that would befall unrepentent sinners during their corporal existence on earth. This obviously was a very controversial topic among other Baptist sects the region. As a result, he was involved several splits within Baptist congregations and associations the early years of the twentieth century.

I don't really understand the confusion about whether or not Joseph Leonard Hall committed suicide, because of the plain simple fact that he left a not for his son describing the reason and method of why and how he was going to kill himself, but this family apparently has put no stock those facts. The following is on Dan Mohn's site and is a partial excerpt from the Mt Eagle. It leaves out that one glaring fact:

The circumstances of the death of Joe Hall were reported the Mountain Eagle of 25 October 1928, as transcribed below.

Late Baptist Preacher and Post Master Kills Self

Word from Millstine (sic) reached town Saturday morning stating Joe H all, about sixty years of age and for about forty years occasionally a minister of the old Baptist Church had on the night before he shot himself, dying instantly. Why he had committed this act no one seems to know. (Except his son who had a suicide letter). His wife says that for some days he had been unwell and had been acting strange. About two o'clock the morning he arose from a fitful sleep, walked from the room to the outside and fired the fatal shot. Before she could reach him life was extinct. The ball entered his right temple and passed through his brain.

Joe Hall had been Postmaster at Millstone for a great number of years. An upright and strict business man, there was none better. He had been m arried as many as six times and leaves two or three still living wives. He also leaves a number of children.

Joe Hall belonged to an excellent family. Worry and broken health lead (sic) to his taking his own life. We extend sympathies to those left behind.

The attribution of his death as a suicide has long been disputed by members of his family. There were no signs of despondency. (no, just a detailed suicide letter) Further, he had reported to his son and daughter-in-law, Alvin and Mary Hall, one week earlier that the gun he always kept the store had been stolen.

A recollection by granddaughter Opal (Hall) Holbrook on 27 May 2004, the undertaker, Mr. Swisher, came to the home on Millstone and prepared the body for burial. The bullet was removed by Mr. Swisher and given to Joe's son, William Basil Hall. The bullet was of a caliber consistent with that of the missing gun.

Many family members have always asserted he was shot his bed through an open window. (Apparently this family is disregarding the suicide letter). The bullet reportedly passed through his head and lodged his arm, indicating the possibility that he was lying on his side with his arm resting under his head. However, the absence of obvious evidence or eyewitness statements, no further official investigations occurred.

The 1880 Pike County census lists the following for the household of Joseph Hall:

Joseph Hall, age 16, farmer, born KY, father born KY, mother born KY
Sarah (wife), 24

Census: 1 Jun 1900 Millstone, Letcher Co KY
Note: Joseph and Lettie E. Hall were enumerated the Millstone Magisterial D istrict (#2) of Letcher County, KY (p. 94A). The members of the household were listed as follows:
Joseph, head,W, H, born Mar 1864
Lettie E., wife, W, F, born Apr 1872
Minnie E., dau., W, F, born Apr 1882
Anzie, dau., W,F, born Oct 1883
Isabella, dau., W, F, born July 1885
Alven, son, W, M, born Aug 1887
Polly A., dau., W, F, born Sept 1890
Leonard B., son, W, F, born Dec 1891
Rachel V., dau., W, F, June 1894
Enoch M., son, W, M, Aug 1896
Nancy A., dau., W, F, Mar 1899
The census enumerator was Henry R. Yonts.

1900 Letcher Co KY Census Millstone District 2 ED 75
3 3 Hall Joseph Head W M Mar 1864 36 M 10 KY KY KY Farmer
3 3 Hall Lettie E Wife W F Apr 1872 28 M 10 5 5 KY KY KY
3 3 Hall Minnie E Daughter W F Apr 1882 18 S KY KY KY Farm Laborer
3 3 Hall Anzie Daughter W F Oct 1883 16 S KY KY KY Farm Laborer
3 3 Hall Ersabella Daughter W F July 1885 14 S KY KY KY Farm Laborer
3 3 Hall Alvin Son W M Aug 1887 12 S KY KY KY Farm Laborer
3 3 Hall Polly A Daughter W F Sept 1890 9 S KY KY KY
3 3 Hall Leonard B Son W M Dec 1891 8 S KY KY KY
3 3 Hall Rachel V Daughter W F June 1894 5 S KY KY KY
3 3 Hall Enoch M Son W M Aug 1896 3 S KY KY KY
3 3 Hall Nancy A Daughter W F Mar 1899 1 S KY KY KY

4 4 Hall William Head W M Apr 1869 31 M 12 KY KY KY Farmer
4 4 Hall Nancy R Wife W f Oct 1866 33 M 12 4 3 VA VA VA
4 4 Hall Jonas S Son W M Sept 1891 8 S KY KY VA
4 4 Hall Nancy J Daughter W F Mar 1894 6 KY KY VA
4 4 Hall Sarah S Daughter W F Mar 1896 4 S KY KY VA
4 4 Hall Pearl Daughter W F May 1898 2 S KY KY VA