Sophia Hadley

Sophia Hadley (1813-1874) was one of only four women who were original land patent owners in Rose Township. Sophia owned 40 acres of land in Rose Township (section 11) as well as 42 acres just over the Rose Township border in Springfield Township (section 18). She purchased her Rose Township parcel in August, 1837 and three months later purchased a parcel just across the Rose Township border in Springfield Township. She had purchased 40 acres of land in her own name in the township a couple of weeks after her husband John Hadley had purchased his land. The reasons for her having purchased land in her own name is not known, but possibly it was for satisfaction from the social status associated with land ownership or for economic protection for her family.

Sophia Hadley’s husband, John Hadley, Jr. (1811-1876) was an original land patent owner of 200 acres in Rose Township (sections 11&12). He also had 40 adjacent acres in Springfield Township just over the Rose Township border. A couple of Sophia’s brother-in-laws (her husband’s brothers) were also original land patent owners. Joseph Hadley (1813-1897) and Thomas Hadley (1815-1891) were original land patent owners of land near their father’s farm in Holly Township. Each also had land in Genesee County.

John Hadley’s father John Hadley, Sr. (abt.1791-1872) was an early original land patent owner (1835) of just over 334 acres in Holly Township. Additionally, John Hadley Jr.’s uncle (the brother of his mother Margery Fenwick Hadley, 1788-1854), John Fenwick (1790-1864), was original land patent owner of 320 acres in Rose Township (sections 2, 11, & 12) as well as 80 acres near Novi, Michigan.

Three of Sophia Hadley’s brothers, Jeremiah Finch (1811-1896), John Finch (1815-1874), and William Madison Finch (1821-1908) were original land patent owners of land in Highland and/or White Lake Township, Michigan, but only one of her brothers appeared to have come to Michigan. Records indicate Jeremiah Finch settled in Flushing, Genesee County, but did not indicate if he ever lived in Oakland County. Most of Sophia’s siblings lived their entire lives in Rose and surrounding communities in Wayne County, New York and did not come to Michigan.

Sophia Hadley (1813-1874) and her husband John Hadley (1811-1876) were both original land patent owners and early settlers in Rose Township, Oakland County, Michigan. They came to the township from Rose, Wayne County, New York. Sophia’s parents, Jeremiah S. Finch (1784-1859) and Eunice King (1784-1865) were originally from Saratoga County, New York (where Sophia was born) and at some point settled in Rose, Wayne County, New York. The Finch and King families were notable families in Rose, New York and were mentioned in the book: Rose Neighborhood Sketches: Wayne County, New York. Alfred S. Rose. (1893) which described the town’s earliest and most influential settlers.

Sophia’s husband, John Hadley, Jr. (1811-1876), his parents John Hadley, Sr. (1790-1872), and Margery Fenwick Hadley (1788-1854), and a number of his siblings were born in England. After coming over from England, the family settled in New York where additional children were born in the town of Clyde and in Galen Township, Wayne County, New York. Several of John’s brothers and his father were original land patent owners in Springfield and Holly Townships in Oakland County. Sophia and John had a number of children. They were: Margary Hadley (abt.1836-unknown), William M. Hadley (abt.1838-1907), Eunice Amelia Hadley Patterson (1840-1902), Elizabeth Hadley (1841-1913), Thomas Hadley (abt.1844-1919), Charles Hadley (abt.1846 - abt.1863), Mary Hadley (1846-unknown), Joseph Fenwick Hadley (1849-1928) and Martha Hadley Patterson (1853-1887). Family records also indicate a son, Jeremiah, who died when very young. In addition, the records show that Charles, the son born about 1846, was a soldier in the Sixth Michigan Cavalry and had been held as a prisoner at Andersonville prison. After being released he died at Annapolis on his way home.

In the 1850 and 1860 census, Sophia and John Hadley were living with 8 children and farming in Rose Township, Michigan. In 1850, a 20 year old farm laborer, Gardner Condon from Ireland, was also living with the family.

The 1857 Historic Map indicates Sophia Hadley’s land appeared to have been added to her husband’s land totaling about 200 acres and she no longer had land in Rose Township in her name. Their neighbors were other family members including Chas (Charles F.) Hadley (Hadly) who was a brother to Sophia’s husband and her husband’s uncle John Fenwick.

The 1870 census indicates Sophia and John Hadley had moved and were living and farming in Holly Township, Michigan on what was likely John’s father’s land. Owning land near them was their nephew Francis L. Hadley (1847-1905), son of Joseph Hadly (1813-1896). Living with Sophia and John Hadley were a couple of their children and adult Finch family relatives who were helping on the farm. Another child, Sarah Dilworth, age 13 was living with the family. Who was Sarah M. Dilworth and why was she living with the Hadley family?

