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Below is a family biography included in the Biographical Annals of Montgomery County, Pennsylvania published in 1904 by T. S. Benham & Company and The Lewis Publishing Company; Elwood Roberts, Editor.  These biographies are valuable for genealogy research in discovering missing ancestors or filling in the details of a family tree. Family biographies often include far more information than can be found in a census record or obituary.  Details will vary with each biography but will often include the date and place of birth, parent names including mothers' maiden name, name of wife including maiden name, her parents' names, name of children (including spouses if married), former places of residence, occupation details, military service, church and social organization affiliations, and more.  There are often ancestry details included that cannot be found in any other type of genealogical record.

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JOSEPH S. HATFIELD, of Upper Pottsgrove township, was born there August 15, 1819. He is the son of Jacob and Eleanora (Skean) Hatfield.

Jacob Hatfield (father) was the son of John Hatfield, who married Miss Newberry. Mrs. Eleanora Hatfield (mother) died first, he surviving for many years and dying about 1874. They are both buried in Pottstown. They were members of the Lutheran church. At the time of his death he was eighty-six years of age. In politics he was a Democrat. The grandparents were buried in Berks county. Jacob Hatfield and wife had five children, as follows: Isaac, a farmer and shoemaker, married Mary Spotts, both being deceased, leaving two children; Rachel, married William Conway, they living in Philadelphia, where he was engaged as a hotel man, both being deceased, with one child surviving; Mary Ann, married William Yergey, they residing in Pottstown, where he was a carpenter and builder, both being deceased, and leaving several children to survive them: Joseph S., subject of this sketch, and one other child who died in early infancy.

Joseph S. Hatfield attended the schools of the vicinity until he had grown to manhood, when he engaged in stock raising, which occupation he followed for fourteen years, and then turned his attention to farming. During this time he also taught school in Douglass township. His efforts at farming were in Upper Pottsgrove.

Mr. Hatfield married in 1842 Miss Mary Derr, daughter of Jonathan Derr. Her parents lived in Douglass township, where they were engaged in farming. Both Mr. and Mrs. Derr have been deceased many years.

Mr. and Mrs. Joseph S. Hatfield have had four children, of whom three are now living, as follows: Ephraim, married Catharine Moser, they living in Pottstown, where he is engaged in one of the iron industries of that borough, they having five children; Mrs. Hatfield died and he married later Sophia Wise, by whom there are no children; Nathan (deceased), married Catharine Hartline, also deceased, three children surviving, who are living in Pottstown, and one living in Gilbertsville, he was also an iron worker; Eleanora D., married Peter Mauger (deceased), they having six children, and he was also an iron worker in Pottstown; Mary Ann, married Amos Baker, who is engaged as a farmer and saddler, they living on the old homestead and having eight children, of whom six are living. Mrs. Joseph S. Hatfield died in September, 1892, in the seventy- fourth year of her age, and was buried at Boyertown. She was a member of the Reformed church. Her death was due to an ailment of a dropsical nature. Mr. Hatfield is a Democrat in politics, and has been school director for many years. He has also filled the position of auditor and others for a number of years. In religion he is a Lutheran. In addition to farming the homestead Mr. Hatfield has built nearly all the new buildings in the neighborhood. He has also built three farm buildings and barns upon his own property.

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This family biography is one of more than 1,000 biographies included in the Biographical Annals of Montgomery County, Pennsylvania published in 1904 by T. S. Benham & Company and The Lewis Publishing Company.  For the complete description, click here: Biographical Annals of Montgomery County, Pennsylvania

View additional Montgomery County, Pennsylvania family biographies here: Montgomery County, Pennsylvania Biographies

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