Individuals marked with a red dot are direct ancestors of L Robinson

Whitcomb, Jemina (b. 24 Feb 1716)

Note: NOTES: bp may be Colchester, New London, Connecticut or Hebron, Tolland, CT.

Note: NOTES: bp may be Colchester, New London, Connecticut or Hebron, Tolland, CT.

Note: NOTES: bp may be Colchester, New London, Connecticut or Hebron, Tolland, CT.

Note: NOTES: bp may be Colchester, New London, Connecticut or Hebron, Tolland, CT.

Note: NOTES: bp may be Colchester, New London, Connecticut or Hebron, Tolland, CT.

Note: NOTES: bp may be Colchester, New London, Connecticut or Hebron, Tolland, CT.

CHILDREN: Isreal WHITCOMB and Mary ROWLEY had at least six kids. Can get this info from Marianne.

Note: MARRIAGE: Indiana Marriage Through 1850, http://www.statelib.lib.in.us/tango/marriage/ ;
John Smead married Rachel Notestine on 29 Feb 1840 in Allen Co, IN.

DEATH: A Collection of Cemetery Inscriptions, Allen Co., IN, 977.274 V22d by Mary Penrose Wayne Chapter NSDAR, p 286, Squire Hatfield Cemetery, Washington Twp. sec 21; Rachel Smead, 1818-1888.

CENSUS:
1880 Census; Washington, Allen, Indiana
Source: FHL Film 1254264 National Archives Film T9-0264 Page 262A
Enumerated with husband, son, and 2 grandsons;
Rachel SMEED Wife F M W 62 OH
Occ: Keeper House Fa: DE Mo: KY.


SOURCE-BIRTH-DEATH-SPOUSES: Theresa Coleman (Rachael Hatfield b 1818 d 1888 + Emanuel Notestine, 2nd huspand John N. Smead); URL http://www.visi.com/~ghat/hatftree.htm.

SOURCE: Wes Archer, prcomp@newsguy.com, Oct 1998; Rachel Hatfield, b 1818, Montgomery Co, OH; d 10 May 1888, Allen Co, IN; m Emanuel Notesting, m2 John M. Smead.

Note: of Rowley

Note: DEATH-CONFLICT: Date is either 24 Feb 1877 or 19 Mar 1877.

NAME-CONFLICT: First name is either Mary or Maria.

Note: NOTES: This probably is NOT the right father for our Thomas Hatfield b 1791.

BURIAL: Montgomery County, Ohio Cemetary Inscriptions; 977.172 V2m; Sugar Creek Baptist Cem., Washington Twp; p 66, row 9, no. 19; buried by wife and dau;
Hatfield, Thomas Sr. d 14 Sep 1838, 76y 10m 16d.

WILL: Montgomery County, Ohio Wills 1805-1850; 977.172 P28m;
p 100; Thomas Hatfield, will (Bk. C pg 227); Exec Owen Hatfield; Sec. Jeremiah A. Watkins and James Russell. Wife Sarah, son Owen, grson Thomas s/o son John dec'd, & grson Thomas s/o Samuel dec'd; Aug 2 1839; #1582 p 51).
p 67; listed as a witness for son Thomas Hatfield Jr; June 23 1830.

SOURCE-NAME-BIRTH-SPOUSE: Theresa Coleman (Thomas Hatfield b ca 1770); URL http://www.visi.com/~ghat/hatftree.html ; 2/98; Theresa Coleman's records had that the parents of Tho. Hatfield b 1791 were Thomas Hatfild b ca 1770 and Sarah Allen b ca 1770; this is now believed to be inaccurate.

SOURCE: Barbara, E-mail Nbtmhoc@aol.com, 8/98, b 24 Aug 1762 in Delaware, d 14 Sep 1838 in Montgomery Co, OH, m Sara Allen; children: Elizabeth, John, Jeremiah, Wheatley, Sarah, William, Thomas (b 1803), Samuel, Owen, Samuel, and Morgan; this appears to be a different Thomas than ours.

