I don't have the rest of this document at this time but still thought it interesting. I checked some of the information with the encyclopedia and it seems to be accurate historicaly, or at least as accurate as I can tell. My own comments are inside the brackets [ ] in order to give a time frame to the document.

I was in contact with a gentleman by the name of Nigel Batty-Smith from England after I put this page up that gave me some information that "proves" the genealogy in this document is NOT correct. It's very much some "wishful thinking" on the part of Mr. Hadley.

Billie Walsh

Taken from a Booklet by Chalmers Hadley Written in 1916,
Published by Carson-Harper Co. , Denver CO.

The name Hadley is of ancient origin and is found in several English counties, including Suffolk, Middlesex, Hartford, Stafford and Somerset. It is a place name and most authorities on British surnames agree that "Hadley" is compounded of two old Anglo-Saxon words which mean "a wild heath where cattle graze."

Not only did individuals in early England take their surnames from where they lived, as did the Hadleys, according to Gupy, but they gave their family name to places of residence. Consequently, we find such names as Monken-Hadley in Middlesex and Willeton-Hadley and WithyCombe-Hadley in Somerset, the latter derived from Alexander Hadley and his Descendants, Who held these and other manors in Somerset. (Savage - History of Carhampton).

As a family, Hadley appears in England from very early times in various forms. We find it in the 12th Century as de Haddeleigh and de Haddesley. A little bit later Cadogan de Hadley simplified the spelling which was retained by he descendants who lived in Cheshire. (See Visitation of Cheashire, 1580.) A little later the name appears as Hadleigh, but as early as the 14th century it is found spelled Hadley or Hadly, and these forms were continued in Ireland, where the name has never been a common one. (See Henry Gray, London).

When the Quaker Hadleys went from Ireland to Pennsylvania in 1712, both of these forms, with or without the "e", were used by members of the same family.

In addition to Cadohan de Hadley referred to, we have some information regarding several individuals who bore the name early times. IN the Calendar of letter Books of the city of London, we learn of Sir John Hadley (Hadeley), who in 1369 was elected to Parliament. In the account of "Sums of money lent to the Lord the King", we read that Sir John lent King Edward III [ 1312-1377 King of England 1327-1377 ] the sum of twenty-six pounds, thirteen shillings, and four pence. The year 1371 saw turbulouse times in London and Sir John Hadeley "was, by the King's orders, arrested and delivered into the custody of the Constable of the Tower of London, there to be kept during the King's pleasure." We wonder if this misfortune befell Sir John as a result of trying to collect from his royal debtor. He was a member of the powerful Pepperers Guild, and on his release from the Tower, he was appointed with one other to supervise the expenditure of all money coming to the Chamber of the Guild Hall "for the business and necessities of the commonality" . (See Calendar of Letters - Books of the City of London.

In 1379 he was elected Lord Mayor of London, to which office he was re-elected in 1393. For arms he bore: aza chevron between three annulets or, over all on a fesse on the second, as many martlels, gu.

A little later we know of Sir Robert Hadley of Suffolk (see Suffolk Wills) and in the next century the records of several Hadleys are preserved. Later, in 1625, George Hadley of London and Somerset was born, and in addition to being of consequence himself, he was the ancestor of several Hadleys of note. George Hadley moved from London to East Barnet, Middlesex, where he purchased Osidge in 1652 as a place of residence. At his death he was survived by his son, George, who inherited Osidge; A daughter, Ann, who married Arthur Herbert, the celebrated Admiral and Earl of Torrington'; and Mary, wife of Sir William D' Oyley of Shottisham (From East Barnet, by F. C. Cass, M. A., Rector of Monken Hadley, Middlesex).

George Hadley's arms were (gu) two chevrons between three falcons or, beaked, legged and belled or; crest on a wreath a falcon or, beaked, legged and belled or, holding in his mouth a buckle of the last. (see Burke "General Armory"). In addition to Osidge, members of this family resided also at Church Hill House (Cass). The writer has in his possession an indenture signed by George Hadley for the sale made by him of Norton-Mairewood in Somerset, "made the ninety day of July in the second year of the reign of our Sovraigne Lord, James the Second, by the Grace of God, etc". George Hadley was deputy lieutenant and afterwards High Sheriff of Herfordshire (see Distonare, National Biography).

