Edsel Hatfield

Ancestors

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Biography

Edsel Arthur Hatfied was born in East Alton, Madison County, Illinois to Ora Ezrah Hatfield and Catherine (Warren) Hatfield.

At the age of one, Edsel's father abandoned his wife Catherine and son Edsel and moved to Kane, Greene County, Illinois. Ora divorced Catherine on 21 March 1921.

1920 United States Federal Census Name: Edsel A Hatfield Home in 1920: Kane, Greene, Illinois Age: 1 year 0 months Estimated Birth Year: abt 1919 Birthplace: Illinois Relation to Head of House: Nephew (Grandnephew) Father's Birth Place: Illinois Mother's Birth Place: Illinois Marital Status: Single Race: White Sex: Male Image: 515 Household Members: Name Age Christopher C Roady 59 (Uncle of Catherine Warren) Sarah Roady 49 Bertha M Roady 30 Fred Baker 60 Katherine D Hatfield 25 (Catherine) Edsel A Hatfield 1 0/12

"1920 Federal Census for Illinios," Internet, Ancestry.com, 2008, District 44, Kane Twp.,Greene Co., IL; Jan 15 1920; Dwelling#Fm-125-126.

Edsel and his mother eventually moved to St. Louis, Missouri where his mother worked in the ammunition plant. Edsel was in a foster home Monday thru Friday of each week while Catherine worked. (There were no daycare facilities at that time.)

After Catherine Hatfield married Louis "Lou" Rieker on 27 Dec. 1926, Edsel then moved in with them full-time.

1930 United States Federal Census Name: Edsel A Hatfield Home in 1930: St Louis, St Louis (Independent City), Missouri Street Name: 11030 Van Phul Age: 11 Estimated Birth Year: abt 1919 Birthplace: Illinois Relation to Head of House: Stepson Mother's Name: Catherine Race: White Parents' birthplace: Illinois Household Members: Name Age Louis Rieker 40 Catherine Rieker 36 Allen Rieker 5 (Lou's son from a previous marriage) Edsel A Hatfield 11 George Mehlin 45 (Boarder)

Edsel attended Beaumont High School and graduated in 1937.

Edsel Hatfield was in the Naval Reserve while he was in high school and he went to Lake Michigan during the summer. He was due to end his time with the reserves when his unit was sent to Pearl Harbor. They didn't send him because he had less than 6 months left.

1940 United States Federal Census Name: Edsel Hatfield Age: 21 Estimated Birth Year: abt 1919 Gender: Male Race: White Birthplace: Illinois Marital Status: Single Relation to Head of House: Stepson (Step Son) Home in 1940: St Louis, St Louis City, Missouri Map of Home in 1940: St Louis, St Louis City, Missouri Street: Alice Avenue House Number: 2139 Inferred Residence in 1935: St Louis, St Louis City, Missouri Residence in 1935: St Louis Sheet Number: 11A Number of Household in Order of Visitation: 239 Occupation: Chauffeur Attended School or College: No Highest Grade Completed: High School, 4th year Hours Worked Week Prior to Census: 40 Class of Worker: Wage or salary worker in private work Weeks Worked in 1939: 36 Income: 540 Income Other Sources: No Neighbors: View others on page Household Members Age Relationship Louis Rieker 50 Head Catherine Rieker 45 Wife Edsel Hatfield 21 Stepson (Step Son)

Edsel was drafted into the Army on 10 Aug 1942. He was in the U. S. Army, 6th Div., 1st Batallion, during WWII. He served in the Phillipines, Guadalcanal, Guam, and Hawaii.

Edsel was the youngest officer in HQ lst Br. 63rd Infantry 6th Infantry Division, Private, HQ Co. 3rd Battalion lst Infantry Regiment, 6th Infantry Division 1941. July 1942, The Infantry School at Fort Benning Georgia. Ran Corporal Officer Candidate - June 1944. 1st Lt. HJQ 1st Bn. 63rd Infantry 6th Infantry Division -- ship loading officer. June 1944 Rank as 1st Lt. conducted a litter squad to rescue B Company wounded near Mt. Pacaqagon Luzon, Philippines. Intelligence Staff Officer. November 1945 with embarkation orders to board the USS Leonard Wood troop ship for transport to Portland, Oregon. As Captain in Infantry, unassigned on March 7, 1946 while on terminal leave he ran a fever of 104 and was diagnosed as having Malaria.

