John F. HATTAN. One does not have to carry
his investigations far into the history of
Mr. HATTAN, of this review, has seen as many as fifty deer in a drove at one time and his trusty rifle has brought down many of them, thus supplying the family with venison. Little of the land in the county had been fenced and the few settlers lived along the belts of timber skirting the streams. Although there were many hardships to be endured in connection with this life it was also not without its pleasures and the homes of the early settlers were justly noted for their hospitality. Neighbors were often miles apart and days passed at a time when families saw no one except the members of their own household.
Forsyth HATTAN wedded Mary CAMPBELL, a
native of Rockbridge county, Virginia, and to them were born ten
children, six of whom are living: Mrs. Jane BAKER, Mark, Mrs.
Nancy PERRY, William, Mrs. Sophia SHREVE and John F. One son,
Francis, served for three years in the civil war, and for
eighteen months was incarcerated in
John F. HATTAN shared with the family in
the hardships, the trials and the pleasures which came to them
in their pioneer home. He has always resided in Belle Plain
township with the exception of three years, from 1882 until
1884, which he spent in
Twelve children were born to Mr. and Mrs. HATTAN: Mary J. is the wife of Mark HATTAN of Nuckolls county, Nebraska, and has seven children, Lizzie, Elmer, John, Hattie, Effie, James and Pearl; Mark, of Clay county, Nebraska, married Victoria SHORT, and has six children, Ina, Cora, Arthur, Sanford, Ettie and Edna; Thomas F., who is living on the old homestead, married Martha BROCK, and has two children, Claudie and Gaylon; Jacob wedded Mary JAIL and has five children, Roy, Floyd, Rosa, Guy and Leslie; Hillery, of Montgomery county, Kansas, married Lillie FULTON, and has three children, Ola, Eugene and Arrene; Sarah is the wife of James WILSON of Montgomery county, Kansas, and has seven children, F. Edward, Richard, Dollie, Cleveland, John and two little girls; Nancy A. is the wife of Paschal SHORT, of Independence, Kansas, and has three children, Grace, Earl and Claude; Ada is the wife of Frank DAVISON, of Woodford county, Illinois, by whom she has one daughter, Lillie; Carl, of Montgomery county, Kansas, married Belle YATES, and has two children, Robert and Rhoda; Francis M., of Belle Plain township, married Effie B. DITCH, and has two children, Clarence and Elsie Ray. The mother of this family departed this life November 5, 1887, aged sixty-two years. She was a devoted member of the Christian church, and her well spent life won her the love and esteem of all.
Mr. HATTAN and most of his children are
also members of the same church. Throughout life he has followed
farming and is now the owner of three hundred and eighty acres
of valuable land. He has also engaged in stockraising and has
added not a little to his income in this way. He started out in
life empty-handed, but has steadily worked his way upward,
overcoming all obstacles by determined purpose and securing a
comfortable competence through earnest labor and capable
management. He has traveled considerably over his country and
was one of the first passengers on the Union Pacific railroad to
Extracted May 2011 by Norma Hass from The Biographical Record of Bureau, Marshall and Putnam Counties, Illinois, 1896.
| Bureau | Putnam | |
| Stark |
 |
La Salle |
| Peoria | Woodford |
