Person:Mary Williams (553)

Mrs. Mary Hatfield, widow of Emanuel Hatfield, late of Owensburg, has been visiting her step-granddaughter, Mrs. J. W. Brandon, of this town, the past week. Her maiden name was Mary Williams. She was born in North Carolina, May 8, 1804; moved to Indiana with her parents in 1816 and settled in Lawrence County, near Salt Creek. She has been married twice. Her first husband's name was Edwards. They moved from Salt Creek to Martin County, near where Burns City now is. Mr. Edwards died in 1852. This country was a howling wilderness at the time Mrs. H. and her family settled here, and she is perfectly familiar with the hardships and privations of pioneer life. The Indians were here at the time of their coming. Wild deer, wild turkey, bear, wolves, and all the native wild animals were to be found in abundance in those days. Mrs. Hatfield is a well-preserved lady of ninety-three years. She can read without glasses, can hear quite well, is a fine conversationalist and very enlightening. She is able to narrate many jokes of bygone days, and remembers the scenes of seventy-five and eighty-five years ago much better than those of recent date. She and Emanuel Hatfield were married in 1854. They lived together on the hill at the west side of Owensburg from the time of their marriage until Mr. Hatfield died, since which time she has lived with her stepson, Jasper N. Hatfield, on a farm in Washington township. Mrs. Hatfield never had any children of her own, yet the affection between her and her stepchildren seeems to be as strong and warm-hearted as though they were her own. Aunt Mary is a good, jolly, kind-hearted old lady, dearly beloved by all her large circle of acquaintances. We all join in wishing that Aunt Mary may live way beyond a hundred years.

1.   The Old Hunter's Widow.

   The Bloomfield News (Bloomfield, Greene County, Indiana), vol. 21, no. 22 (30 April 1897), p. 5, col. 4.