BRITH-CONFLICT: Source on internet has birthday of 25 Jun 1762 in Delaware, death date same at 14 Sep 1838; donald-hester@bigfoot.com, found in search of http://www/ancestry.com on 2 Nov 1999.

NOTES: Barbara has one obscure reference that the family was originally from Wales, but a researcher said she believed the family was originally named Hartfield and not from Wales at all. Barbara descends from Thomas's son Jeremiah. The family is one of the pioneer families of Centerville, Ohio. Another obscure reference stated that Thomas traveled through Virginia and the Carolinas after the Revolutionary War, but she has no proof of either.

On 28 Aug 1998, Barbara writes:
I had not looked closely at your descendancy chart until I had sent mine to you - but was immediately struck by the date of birth for your Thomas2. So I have dug through my notes and have come to the conclusion that your Thomas2 was probably not the son on Thomas and Sarah. Especially if he was born in Delaware. I would say that he was more likely a nephew. What excites me is that he was born in Delaware. Maybe the clue I have been looking for. Here is what I have on Thomas, Sr.
Thomas Hatfield, Sr. b. c. Aug. 24, 1762 - Tombstone inscription states d. 14 Sep 1838 76y 21d

Marriage Record of Mason County Kentucky 1789-1793, 1797-1803 lists: Hatfield, Thomas and Sarah Allen (age 21), April 29, 1791 John Hannah, B; Silvanus Allen, B (B supposedly =3DBrother some question about John Hannah?)

So, if your Thomas2 was born 19 Nov 1791 (a little more than six months later) he becomes suspect as being Thomas & Sarah's son although we all know the saying that the first child can come any time. And if your Thomas2 was born in Delaware there again is a problem. From all indications, Thomas and Sarah stayed in Kentucky until they moved to Ohio around 1800. They were on the Mason County, Kentucky tax records from 1791 to 1799. Of course, this just means they owned the land, not that they actually lived there.

BIOGRAPHY: The History of Montgomery County, Ohio; 1882; 977.172 H2h pt.2; Washington Township p 265;
"THOMAS HATFIELD
"...born in a log cabin which stood near the site of his present home. His paternal grandfather, Thomas Hatfield, was a native of Delaware, of Welsh descent, served as a drummer boy in the Revolutionary war, and ever afterward was a staunch hater of the English flag and government, which he believed was symbolic of tyranny and oppression. His brothers, John and Samuel, were killed in that struggle for liberty, one at the battle of the Cowpens and the other at Greenbrier C. H. Thomas married Sarah Allen, a native of Culpeper County, Va., but a resident of Kentucky at the time of her marriage. After the Revolutionary war closed with the surrender of Cornwallis at Yorktown, Thomas traveled through Virginia, Maryland, North and South Carolina, Tennessee and into Kentucky, where he was married and lived until 1801, when he and family came to Montgomery County, Ohio, and enter the land now owned by his grandson, Thomas. By his union with Sarah Allen our subject's grandfather became the father of nine children, of whom John, the father of Thomas, Jr., the second child, was born in Mason County, Ky in November, 1793."

In the book A Sense of Place by Centerville Historical Society, in a section on the John Hatfield House the following statements are made:

After the war, Thomas settled in Mason County, Kentucky, where he met Sarah Allen, a native of Culpepper County, Virginia. They were married on April 29, 1791. Elizabeth, the first of their ten children, was born in 1792; and John, their first son, was born in 1793.

Barbara writes:
I have that Elizabeth was born 7 Feb 1792 although the date was taken from a researcher someone had hired. It didn't state where she got the info. If she was truely born on that date - your Thomas2 was born in Nov of 1791 then he doesn't fit in.

Do you know where Thomas2 and Elizabeth Archer were married. I show no marriage for them in Montgomery Co., Ohio although several other Hatfield boys married Archer girls.

