GEORGE E. HATFIELD, farmer and miller, sec. 1, Wheatland Tp., was born in Schenectady Co., N.Y., Sept. 29, 1829. He is the son of Stephen and Phebe (Priest) Hatfield, natives of New York, of English descent. Mr. Hatfield was educated in the State Normal School at Albany, N.Y., where he was fitted for the profession of teacher, a calling upon which he entered when 20 years of age, and pursued until he was 40 years old. He was married Feb. 10, 1853, in Wayne Co., N.Y., to Lois J., daughter of Orrin and Betsey H. (Reed) Lapham, of New York. She was born in Wayne County, Sept. 28, 1832, and was educated at Elmira, N.Y., preparatory to becoming a teacher, which calling she followed but a brief period before marriage.
Mr. Hatfield was engaged in agriculture summers and in teaching winters, in his native State, until the spring of 1858, when he came to Allegan Co., Mich., there resuming the same alternation of employment. In 1860 he made another transfer, going to Kalamazoo County, where he remained nine years. IN 1869 he returned to Allegan County and embarked in the mercantile business at Plainwell, where he continued to operate until the spring of 1878, the date of his settlement in Mecosta County. He located on 160 acres of unimproved land, where he set himself vigorously at work, and has brought the place to a comparitively improved condition; has 45 acres under the plow, and other evidences of successful effort are manifest on the farm. He has erected a saw and shingle mill, the former having a capacity of 10,000 feet per diem, the latter of 40,000 shingles daily. Mr. Hatfield is an ardent supporter of the tenets of the Republican party. The tendency and characteristics of the family are clearly proven by the status of the nine children, five daughters and four sons all of whom are following in the footsteps of the parents. Their births occurred as follows: Mary E., Nov. 7, 1853; Carrie P., Feb. 25, 1856; Wm. B., July 12, 1858, Ellen L., Apr. 21, 1862; Ira L., Aug. 16, 1864; JJustin K., Oct. 16, 1867; Cora A., May 23, 1870; Julius C., May 11, 1873; Charles E., Dec. 6, 1877. The oldest child is a graduate of Plainwell Academy, Mich.
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