A little bit of digging revealed that the parents of Sarah Dilworth were Thomas and Sarah A. Dilworth. They had married in the Village of Holly in 1855 when they were 19 and 17 years old. Sarah M. was born about 2 years later. On the 1860 census, Sarah M. Dilworth (age 3) was listed as living in the Village of Holly with her parents. Her father Thomas, age 24, was listed as having been born in England and his occupation was hostler (a groom or stableman employed to care for horses, usually at an inn). Looking through the list of names on the 1860 census, the Dilworths were living near a landlord who housed a number of people with a number occupations including stage drivers, stable agent, railroad station keeper and ticket agent, hostler, and merchant. Nearby was a shoemaker, grocer, saloon keeper, and harness maker. William F. Hadley, a merchant, and brother-in-law to Sophia Hadley also lived nearby.

There was a possible reason Sarah was living with John and Sophia Hadley in 1870. In 1863, Thomas Dilworth mustered out as a union Private in the 8th Cavalry, Company C. He was listed as having died within a year due to disease. It is feasible the Dilworth family knew the Hadleys from living and working in the Village of Holly or perhaps the families were acquainted in England. Records are unclear as to what happened to Sarah’s mother or to Sarah after this time.

The 1872 Historic Map shows John and Sophia’s sons W.M. (William) & T.J. (Thomas) Hadley owned the land in Rose Township once owned by their parents. Living next to them was their uncle C. Hadley (Charles F.), who was Supervisor of Rose Township in 1861 and again 1867-1872. Their parents died not long after this time. Sophia Hadley died in Holly in 1874 of inflammation of the lungs and her husband John died two years later in 1876.

In the 1880 census, Thomas Hadley was living with his brother William Hadley and his brother’s wife Elizabeth Denton Hadley (1841-1929), their two daughters, and a farm hand and servant. By 1900, the family had moved to Tyrone Township in Livingston County. The brothers William M. Hadley (1836-1907) and Thomas Hadley (1846-1919) both died in Fentonville (Fenton), Michigan. It appears the brothers lived together for most or all of their lives.

Coincidentally, in addition to being one of only four women who were original land patent owners in Rose Township, Sophia Hadley (circled in blue) and another of the four, Elizabeth Moore (circled in yellow), ended up owning land near each other in section 11 and were neighbors.

In addition to being neighbors, they became related by marriage by way of the Fenwick family. Sophia Hadley’s husband’s first cousin, Dr. William Edward Fenwick (1829-1883), married Elizabeth Garner Moore’s niece Sarah C. Bachman (1830-1902). Elizabeth Garner Moore’s nephew John C. Garner (1820-1890) was married (1839) to Jane Fenwick Garner (1823-1906), a sister to Dr. William Edward Fenwick (son of John Fenwick). Marrying “the girl next door” was a common practice at this time. It would be interesting to know if these women ever spoke about having been early landowners in the township.

Hadley Family Members who Remained in Rose Township

Direct descendants of John and Sophia Hadley eventually moved away from Rose Township, but other close relatives remained in the township. The Hadley family members who continued to own land in Rose Township were descendants of Sophia’s brother-in-laws Charles F. Hadley and Thomas L. Hadley and are described below.

Arthur Owen Hadley (1860-1946), son of Sophia’s brother-in-law (brother to John Hadley, Jr.) Charles Fenwick Hadley (1826-1876), was born in Rose Township and lived in the township for many decades with his wife Isabelle E. Hall (1860-1943) and children. Arthur owned land next to his father’s land. Eventually he owned the land that was once his father’s land and he also purchased the land once owned by John Hadley, his uncle. In 1940, when he and his wife were 80 years old, they were living with a daughter and grandchildren in Clarkston where Arthur died in 1946. Their children were: Bertha M. Hadley (1881-1955), Charles I. Hadley (1885-1964) and Arthur Hall Hadley (1893-1972) who was a dentist.

The description of Arthur Owen Hadley (1860-1946) from the History of Oakland County Michigan (1912), best described his life:

“Among the native-born citizens of Oakland county who have practically spent their entire lives within its boundaries, aiding in every possible way its growth and prosperity, is Arthur O. Hadley, a prosperous and progressive agriculturist, whose birth occurred on the farm which he now owns and occupies, January 22, I860. His father, the late Charles F. Hadley, a brother of Thomas L. Hadley and uncle of D. D. Hadley was born in 1825, in Clyde, New York.

In 1833 he came with his parents to Michigan, and from that time until attaining his majority assisted his father in the pioneer task of hewing a farm from the wilderness. He completed the course of study in the

district schools, after which he attended Albion College, fitting himself for a professional career, after which he farmed summers and taught school winters for eleven years. His first purchase of land was a timbered tract of eighty acres, which he bought from the government for $1.25 an acre, it being located five miles southeast of Holly, and is included in the present farm of his son Arthur. He subsequently added to his farm by purchase, paying as high as $4o an acre for a part of his farm, which at the time of his death, in August, 1876, contained two hundred acres, one hundred and fifty of which was under culture. He carried on general farming, including cattle growing and sheep raising, having a fine flock of Merino sheep. He was a staunch Republican, and though not active in public affairs served for seven or eight years as township supervisor. He was a valued member of the Presbyterian church, and reared his family in the same religious faith. He married Martha Owen, who was born at Grand Blanc, Genesee county, Michigan, and was educated at Albion College. She passed to the higher life about three years before the death of her husband, dying in I873.