By the way, I take it you live near the Allen County Library in Indiana. Went there to research several years ago and would like to go back some time. I, myself , grew up in Ohio and am now living in Kansas.
I'm glad to find another researcher. Going over this info helps me keep my own records straight. Part of what I pulled out was some info that speculated on Thomas1's parents. Got to go through that and see if I can make heads or tails of it.
Barbara

On Aug 29, 1998, Barbara writes:
I had also sent a copy of my descedant charts to tcoleman. I have never heard back, so I don't know what the response might be.

Several items on the pesky Hatfields you might keep in mind while doing your research. (Maybe we can straighten this out yet). When Thomas and Sarah settled in Montgomery Co., Ohio, they were there before the federal gov. decided to plat the area and start selling. Thomas had preempted rights to the Symmes Land Purchases in 1801. He was the only Hatfield listed as such. But, in 1802, Owen Hatfield and 1804, William Hatfield were entered for land patents. A good guess that these were Thomas1's cousins and one of them your Thomas's father.

There is a school of thought that the Hatfield line follows as such:

Two Hatfields came to the US in the 1600's. They were Thomas and Mathias. Their father may have been Thomas Hatfield of Leyden, Holland who according to Leyden records was from England. (That statement needs some clarifying.) They resided in New York for a while and show children being baptized in the Dutch Reformed Church of NY.
Mathias took the oath of allegiance in New Haven, Conn. and settled in Elizabethtown, NJ. Mathias and wife Mary(Maria) had the following children: Isaac, Cornelius, Abraham.

Thomas settled in NY. There is no oath of allegiance found for him. Children for Thomas and Alice had children - Catharine, Thomas2 and Peter.

Thomas2 and Eunice had: Abraham, Gilbert
Peter had: Peter, Joshua, Thomas (not mentioned in father's will?), Jacob and Isaac.

It is thought that Thomas2's descendants are the one's who went to Delaware.

There are two wills in Delaware that may lead to our families.

William Hatfield - yeoman - will made July 25, 1795. Heirs: wife Mary; sons Levi, William, Jonathan, Levin, Wheatly, Nathan, Owen, Betsy, Mary and Sary. Wits., John Hatfield, William Hatfield and Thomas Davis (very important name.) Probate June 5, 1797

John Hatfield - adms to Thomas Hatfield. Nov. 12, 1788. Heirs, James & Thomas Hatfield, Sarah Whitby and Anne Davis. (See Thomas in above will.)

Montgomery Co., OH - Thomas Davis of Delaware, died Nov. 1803. wife was Hannah Hatfield. Hannah and Anne are probably the same person. Hannah married John Price, a native of Delaware, in Greene Co., Ohio. Hannah's and Thomas's children were named Sarah, James, Hannah and Levi (the same reoccurring names.) At Hannah's death, James, Hannah and Levi chose Levin Hatfield as their guardian. Hannah was buried in the Centerville Cemetery in Montgomery Co., Ohio - the same cemetery used by a large portion of the Hatfields.

Going back to land entries and the Delaware wills (if we can ever prove all this) you see that it appears that William's children ( William, Jr., Owen, Levin) are the ones who came to settle with John's children (Thomas and Hannah Hatfield Davis) in Centerville, OH.

What great luck that you're close to Salt Lake. My husband keeps asking when I'm planning a research trip out there. Hope we can find proof to connect all this together. Now that I have all this put together, it looks like a great place to start researching again. I'll definitely keep you informed as I feel we must be cousins so many generations removed. Hope you will do the same. Feel free to bounce any questions off me - it keeps me on the right track.

