THE HATFIELD FAMILY OF CAMPBELL COUNTY

Reprinted with Permission from Dallas Bogan.

My surname dictionary says that the name "Hatfield" is of English derivation, and is one that comes from the various places in England.

     Davis Hatfield, progenitor of the Hatfield family of Stinking Creek, was either born in Virginia or Tennessee, sometime between 1797 and 1802. He may have possibly been raised in Campbell County, Tennessee, although he first appears on the 1823 tax list. Davis's wife was Mary Pauley daughter of Revolutionary War soldier William Pauley and his wife, Margaret Munsey. The Pauleys removed from Southwest Virginia to Campbell County in 1807, so Mary was very possibly born in Virginia and moved to Tennessee as a small child.

     Davis and Mary's wedding took place around 1823, they having eight children. Their oldest child, Calvin Jerome Hatfield, was born about 1824. In sequence, the other children are listed as Obedience (Biddy), Margaret, Andrew, James, Joseph, Francis (Frankie), and Elizabeth.

     Mary Pauley Hatfield died sometime between the birth of Elizabeth and 1838. Davis Hatfield married for a second time on Oct. 4, 1838, to Elizabeth Walden. This couple appears in the 1840, 1850 and 1860 Campbell County census.

     Davis purchased a substantial amount of land in the Stinking Creek area of Campbell County. He was constantly in debt, however, he managed to acquire a 5,000 acre-tract of land on Stinking Creek from the State of Tennessee in August 1837, amounting to eight square miles of land. The property passed across Stinking Creek and over the top of Pine Mountain where I-75 passes today. The property line was adjacent to land owned by Jo. H. Delap, Jesse Bryant, and Isaac Bryant. The property today is known as the Hatfield-Bryant deed.

     Davis Hatfield, in 1841, posted a 5,100 acre tract as collateral against a $216 debt which was due. Evidently he paid the debt for the 1849 tax roll shows him as owning precisely 5,100 acres. Very shortly after he commenced selling off portions of his land to family members and others.

     The Hatfield children, during the 1840s and 1850s, married and began their own families. During the 1850s and 1860s the family was very close. With the exception of Frankie and John Davis, all of Davis Hatfield's children lived close to him.

      The 1850 census displayed a chronological order for the children.

     First to marry was Obedience (Biddy) who married, on November 26, 1844, to James B. Tackett. Their children were Margaret, Joseph, Lucy, Andrew, Elisabeth, Ewell and Lawrence.

     The oldest child, Calvin, married 14 year old Candia Bryant on April 29, 1845. Candia died sometime between 1856 and 1860. Their children were Alafore, who married Alvis K. Powers; Nancy B., who married Sylvester Davidson; Davis Wesley, who married Nancy Jane (Fields) Crabtree and Emma (Fields) Crabtree. The other children were Jasper, Mary and Samuel Greer Hatfield.

     On January 19, 1846, Margaret married Samuel Baker. They had seven children: Joseph P., Davis H., Calvin D., Mary J., Elisabeth, Hamilton and Cynthia.

     Second son Andrew Hatfield married Mary (Polly) Hatfield on May 31, 1847. Their children included Davis, Obedience, Samuel and James.

     Next, 14 year old Elizabeth Hatfield married Isaac Bryant, who already had several children of his own. They were married March 21, 1850.

     Son James Hatfield wed Nancy Broyles on May 1, 1851. Their children were Aaron, Calvin, Joseph and George.

     Daughter Frankie Hatfield married John Davis on Jan. 29, 1853.

     The 1860s began to see a dismantling of the family. This event could possibly have been due to the Civil War (1861-1865), or the death of the family progenitor, Davis Hatfield, who died circa 1865. After his death, Davis Hatfield's estate was sold to George Broyles to settle his debts.

     By 1860, Calvin's wife Candia had died. Also, Margaret's husband Samuel Baker died. James Hatfield had died by 1870. During this year Calvin had moved to Scott County, Virginia, and five of his oldest children were spread across Scott and Smyth counties.

     The 1870 census finds that Davis's widow, Elizabeth, was still living in Campbell County. Margaret Hatfield Baker was still living in the vicinity with her children. James Hatfield had died and his wife was still living in Campbell County with their children. Andrew and his family remained on their Stinking Creek land at this time, but was soon to sell his property in 1873.

     At this time, part of the land from the Hatfield-Bryant deed, including the Hatfield cemetery, is in the hands of George Reynolds, a second great-grandson of George Broyles. George Reynolds states that when he was a young child, his elderly aunt, who knew the Hatfield family, told him that only Hatfields and Bryants were buried in the cemetery. It is a relative possibility that Davis and Mary Pauley Hatfield are both buried there. Other possibilities of burials could be Candia Bryant, Calvin Hatfield's wife. Other clan members may also be interred there.

The writer is much indebted to Mike Curtis of North Carolina for submitting this material.