The History of the Yakima Valley, Washington, Comprising Yakima, Kittitas and
Benton Counties, The S.J. Clarke Publishing Co., 1919, Volume II, page 544

JOHN OLIVER HATFIELD.

John Oliver Hatfield, proprietor of the largest general mercantile establishment
at Thorp and a progressive business man whose methods will at all times hear the
closest investigation and scrutiny, came to the northwest from Texas, in which
state he was born on the 1st of September, 1875, His parents were Ephraim Ross
and Kate (White) Hatfield, natives of Tennessee and of North Carolina
respectively. They became early settlers of Texas, however, and in the year 1881
made the trip by wagon from that state to the Kittitas valley, being one year,
one month and one day en route. The father took up a homestead where the town of
Wenatchee now stands, but his claim was jumped. He remained in the Kittitas
valley, however, and purchased two hundred and twenty acres of land, whereon he
engaged in farming for a considerable period. At length he sold out and removed
to New Mexico, where he now makes his home, but his wife passed away in the year
1882.

John O. Hatfield acquired a public school education in Washington, having been a
lad of but six years when his parents removed from the Lone Star state to the
northwest. When his textbooks were put aside he began work as a farm hand in
this district and was thus employed for a few years, after which he purchased
the old home ranch and engaged in its cultivation for seven years. In fact he
had operated the farm for three years before making the purchase of the
property. He was thus identified with ranching interests until 1914, when he
sold the place and turned his attention to merchandising in Thorp, entering into
partnership with James B. Brain. They opened a store, securing a large stock of
general merchandise, and the business has continually developed and prospered
since that time. Mr. Hatfield is a wide-awake, alert and progressive merchant
and today has the largest general merchandise store in Thorp. He carries an
extensive and attractive line of goods and puts forth every effort to please his
patrons, realizing that satisfied customers are the best advertisement.

In September, 1898, Mr. Hatfield was united in marriage to Miss Alice Mattox, a
native of Missouri and a daughter of William and Martha Mattox, who were early
settlers of Kittitas county. The father has now passed away, but the mother
survives and makes her home with Mr. and Mrs. Hatfield, who by their marriage
have become the parents of four children, namely: Harland, eighteen years of
age; Lloyd, aged sixteen; Asel, thirteen; and Helen, seven.

Fraternally Mr. Hatfield is connected with the Independent Order of Odd Fellows
and has filled all of the chairs in Tanum Lodge, No. 155. He is likewise
connected with the Modern Woodmen of America and his political support is given
to the democratic party where national questions are involved but at local
elections he casts an independent ballot. He and his wife are members of the
Christian church and are people of sterling worth, occupying an enviable
position in social circles. Their aid and influence is always to be counted upon
for benefit and improvement in the community in which they live and, moreover,
they possess many personal characteristics which make for popularity among their
many friends.

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Submitted to the Washington Bios Project in December 2007 by Jeffrey L. Elmer.
Submitter has no additional information about the subject of this article.