Barbara
Kansas City

Note: !SOURCE-BIRTH-WIFE-CHILDREN-CENSUS: 1850 Census of Pennsylvania, Wyoming county, Washington Township; Roll M432 #838, PG 22, LN 37;
#298 H Fletcher 36 M b England (1814) farmer worth $2000;
Lydia 29 F NJ (1821);
John 11 M PA (1839);
William 9 M PA (1841);
Hannah 6 F PA (1844);
Rachael 5 F PA (1845);
?Doug 2 M PA (1848);
Sarah 1 F PA (1849);
#289 page 021
Hannah 63 F PA (1787) deaf;
Jame 27 M PA farmer worth $2000.
CENSUS:
1880 Census; Elgin, Kane, Illinois
Source: FHL Film 1254218 National Archives Film T9-0218 Page 261B
Relation Sex Marr Race Age Birthplace
Henry FLETCHER Self M M W 66 ENG
Occ: Farmer Fa: ENG Mo: ENG
Lydia FLETCHER Wife F M W 60 NJ
Occ: Keeping House Fa: NJ Mo: NJ
Charles FLETCHER Son M S W 18 IL
Occ: At Home Fa: ENG Mo: NJ.

NOTE: Henry Fletcher b 1813 Cambridgeshire England d May 23, 1886, Elgin, Kane, IL, info on children John, William, Hannah, Rachael, Louis D, Sarah, and "not sure" on James b 1852, Charles b 1862, Byron, Edward, and Lydia; info from kmariehall@email.com, Karen Hall, 2 Jun 2000; she writes that most of this information was given her by her Grandfather and letters and post cards in a truck that belonged to his Aunt Nell Fletcher.

SOURCE: Bonnie Fletcher Eggert; http://hometown.aol.com/blgert; Blgert@aol.com, as of Nov 2000.
HENRY3 FLETCHER (WILLIAM2, WILLIAM1) was born 12 Dec 1814 in Wisbech, Cambs, England, and
died 23 May 1886 in Elgin, Kane, IL. He married LYDIA MARIA VAN AUKEN 03 May 1838, daughter of
JOHN VAN AUKEN and RACHEL ROSENKRANS. She was born 04 Dec 1817 in Walpack, Sussex, NJ,
and died 24 May 1892 in Elgin, Kane, IL.
Children of WILLIAM FLETCHER and LYDIA VAN AUKEN are:
12. i. JOHN WESLEY4 FLETCHER, b. 17 Jul 1839, Pennsylvania; d. 13 Jun 1904, Elgin, Kane, IL.
13. ii. WILLIAM FLETCHER, b. 29 Apr 1841, Wyoming Co., PA; d. 13 Aug 1904.
14. iii. HANNAH FLETCHER, b. 30 Sep 1843, Pennsylvania.
15. iv. RACHEL S. FLETCHER, b. 03 Oct 1845, Pennsylvania; d. 17 Dec 1871, Kane County, IL.
16. v. LEWIS FLETCHER, b. 29 Dec 1847, Pennsylvania.
17. vi. SARAH FLETCHER, b. 16 Aug 1849.
18. vii. JAMES FLETCHER, b. 16 Jul 1851, Illinois.
19. viii. LYDIA FLETCHER, b. 16 Oct 1853, Udina, Kane, IL.
20. ix. BYRON WESLEY FLETCHER, b. 01 Dec 1856, Udina, Kane, IL.
x. GEORGE EDWARD FLETCHER, b. 19 Feb 1859, Udina, Kane, IL; m. ADELLA "DELLA"
BOGUE, 15 Mar 1882 b. Abt. 1859, Plato. Kane, IL; d. 25 Dec 1889, Elgin, Kane, IL.
xi. CHARLES FLETCHER, b. 19 Aug 1861, Udina, Kane, IL; d. 16 Jul 1893, Elgin, Kane, IL.

Note: BIRTH: from New Jersey, based on 1850 census of self, and 1880 Census of daughter Hannah, listing birth place of mother.

!INFO SOURCES:
1850 CENSUS; Address; Washington Twp., Wyoming Co., PA.
29 in 1850. Enumerated with her husband and children.
Roll M432 #838, PG 22, 38.
1880 Census; Elgin, Kane, Illinois
Source: FHL Film 1254218 National Archives Film T9-0218 Page 261B
listed with husband & son Charles;
Lydia FLETCHER Wife F M W 60 NJ
Occ: Keeping House Fa: NJ Mo: NJ.

