My Genealogy Hound

A. H. Hatley is one of the representative business men of the county and was born in North Carolina on the 10th of July, 1832, being a son of Redin and Delphia (Kelley) Hatley, who were of English and Irish parentage and were born in the State of North Carolina. The Hatley family emigrated to the United States about 1770, as near as can be ascertained, and settled in North Carolina, from which State the paternal grandfather and his brothers are supposed to have enlisted in the Revolutionary War, being members of the American army. Redin Hatley was born in 1800, his wife two years later, and their deaths occurred in 1863 and 1842, respectively. The former was justice of the peace for many years in North Carolina, and although not an active politician he voted the Whig ticket. His wife was a member of the Christian Church, and of seven sons born to their marriage two are now living: A. H. and Henderson, who is a resident of this county. A. H. Hatley became the architect of his own fortune in 1851 and although his father was quite a wealthy man, being the owner of a number of slaves, he failed to educate any of his children, and as a consequence A. H. was obliged to earn his living as best he could. On the 22d of December, 1852, he landed in Randolph County, Ark., and four years later he made his first purchase of land, which embraced 160 acres, and on this farm he has since made his home, it now amounting to 173 acres. In addition to this he owns 120 acres of land on the Current River bottom and a one-half interest in eighty acres on the bay at Peru; also a one-half interest in a general mercantile establishment, which nets from $8,000 to $10,000 per annum, the stock of goods amounting to about $3,000. In 1888 he erected a fine cotton-gin at Maynard, and owns one-half of a gin in the bottoms, which annually turns out about 500 bales. In this enterprise he is one of the leading men in this section of the State, being also one of the largest property-holders. At the time of his arrival here he owned nothing, and has made his property by energy and shrewd management. He has been married twice, the first time to Miss Nancy Mitchell, by whom he became the father of two children: Julia A., who was born August 25, 1853, and James H., who was born October 14, 1855. Mrs. Hatley died August 25, 1858, six years after her marriage, and after living a widower one year Mr. Hatley married, September 18, Miss Mahulda Abbott. Elen L. (wife of Gus Reynolds, of Reno), born January 3, 1864; Mandy H., born October 15, 1866, died November 7, 1868; Naomi H., born November 29, 1869; Eli H., born October 2, 1872; August A. H., born July 18, 1875; Atlas H., born July 18, 1878, and Ivy H., born October 28, 1886, and three who died in infancy were their children. Mrs. Hatley was born in 1841. Mr. Hatley joined the Confederate army in September, 1862, enlisting in Company A, and was captured in January, 1863, at Van Buren, Ark., but was paroled after a short time and returned home. After remaining at home for about six months he was again forced into the service, and was with Price on his raid through Missouri and Arkansas. Since that time he has been engaged in the occupations named above, and is now one of the wealthy men of the county. He is a Democrat, and a member of the A. F. & A. M.; his wife belongs to the Christian Church.