The Hadley, Hawthorne, Dickey, and Walden (HHDW) family traces its heritage through the children of Elizabeth “Betty” Hadley and her three spouses: William Prince Hawthorne, William Dickey, and Jerry Walden Sr. Betty herself was the daughter of Simon Hadley, a slaveowner, and his enslaved mistress. She was also the sister of Richard Hadley (1822–1910), who was born into slavery. Because of these intertwined family lines, the descendants of Simon Hadley Sr. (1760–1835) and his many children, including Simon D. Hadley (1790–1867), share a direct genetic connection with the HHDW family. Together, these histories form a deeply rooted lineage that continues to shape the identity of our extended family today.

The individuals in the photo collage represent different branches of this shared ancestry. The first picture is Elizabeth (Betty) Hadlet. The second picture is Mary Walden, daughter of Elizabeth and her third husband, Jerry Walden Sr. On the lower left is Pleas Hawthorne, the son of Elizabeth and her first husband, William P. Hawthorne. At the bottom center is Erma Bullock, daughter of George Bullock and Hattie Dickey, making Erma the great-granddaughter of Elizabeth and her second husband, William Dickey. On the bottom right is Emma Hadley-Lewis and her family. Emma is the daughter of Mary Walden (pictured in the upper left) and her husband, Harkless Hadley, making her a granddaughter of Elizabeth and Jerry Walden Sr.

More family stories and testimonials will be added soon as we continue documenting our shared history. We are working on expanded genealogy resources, family connections, and search tools to help everyone better understand their place within the HHDW lineage.

If you have family news, stories, or photos to contribute, please email them to HHDWreunion@gmail.com.

Our genealogy FAQs and additional research support are coming soon. If you’re having trouble finding information about your branch of the family, we may be able to help.