NOTE: Lydia Vanauken b dec 4, 1817/21, Essex Co. NJ d may 24, 1892; info from kmariehall@email.com, karen hall, 2 Jun 2000.

Note: !INFO SOURCES:
1850 CENSUS; Address; Washington Twp., Wyoming Co., PA.
11 in 1850. Enumerated with parents.
Roll M432 #838, PG 22, LN 39.
1880 Census; Elgin, Kane, Illinois
Source: FHL Film 1254218 National Archives Film T9-0218 Page 322B
Relation Sex Marr Race Age Birthplace
John FLETCHER Self M M W 40 PA
Occ: Teamster Fa: ENG Mo: NJ
Rachel FLETCHER Wife F M W 37 NY
Occ: Keeping House Fa: VT Mo: NY
Frank FLETCHER Son M S W 11 IL
Occ: Att School Fa: PA Mo: NY
Oliver FLETCHER Son M S W 9 IL
Fa: PA Mo: NY
Anna FLETCHER Dau F S W 7 IL
Fa: PA Mo: NY.

Note: !INFO SOURCES:
1850 CENSUS; Address; Washington Twp., Wyoming Co., PA.
9 in 1850. Enumerated with parents.
Roll M432 #838, PG 22, LN 40.
LAST UPDATE: 28 Mar 1994.

CENSUS:
1880 Census; Johnson Creek, Saline, Nebraska
Source: FHL Film 1254755 National Archives Film T9-0755 Page 47D
Relation Sex Marr Race Age Birthplace
William FLETCHER Self M M W 39 PA
Occ: Farmer Fa: ENG Mo: NJ
Mary J. FLETCHER Wife F M W 26 IL
Occ: Keeping House Fa: WALES Mo: WALES
Walter FLETCHER Son M S W 5 IL
Fa: PA Mo: IL
Nellie FLETCHER Dau F S W 3 IL
Fa: PA Mo: IL
Cora FLETCHER Dau F S W 10M NE
Fa: PA Mo: IL.

NOTE: Birthday of apr 29 1841, Wyoming, PA d aug 10, 1904 Friend NE, m Mary J Owens oct 26, 1873 b 10 Aug 1854, Galena, IL; info from kmariehall@email.com, karen hall, 2 Jun 2000.

Note: CENSUS:
1880 Census; Johnson Creek, Saline, Nebraska
Source: FHL Film 1254755 National Archives Film T9-0755 Page 47D
listed with husband and 3 children;
Mary J. FLETCHER Wife F M W 26 IL
Occ: Keeping House Fa: WALES Mo: WALES.

NOTE: Birthday of apr 29 1841, Wyoming, PA d aug 10, 1904 Friend NE, m Mary J Owens oct 26, 1873 b 10 Aug 1854, Galena, IL; info from kmariehall@email.com, karen hall, 2 Jun 2000.

Note: !INFO SOURCES:
1850 CENSUS; Address; Washington Twp., Wyoming Co., PA.
5 in 1850. Enumerated with parents.
Roll M432 #838, PG 22, LN 41.
LAST UPDATE: 28 Mar 1994.

SOURCE: Bonnie Fletcher Eggert; http://hometown.aol.com/blgert; Blgert@aol.com, as of Nov 2000.
SARAH3 FLETCHER (WILLIAM2, WILLIAM1) was born in Wisbech, Cambs, England, and died 26 Apr
1880 in Wisconsin. She married BEDER WOOD. He died 07 Apr 1882.
Children of SARAH FLETCHER and BEDER WOOD are:
i. DON4 WOOD, d. in Civil War.
ii. ABNER WOOD, d. Civil War, shot through the head during battle in his first assignment.
iii. BEDER WOOD, d. California.
21. iv. SARAH WOOD,
22. v. ADELAIDE WOOD.

Note: 1850 CENSUS; Address; Washington Twp., Wyoming Co., PA.
1 in 1850. Enumerated with parents.
Roll M432 #838, pg. 22.

