Biographical Sketch of Robert E. L. Hatfield, Johnson County, Missouri, Warrensburg Township >From "History of Johnson County, Missouri," by Ewing Cockrell, Historical Publishing Company, Topeka, Cleveland, 1918. ********************************************************************** Robert E. L. Hatfield, a well known and up to date blacksmith of Warrensburg, Missouri, is one of Johnson county's most respected and industrious citizens. He was born in 1865 in Macon county, Missouri, where his parents, Mahlon and Sarah (Cook) Hatfield, had settled prior to the time of the Civil War. Mahlon Hatfield was a native of Kentucky. He enlisted in the Civil War, serving in the Confederate army under General Robert E. Lee throughout the conflict and he was with the great southern commander when he surrendered at Appomattox court house on April 9, 1865. After the close of the war, Mr. Hatfield returned to Macon county and opened a blacksmith shop at Laplata. Sarah (Cook) Hatfield was born in Missouri. She was married to Mahlon Hatfield in Macon county and to them were born the following children: J. G., Warrensburg, Missouri; W. F., Alva, Oklahoma; Robert E. L., the subject of this review; Mrs. Clara Parr, Cameron, Missouri; and three children, who died in infancy. The Hatfield family moved from Laplata to old Cambridge, Missouri in 1866 and in this place the mother died in 1871. Mahlon Hatfield remarried and to him three children were born of his second marriage: Mahlon, Jr., Commerce, Oklahoma; Charles, East St. Louis, Illinois; and Mrs. Nannie Evans, Moberly, Missouri. From Cam- bridge, the Hatfields moved to Slater, Missouri, where the father was engaged in the manufacture of plows. He erected the first building in Slater, a blacksmith shop, on the right-of-way of the Chicago & Alton railway. The family resided in Slater 10 or 12 years, when they moved to Marshall, Missour in 1878. Mahlon Hatfield died January 14, 1914 at Alva, Oklahoma. In the schools of Marshall, Missouri, Robert E. L. Hatfield was educated. At the age of 13 years, he began the work of shoeing horses, assisting his father in the shop at Marshall. He was taught the blacksmith's trade by his father and for four years remained in his employ. When 17 years of age, Robert E. L. Hatfield purchased a blacksmith shop in Columbus, Missouri and for the past 33 years has resided in Johnson county, ten years at Columbus, eleven years at Centerview, and the remainder of the time at Warrensburg. His shop was first located in Warrensburg on North Holden street. October 15, 1916, Mr. Hatfield moved to his present location on the south side of the public square. Robert E. L. Hatfield has one of the best blacksmith shops in Johnson county, 24 x 80 and 26 x 85 feet in dimensions, modern in every particular and equipped with the latest tools and devices. Mr. Hatfield is at the present time, in 1917, installing an up to date power shop. He is a naturally gifted mechanic, a member of a family widely known for the number of blacksmiths, five of the Hatfield boys learning the blacksmith's trade from the father, who was a mechanic of marked skill and ability. Practically all his life, Mr. Hatfield, the subject of this review, has been a blacksmith. His first work was done in the shop of his father and he was then a mere child. Robert E. L. Hatfield began blacksmithing by swinging the sledge and blowing the bellows for his father and as the lad was not tall enough, his father arranged a box for the child to stand upon while he worked. In those days the blacksmith made the horseshoe nails from rodiron. Mahlon Hatfield would form the nails in the rough and the boy, Robert, then finished them. In 1887, Robert E. Lee Hatfield was united in marriage with Mattie Pemberton, of Columbus, daughter of Taylor and Catherine Pemberton, the former born in Howard county and the latter in Boone county, Missouri. They are now residing at Hardy, Oklahoma. Mr. and Mrs. Hatfield are the parents of six children, who are living: Mrs. Ethel Stockton, Kansas City, Missouri; Mrs. Oleta Sherman, East St. Louis, Illinois; Robert E. L., Jr., East St. Louis, Illinois; Raymond C., who resided in North Dakota and died at Oaks, that state, August 31, 1917; and Lela Fern and Catherine, who reside at home with their parents. The Hatfield home is in Warrensburg at 208 West Culton street. Mr. Hatfield is a member of the Modern Woodmen of America, Lodge No. 2087 of Warrensburg, to which his membership was transferred from Centerview, where he joined. Both Mr. and Mrs. Hatfield are held in the highest esteem in Johnson county, where they are widely and favorably known. ==================================================================== USGENWEB NOTICE: In keeping with our policy of providing free information on the Internet, data may be used by non-commercial entities, as long as this message remains on all copied material. These electronic pages may NOT be reproduced in any format for profit or for presentation by other persons or organizations. Persons or organizations desiring to use this material for purposes other than stated above must obtain the written consent of the file contributor. This file was contributed for use in the USGenWeb Archives by: <> Penny Harrell ====================================================================