Atherly-Hatherley-Hatherly —-Hetherlie—Hatherleigh—-Hitherly—Hetherly and Heatherly have all been used to spell our name as they moved from Devonshire, England to New England and across the United States of America. The name can mean dweller in Hawthorn woods or low shrubs called heather which is more probable.
In 1998 we were blessed to be able to travel with our son, Douglas and his wife, Barbara, to the area of England where our ancestors came from. We found an Up-Hatherly and a Down- Hatherly and best of all Hatherleigh in Devonshire which is in southern England. We enjoyed the town with the narrow streets and thatch roofs. We walked among the old cemetery which also gave us a good view of the surrounding countryside. This area was also the setting of the book”Lorna Doone” which I had read and loved as a child and still have a copy among my books.
We know that Timothy, John, Arthur, George and Thomas came from England in the 1600s. Timothy was born in 1586 in Barnstable, Devonshire. He and his sister Eglin were the children of Elinor whose Hatherly husband was not found, but her 2nd husband was Nicholas Mortimor who mentions them in his will of 1613 and wills a hat to John Hatherly. This is interesting because Timothy was a “felt-maker” ST. Olaves, Southwark, Surry.
According to the book “Plymouth Colony by Eugene Aubrey Stratton, Timothy was an “adventurer”. Timothy first visited Plymouth in 1623 arrived on the “Friendship”, later on the Charles and Ann. He came on the William and Mary and settled in 1632 in Scituate. MA. on land granted to him. There is a memorial at North Scituate Beach, MA. for Timothy Hatherly. We know we do not descend from him, but we believe he has been instrumental in getting the above men mentioned transported to MA. and this family in the New World is where we find our beginning.
We became interested in tracing our roots in 1985 when we retired. We had met a young man in Springfield, Mo when we attended a Tool Show with our son, Nick. We have forgotten his name, but he gave us the name of his Uncle George Heatherly of Yankton, SD. who in turn gave us the name of Nadine Heatherly Stephens of Clinton, TN. We corresponded with both George and Corine and Nadine while she was putting her book “Heatherlys and Related Families” together. She was kind enough to invite me to contribute what information I had at the time. She believed we descended from George Heatherly of North Carolina and later of Missouri. She was a gracious lady and we want to give honor and credit to her for helping us find some of our ancestors. We thank her for the great work she did and know it will benefit generations to come. Nadine died April 16, 2002
Nadine Heatherly Stephens gives the following linage in her book; Ewings Hatherly Sr. 1730-1792 whose children were——John Heatherly abt. 1760 (Nadine’s ancestor) Ewing Jr. , George Heatherly (she believed this was our line) Samuel, Hugh, and Sarah.
We found a George Heatherly in Buncombe Co. NC. in 1810 census has 2 sons/2 daughter under 10 years old and an infant son which geneoglist believe is our George Heaterly 1810 This family came into Overton Co. TN. by 1820. A land grant #2863 on Jan. 29, 1833 for 100 acres is made to George Heatherly on the “Dry Fork of Mill Creek of the water of the Cumberland River”. He paid one cent per ac. May 24, 1826
The 1820 Overton Co. TN. censu shows there are a total of 7 males and 2 females plus George and the unknown wife. We now know that our oldest proven ancestor, George w. Heatherly married a woman named Hester and have a daughter named Sarah born in Overton co. Tn. abt. 1834 in TN. There are many families in South Missouri and North Arksansas who came to this region from Overton Co. TN. We believe there was at least a friendship connection if not a blood relative relationship. Most of them came in the great migration of the 1830s.
source —English records of marrisges and wills
Family of George and Hester Heatherly
George Heatherly born 1810 NC. died about 1870 (maybe in Ozark Co. Mo. He married Hester abt. 1834.
Hester ?? born about 1814, died between 1858 and 1860 in Douglas co. Mo. ( there is information on the internet and among genealogist concerning her last name. There are some who say she was Indian—-giving her surname as Raincrow. Others give information that her maiden name was Painter. This name is more plausable to me and the Painter name can be found in this area, but as of now no solid proof that I would be comfortable passing along. So future genealogist still have work to do.)
George and Hesters children were;
1. Sarah Heatherly born abt. 1834 TN.
+Stephen McIntosh married abt. 1851
2. William A. Heatherly born Dec. 28, 1837 Douglas co. Mo. died. Nov. 12, 1923. (see more about William)
+ Mary E. Calhoun b. Sept. 17, 1841 Wright Co. Mo died May 6, 1925 Douglas Co. Mo. (see more of Calhoun family)
3. Elizabeth Heatherly, b. 1841 Douglas Co. Mo.
(maybe married to Eslick)
4. Jackson Heatherly b. 1843 –was alive in 1858 Douglas Co. Mo. family says he disappeared during the Civil War
5. Malinda Heatherly, b. 1846 Douglas Co. Mo.
+Henry St. Clair –m. Aug. 25, 1868
6, Mary Ann Heatherly (Polly), b. 1849, Douglas co. Mo. d. aft. 1910 Mo. married abt. 1869
+Jabe Peirce Taney co. Mo. d. March 30, 1934 in McIntosh, Ok. (source Barbara Gregor, gr-granddaughter)
7. Jacob Lewis Heatherly b. 1851 Douglas co. Mo. d. 1901 Aurora, Mo. (ancestor of Commerce OK. Heatherlys)
+Mary Ann Waggoner b. 1851, d. 1901 (both died of flu) m.
Mar. 6, 1868 Ozark Co. Mo.
8. Nancy Jane Heatherly, b.1853 d. 1945 Oklahoma
+Joseph Wesley Eslick m. 1870 Douglas Co. Mo.
9. Milly Heatherly-b.1856???
10.Sarah Jane Heatherly–1862????
Other wives of George W. Heatherly
2nd wife —MarthaJane Jordan Willis —married abt. 1861 d. May 19, 1922 Warrensburg, Mo.
One child — Frances Seagal b abt. 1862 m. William Jenkins Oct 4, 1883 Webster Co., Mo.
3rd wife —-Urbanna Ellison, b. Oct. 8, 1839 Ind. d. Oct. 23, 1923 Douglas Co. Mo. buried at Whites Creek Cem. Douglas co. Mo.
Two children—-Hattie b. Dec. 22, 1865 d. 1892 (bareback rider in circus known as Cherokee Queen—-source Clarence Heatherly)
George w. Heatherly b. 1869—-no further info.