NOTE: Sarah b 1849/1850 d mar 3 1869, m Charles Fisher; info from kmariehall@email.com, karen hall, 2 Jun 2000.

Note: CENSUS:
1880 Census; Johnson Creek, Saline, Nebraska
Source: FHL Film 1254755 National Archives Film T9-0755 Page 54A
Relation Sex Marr Race Age Birthplace
Lewis FLETCHER Self M M W 30 PA
Occ: Farmer Fa: ENG Mo: NJ
Ema FLETCHER Wife F M W 26 CAN
Occ: Keeping House Fa: CAN Mo: CAN
May FLETCHER Dau F S W 8 IL
Fa: PA Mo: CAN
Albert FLETCHER Son M S W 4 IL
Fa: PA Mo: CAN
Emma FISHER MotherL F W W 60 CAN
Fa: PA Mo: PA
Cooper BLOW Other M S W 23 IL
Occ: Farmer Fa: CAN Mo: CAN
Lee OVERMAN Other M S W 25 IL
Occ: Fruit Tree Agent Fa: OH Mo: OH.

Note: CENSUS:
1880 Census; Johnson Creek, Saline, Nebraska
Source: FHL Film 1254755 National Archives Film T9-0755 Page 54A
listed with husband Lewis FLETCHER, daughter May, son Albert, mother Emma FISHER;
Ema FLETCHER Wife F M W 26 CAN
Occ: Keeping House Fa: CAN Mo: CAN.

SOURCES-NOTES from Marianne:
You missed son Lewis, b abt 1850 (he was 30 in 1880 census of Johnson Creek Pct., Saline Co., NE, page 17). The 1880 census has his parents as father, b PA, mother, b NJ. He was living next door to Edward Whitcomb, and had Emma (I suppose that was his wife), age 26, who was b. in Canada of a father b. in NJ and a mother born in Canada; daughter Mary, age 8, and Son, age 4. Also present in the home is Emma Fisher, 60, the mother-in-law, born in Canada. Her parents were from PA. I for some reason didn't bother to write down the place of birth of the two kids to see if Emma is the mother, but she is old enough to have been (if married when she turned 18).

NOTE: another source lists wife as Sarah FISHER; kmariehall@email.com, karen hall, 2 Jun 2000.

Note: !MARRIAGE: Supplemental Record Marriage Transcript, Allen Co, IN 1824-1920, vol 11 f-K.

DEATH: A Collection of Cemetery Inscriptions, Allen Co., IN, 977.274 V22d by Mary Penrose Wayne Chapter NSDAR, p 283, Squire Hatfield Cemetery, Washington Twp. sec 21; Benjamin Hatfield, died July 16, 1885, aged 64 yrs, 8 m, 18 d.

CENSUS:
1840 Census, Allen Co, Indiana, roll 23, p 35, ln 2; Benjamin Archer, 1 m under 5, 1 m 20-30, 1 f under 5, 1 f 5-10, 1 f 20-30; but if Benjamin didn't get married to Melinda until 1845, this may not be him, plus he was only 19 in 1840, making it unlikely he had two children by then.

1850 Washington Twp, Allen Co, Indiana; #0007748, roll 135, copy 432, p 143, dwelling 917; ln 23, enumerated with wife Melinda, children Rachel and William;
23 Benjamin Hatfield, age 29 male, Farmer, born Ohio.

1860 Washington Twp, Allen Co, Indiana; 7 Jun 1860, film #0803243, roll 243, copy 653, p 253, ln 22, enumerated with wife Melinda and six children all b IN, Rachel 13, William 11, James 9, John 7, Martha 5, Elmira 3;
22 Benjamin Hatfield, age 39 male, Farmer, value of real estate $1,300, value of personal estate $800, born Ohio.
Note: Living next door to father Thomas and his second wife Catharine.