After his graduation from the Holly high school, Arthur O. Hadley attended a military school in London, Canada. He subsequently spent a year as a clerk in a store [1880 census shows him as a clerk in Grand Blanc], but was not pleased with that kind of work. On attaining his majority he bought the old home farm on which he was born and bred, and in its management has since met with well deserved success. He has generally been very fortunate in his labors, although an occasional misfortune has befallen him. In I893 a cyclone demolished his large barn which was one of the best in the vicinity, but he has replaced it by a substantial building, and in 1895 he erected his present commodious and conveniently arranged house. [Arthur O. Hadley named his farm Pine Terrace. The house exists today].

Mr. Hadley also bought the old John Hadley farm, which adjoins his own, John Hadley having been an elder brother of his father. Mr. Hadley is interested in stock breeding and raising, and carries on general farming with most satisfactory results.

For eight years he has been a director in the Monitor Insurance Company of Oakland county, of which his father was one of the organizers, and one of the first secretaries. This company was founded in Holly in the sixties, and is one of the oldest fire insurance companies in the state.

Mr. Hadley married, November 2, I88I, Isabelle Hall, a teacher of Springfield township. Her father, Isaiah Hall, born in Ireland, came to the United States as a boy of fifteen years and was one of the pioneers of Genesee county, Michigan. He is still living in Springfield township. He married Martha Erwin, who was born in Canada and died on the home farm in Springfield township when sixty years of age. Mr. and

Mrs. Hadley have four children, namely: Bertha M., who was educated at the State Normal School, taught school for a time, and is now the wife of Lee M. Clark, of Detroit; Charles I., of Rose township, married Edith Foster, daughter of Charles Foster, of the same township; J. Erwin, at home; and Arthur H., a pupil in the Ypsilanti Normal School. Charles and Erwin both spent three years in Idaho, being there engaged in farm work, but are now at home.

Mr. Hadley is a member of the Free and Accepted Order of Masons, and both he and Mrs. Hadley belong to the Order of the Eastern Star.”

Source: History of Oakland County Michigan - A narrative Account of its Historic Progress, its People, its Principal Interests. Thaddeus De Witt Seeley. Lewis Publishing Company (1912), 794-795

Established in 1850, but not adopted until 1873, the Order of the Eastern Star is a part of the Masons open to both men and women. It is based on teaching from the Bible, but is open to people of all religious beliefs.

Arthur O. Hadley was born in Rose Township and lived most of his life there. His farm was next to his father’s (C. Hadley) farm. Census records indicate Arthur did not have a mortgage on his farm. Many of the census years show the family having farm laborers and servants living with them.

D. D. Hadley was Darwin Darius Hadley (1848-1920), son of Thomas Hadley (1815-1891) who was a brother-in-law to Sophia Hadley (brother to John Hadley, Jr.). The 1896 map shows his farm about two miles northwest of the farm of Arthur O Hadley, his uncle. Darwin Hadley once ran for treasurer of Rose Township, but he lost the election to John Wendell by 18 votes.

In his early years while living with his parents, Darwin’s family lived in Groveland Township. In 1850 and in 1860 they were living in Independence Township. On the 1870 census, Darwin was 22 years old living with his parents and was listed as a store keeper (likely helping in his father’s business). His father Thomas was listed as a store keeper and merchant in the 1860 and 1870 census and a banker on the 1880 census. At one time Thomas was president of the Merchant's National Bank.

After 1870, Darwin was found in records as living and farming in Rose township for several years. The 1908 Historic Map shows his farm as well as Pine Terrace, the farm of his uncle, Arthur O. Hadley From the 1910 census and until his death from a stroke, he and his wife were living in a house in Holly, Michigan. He was listed as living on his own income and he owned his home. According to records he was a member of a number of groups including the Holly Lodge, the Grange, Washington Club, and the Eastern Star, to name a few.

Darwin’s son, Clyde E. Hadley (1872-1948), eventually owned his father’s land, but records do not indicate if he ever lived in the township or farmed. Census records for Clyde E. Hadley prior to 1900 were not found. Records show Clyde married Emma Honor Lamb in Pontiac in 1900. The 1910, 1920, and 1930 census list him as living in Holly and working as a postal clerk for the railroad. He was living with his wife and children. In the 1940 census, Clyde is listed as living in Holly and working on his own account as a partner in a farm. Clyde died in 1948 and is buried in Lakeside Cemetery in Holly, Michigan.

Copyright © Maura Jung and Carol Bacak-Egbo. The content on this page is released with the Creative Commons BY-SA 4.0 License