During WWII received: American Defense Service Ribbon; Victory Medal; American Theatre Campaign Ribbon; Combat Infantry; Asiatic Pacific Theatre Campaign Ribbon with two Bronze Stars and Bronze Arrowhead.

He was discharged on 2 March 1946. He then entered the Army Reserves and he rose to the rank of Captain in the Army Reserves for a time after the war ended.

Edsel attended high school with Jessie Louise Hatfield. Sometime after high school they met and started dating. They both loved to dance. After Edsel was drafted, he sent a letter to Jessie to tell her "it's now or never." She sent a telegram to him and asked what that meant. He called her and said if they were to marry before he got shipped out, she would have to come to him at the Army training base at Camp Robinson near Little Rock, Arkansas. Jessie accepted his marriage proposal and her father Thomas Whitelaw went with her on the train. Edsel and Jessie married in the Army base chapel on October 10, 1942. Jessie then went back home to St. Louis.

Edsel was sent to San Luis Obispo in California for maneuvers before being shipped to the Pacific. Jessie traveled by train to stay near the base. It was at that time that she became pregnant with their daughter Susan. Jessie went back to her parents' home in St. Louis and stayed there until Edsel returned after WWII was over.

After the war they lived for a short time with the Whitelaw family. Two of Jessie's sisters also lived in the house because there was not enough housing for the men who returned from the war. After Jessie's father Thomas died in 1947, Edsel and Jessie moved into a home in Pine Lawn in St. Louis, at 3906 Philbrook, St. Louis, Missouri 63120

1950 United States Federal Census Name: Edsel A Hatfield Age: 31 Birth Date: abt 1919 Gender: Male Birth Place: Illinois Marital Status: Married Relation to Head of House: Head Residence Date: 1950 Home in 1950: St Louis, Missouri, USA Dwelling Number: 17 Farm: No Acres: No Questionnaire Number: 7 Occupation Category: Working Worker Class: Private Household Members Age Relationship Edsel A Hatfield 31 Head Jessie L Hatfield 28 Wife Susan L Hatfield 6 Daughter Elaine M Hatfield 3 Daughter

Edsel and Jessie were square dancers, and they held the office of President, and Secretary of the St. Louis Round and Ballroom Dance Association for many years.

They were championship ballroom dancers. They taught ballroom dance at the St. Louis Community College. Edsel and Jessie authored dance books that are the in the Library of Congress.

Edsel worked at the Coca Cola Bottling Company in St. Louis, Missouri for 42 years. He served in many capacities, including Personnel Manager and Safety Manager. He taught business classes at Washington University in St. Louis. He and his wife Jessie were lifelong dancers and they authored the only How-To books on ballroom dancing that are in the Library of Congress. Those books are "pocket size" so a man could keep them in his pocket to refer to while dancing. He also produced a number of Dancing How-To videos with Jessie and then Barbara McEntire after his wife died. He and his wife Jessie taught dancing classes at St. Louis Community College for many years.

Edsel Hatfield descends from the "Pennsylvania" line of Hatfields. Captain Andrew Supplee Hatfield (DAR Patriot #A052948 was his 4th great grandfather.)

Sources

• Birth Certificate Registered #12223, Registration District #51067; Marriage Certificate Book 149, page 144; Death Certificate # 124-07202255.
• 1920, Kane, Greene County, Illinois
• 1930 Census, St Louis, St Louis (Independent City), Missouri, USA
• 1940 Census, St Louis, St Louis (Independent City), Missouri, USA
• Death Certificate, St. Louis, Missouri
• FamilyTree DNA Kit #38108
• GEDmatch T707817