1870 Washington Twp, Allen Co, Indiana; 15 Jul 1870, #0545797, p 22, ln 20-28; enumerated with wife Malinda 49 b OH, and 7 children, all b IN, William 22 machinist?, James 19 works on farm?, John 17, Martha 16, Elmira 14, Mary E 9, Henry 7;
20) Hatfield, Benjamin, age 49, W, M, Farmer, b Ohio, citizen.
1880 Census; Washington, Allen, Indiana, 14 June 1880, ED 106, pg 23;
Source: FHL Film 1254264 National Archives Film T9-0264 Page 267C
Relation Sex Marr Race Age Birthplace
William HATFIELD Self M M W 59 OH
Occ: Farmer Fa: DE Mo: KY
Molinda HATFIELD Wife F M W 59 OH
Occ: Keeper House Fa: OH Mo: MD
James HATFIELD Son M W 29 IN
Occ: Farmer Fa: OH Mo: OH
John HATFIELD Son M W 27 IN
Occ: On Farm Fa: OH Mo: OH
Elmira HATFIELD Dau F W 22 IN
Occ: House Keeper Fa: OH Mo: OH
Maregette HATFIELD Dau F W 20 IN
Occ: House Keeper Fa: OH Mo: OH
Henry HATFIELD Son M W 17 IN
Occ: At School Fa: OH Mo: OH.

BIOGRAPHY: History of Allen County, Indiana with Illustrations and Biographical Sketches of Some of its Prominent Men and Pioneers; pub in 1880; 977.274 H2h; p 179, under Washington Twp;
BENJAMIN HATFIELD
"was born October 28, 1820, in Montgomery County, Ohio, and came with his parents to Allen County, Ind., in the sixth year of his age. Until nine years of age, he had never been permitted to attend a school of any kind, and at that age received his first insignt into the mysteries of the primer, in a log schoolhouse, presided over by Alexander Waldron -- a man whose deficient acquirements were lost in the love entertained for him by his scholars. Through themedium of the "subscription schools" then in vogue, young Hatfield acquired a fair knowledge of the elementary branches, and, for his subsequent education, is indebted to his own efforts. He was fond of reading, and never lost an opportunity of improving his mind by the perusal of such books as it were possible to obtain.
"His school life covered a short period in the summer, while he was still to young to be of servide in the economy of the home farm. As he grew older, he becmae a necessity to his father, and proved himself a valuable assistant -- thus drifting naturally into a knowledge of farming,a nd adopting that occupation, almost unconsciously, as his occupation in life.
"August 14, 1845, he was untied in marriage to Miss Malinda Valentine, a native of Franklin County, Ohio, and daughter of John and Susanna Valentine, who were among the pioneers of that county. She has been to him a helpmeet indeed, and a loving wife. A kind Providence has borborne to sever a union so happily formed, and their silvery locks are crowned with a halo of mutual devotion. Eight children came to bless his home and gather at evening in a happy group about the fireside. Their names are Rachel, William, James, John, Martha, Elmira, Mariette and Henry, all of whom are now living. All have reached maturity, and some have become heads of families. As the infirmities of age begin to tell upon the father, his sons -- young men -- have assumed the management of the farm, thereby relieving him of all manual labor.
"Mr. Hatfield is one of the oldest living settlers int he township, and has been an interested observer of its growth and improvement. He resides at the old homestead, and has a farm of 232 acres, well improved.
"He has never been a politician, and invariably declined all proffered positions of public service.
"Although not identified with any religious body, he has been a cheerful contributor to the building and maintenance of churches; and his moral example in life is one thoroughly worthy of emulation."

SOURCE-NAME-BIRTH-DEATH-SPOUSE: Theresa Coleman (Benjamin Hatfield b 28 Oct 1820, Montgomery Co, Ohio, d 16 Jul 1885, Fort Wayne, Indiana + Melinda Valentine b 16 Mar 1821, Franklin Co, Ohio, d 25 Jan 1907, Fort Wayne, Indiana); URL http://www.visi.com/~ghat/hatftree.htm ; E-mail tcoleman@radio.org; last updated 8/98.