HATCHER website: http://hatcherfamilyassn.com
HALL DNA project: http://homepages.rootsweb.com/~nhatcher/hall/HDNAtest.htm
When confronted by a difficult problem, you can solve it more easily by reducing it to the question,  "How would the Lone Ranger have handled this?" - Unknown

OK - I'm going to do some fill-ins and then expand on my problem.

Yes, I've transcribed this bible along with the bible of Washington J Hatcher, husband of Sarah Jane Walden. All of these individuals have been connected to their parents, but perhaps wrongly in at least one case.

I would also like to mention a point that T R brought up that I had not thought of before - that members within a family may all have similar handwriting since they often learn from the same source or from other members of their family. Since much of the writing in this bible looks as if it might be written by the same person, I need to point out that most of the entries relate to several siblings of Washington Hatcher - and that, YES, they may all have had a very similar style.

Now - I believe the first owner can be found on page 1 - Elizabeth Sophia Hatcher. I believe she got this bible when she married and that she entered herself, her siblings/spouses, including 3 who died. She also entered her marriage to Robert Goode on page 3. But she and Robert had no kids and so nothing else to enter. I believe she either gave the bible to a nephew or cousin or it was saved by a family member after her death.

I believe the 2nd writer [and possible new owner of the bible] on page 1 was John F Hatcher, brother of Washington and son of William, who was born 1800. John F lists his wife, 1st born [1852] son and 1st born sister and a brother on page 1, right side, and continues on page 2, left side, with another brother.

But now we find the first problem. We have this entry - W J Hatcher, THE WRITER, was born Feb [crossed out] Apr 21st 1834. Didn't he know the month he was born in? Flamboyant writing but I'm not positive this is the same writing as John F - very close but not exactly.

2nd problem - Washington's own bible is distinctly different writing - smaller, plain and ordinary.

After W J's strange entry, we have the 2nd son [1855] of John F recorded. So it seems likely W J's entry was made sometime between 1852 and 1855.

And then we have - S J Hatcher was born - and written above in what I believe is Washington's actual handwriting, the words - Walden my wife.

This is followed by the crucial entry - Wm Hatcher, my grandfather, was born Nov 25th 1759.

Who wrote this entry? Who wrote the S J Hatcher entry? Note the H in Hatcher for both of them are the same unique style and found nowhere else in this bible OR in Washington's bible. The M is unique but the N is the same as found in many other entries. The "grandfather" entry is the one everyone assumed was written by Washington, the son of William [born 1800] and gson of Wm [born 1759]. 

The problem is that I have other records that indicate Wm Sr may indeed have had a son, William, but he was NOT born in 1800 and Wm Sr would not have had 2 sons named William. 

Aarrgghhh! Now you know the rest of the story...........! Any thoughts from this new angle?

Nel

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