Hadley Society Photo Gallery

Descendants of William C. Hadley Reunion
June 17, 2001
Berks County, Pennsylvania

Sam Hadley

Photos and text submitted to the Hadley Society by Sam Hadley.
Note from the webmaster:All of the following was written by Sam Hadley.

Herbert Allen Hadley,
my brother

Our 48th annual reunion was held on Father's Day at the home of my oldest sister, Hazel Hadley Rhoads, in Amityville, Berks County, PA. The reunion was started by my father, Samuel Howard Hadley, Sr. 48 years ago. In the beginning the date and place changed several times. For at least the last ten years and in the foreseeable future the reunion is held on Father's Day each year and at the same place.

L-R: Lisa, Barry, Evelyn, and Tony
Hadley. Lisa is Barry & Evelyn's
daughter and Tony is Barry's nephew

In my father's will he left a small amount of money to continue the reunions. That money is invested in a Certificate of Deposit, and we use the interest to help defray costs. Occasionally we have to assess attendees for a small contribution, but most recently various families have paid for the drinks and catering. Families who attend also bring side dishes of salads, desserts, etc. This year the Fletcher family (my youngest sister, Miriam) paid for the food. Last year it was the Barr family (second oldest sister, Dora, now deceased). The year before that I paid for the catering.

Amy Tobolski and her mother, Dale Fletcher Tobolski, daughter of Miriam Hadley Fletcher, my sister

Harvey Earl (Jeff) Rhoads & Paul Henry (Hank) Rhoads, sons of Hazel Hadley Rhoads, my sister

We have a picnic style lunch, usually served about 1:00 P.M. The food is kept in a pavilion which has a kitchen, fireplace, and large table for setting out the food. There are also comfortable chairs and couches inside for the elderly or in case of inclement weather. I cannot remember the last time that we were rained out and had to eat inside. This pavilion is a nicely remodeled and modern old chicken coop. There is even an outhouse still standing, which, of course, is no longer used. Adjacent is an old blacksmith shop, which later became an auto repair facility and is now used by the younger generation for working on their motorcycles and hotrod cars. The blacksmith shop was operated by the Rhoads family for many years. It was during Hazel's husband's time that it was converted to auto repair. Harvey Rhoads, Hazel's husband, died in 1999.

Hazel Hadley Rhoads, Susie Rhoads, Gloria Rhoads

L-R: Hazel Hadley Rhoads,my sister;
Louise Marie Keene (Susie) Rhoads,
wife of Jeff Rhoads; and Gloria Jean
Miller Rhoads, wife of Hank Rhoads

The oldest person attending was Hazel Hadley Rhoads, my sister, age 92. The youngest person attending was Hadley Emmett Barr, my great grand niece, age 17 months. I traveled the farthest, from Illinois to Pennsylvania, a distance of about 800 miles.

Andrew and Edward Barr,
grandchildren of my
deceased sister, Dora
Hadley Barr

Pamela Kathy (Pam)
Barr, daughter of my
deceased sister,
Dora Hadley Barr

This year, the Barr family had the most members in attendance. There were 10 of them, ranging in age from 90 years to 17 months.

Blaine & Miriam Hadley
Fletcher, my sister &
brother-in-law

My siblings, Hazel, Dora, Gladys, Miriam, and Herbert have attended most, if not all of the reunions. I missed several of the reunions because I was serving in the Army for 22 years of the 48 years it has been going on, and for 8 years prior to that.

Herbert Allen Hadley, my brother
& Michael Fletcher, my nephew
& son of my sister, Miriam

Sandra Jean Hadley
Doskus, daughter
of my deceased brother,
George William Hadley

The newest members of the family, born since Hadley Emmett Barr in January 2000, in New York are Zachary Stapleton, my grand nephew, born in April 2001 in Florida, and Trey Michael Dillard, my grandson, born August 10, 2001 in Florida.

Ann Mengel, Patricia Arters, & Melissa Hadley Darocha

Ann Rhoads Mengel, daughter of Hazel
Hadley Rhoads, Patricia Mary Baum
Arters, maternal cousin, & Melissa
Cathlene Hadley Darocha, daughter
of my brother, Herbert Allen Hadley

We elect officers for a two year term. Next election will be in 2002. To provide some continuity the secretary and treasurer have served continuously for several terms.

Christopher & Gene Tobolski & Greg Doskus

Christopher & Gene Tobolski, son & husband of my niece, Dale (daughter of my sister, Miriam Hadley Fletcher) with Greg Doskus, husband of my niece, Sandra (only child of my deceased brother, George William Hadley)

Christine Hadley, daughter of Herbert Allen Hadley & Daniel Blaine Fletcher, son of Miriam Hadley Fletcher

This year the attendees came from only three different States, Pennsylvania, New York, and Illinois. There were 50 attendees. In past years they have come from Florida and New Jersey as well. Known relatives are now living in New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Delaware, Virginia, Georgia, Florida, Illinois, California, and St. John in the Virgin Islands.

Trey Michael Dillard
born August 10, 2001

Here is the pedigree for the newest member of the family, Trey Michael Dillard:

Trey Michael Dillard
    Mack Dillard III - Julie Ann Hadley
        Samuel Howard Hadley, Jr. (me) - Edeltraud Martina Binner (Tina)
            Samuel Howard Hadley, Sr. - Bessie Louise Freyberger
                William George Hadley - Sarah Coleman
                    William C. Hadley - Ann H. Gray

Edeltraud Martina
(Tina) Binner Hadley,
my first wife

Barbara Arters Fletcher,
wife of my nephew
Michael Fletcher

William C. Hadley had three wives and 19 children. Ann was the first wife. She died in childbirth with the 10th child, Charles. They are buried in the same grave. Second wife was Lucilla Marsh. There were five children from this marriage. Third wife was Frances Burkeiser (various spellings). Four children resulted from this marriage.

My grandson, Dylan Hadley
& Leni Kiggans, cousin of
my first wife, Tina

So far I have not made any contact with descendants of the third marriage, but descendants from the first and second marriage attend the reunion now. I have no knowledge of siblings or parents of William C. Hadley. I only know that he was born somewhere in New Jersey according to the third marriage certificate.

Descendants of Alfred Hadley 2001 Reunion