Among his male descendants were: John Hadley, the mathematician, born 1682, who improved the reflection telescope and was Vice-President of the Royal Society; another George Hadley of Lincoln Inn; Henry Hadley of Gray's Inn; John Hadley, Fellow of Queen's college, Cambridge, and Henry Hadley of Warwick Court, a noted surgeon. (Cass-East Barnett)

Arms of Hadleys in England include the following: (Burke) gu. a chevron or; gu, a chevron between three falcons or; az. a chevron and fesse or. in chief three annulets or; gu. three plates; gu. a chevron or, between three plates; overall a fesse az. or, a pair of compasses in base an annulet sa; gu. three chevronels or between as many falcons belled ar. in third center chief point, a buckle, the tongue erect of the second; gu on a chevron ar. three cross crosslets sa (to which was afterwards added, ato Thomas Girard of Trent), a chief or, with a bear sa. as alluding to the Hadley's descent from Futzurse; gu. on a chevron or. three crosses palance of the first; gu on a chevron or, three crosses moline of the first. A crest which was used with some of these arms showed a falcon holding in his beak, or else in the dexter claw, a buckle. A motto found with some of these arms was "Deo Auxilium Mini Est", or God is my help.

The above references to various Hadleys in England have been given as of some interest, but only one reference has been made to the Somerset Hadleys, although tradition, corroborated to some extent by records, is to the effect that the branch of the Hadleys who were in Ireland at a later date were descended from the Somerset family of that name. The name does not appear in the earliest Somersetshire records and the first of the name in that county seems to have been Alexander Hadley, born about 1375. Who took up residence in Somerset at his marriage. Through his marriage with Alice, daughter and heiress of Sir Ralph Durborough, Alexander Hadley came into possession of the manors of Williton, Withycombe, Heathfield, and other lands (Collinson-History of Somerset). Part of these Holdings had been in the family Futzursse, which had possessed them in very early times after the Norman Conquest.

In the early years of Henry II's reign, Sir Reginald Futzurse had his residence at Willeton. This Sir Reginald was the principal person concerned [ Reportedly gave the signal to strike ] in the killing of Thomas A. Becket, [ December 29,1170 ] Archbishop of Canterbury, under whom he had served as a Knight while Chancellor of England. Fitzurse, with his fellow conspirators, were distinguished by nobility of descent and were favorites of King Henry II, but because of their act they had to retire privately to Rome, where they were absolved by the Pope only on condition that they pass the remainder of their days in penitence at the Holy Sepulcher in Jerusalem. Thither they accordingly went and soon after the year 1171, Sir Reginald bestowed the major portion of his lands on his brother, Sir Robert Fitzurse, whose descendant and heiress several generation later carried them to the Durborough family (Savage-"History of Carhampton, etc.") when in turn they came through Alice Durborough to her husband Alexander Hadley. (see Collinson "History of Somerset").

In the second year of Edward IV [ 1462 or 1472 depending on whether before or after his excile by Henry VI ] there was drawn up a letter of attorney of Thomas Kyngeston for delivery of seisen of lands, etc. at Williton Watchet, etc. to Alexander Hadley and Alice, his wife, with remainder to John Hadley, their son and heir apparent, (The Ancestor). A little later Elizabeth Hadley, gentlewoman, signed over certain properties to her brother, this same John Hadley.

John Hadley married Joan, daughter of Richard Hadley, who married Philipa, the daughter of Sir Humphrey Audley, Knight, and his wife, Elizabeth Courtenay, daughter of Sir Philip Courtenay of Powderham Castle (Collinson-"History of Somerset"). Richard Hadley's wife, Philipa Audley, was descended from to illustrious houses. Her father Sir Humphry Audley was a brother of Lord Audley and was descended from Adam de Aldithley, who lived in the reign of Henry the First and was the first Baron Audley of Heleigh (Burke-Peerage).

Sir Humphry Audley with his kinsmen were strong supporters of the House of Lancaster during the War of the Roses, and he himself was captured by the Yorkists at the Battle of Tewkesbury in 1461, and after imprisonment was beheaded. (see Maxwell-Lyte). Philipa Audley's mother, Elizabeth Courtenay, was the daughter of Sir Philip Courtenay and his wife, a daughter of Walter, Lord Hungerford. Elizabeth Courtenay's great grandfather, Hugh Courtenay, the second great Earl of Devon, married Margared, the daughter of Humphry Bohun, Earl of Hereford and Essed, and Lord High Constable of England, and his wife, Elizabeth Plantagenet, daughter of King Edward I[ 1239-1307 King of England 1272-1307 ] and Eleanor of Castile [ died 1290 daughter of Ferdinand III, King of Castile and Leon ]. Elizabeth Courtenay's brother, Sir Peter Courtenay, was secretary to Edward IV, and her nephew, William Courtenay, married Catherine, a daughter of the monarch (Maxwell Lyte "History of Dunster"). In 1476, Elizabeth Courtenay, or Lady Adley as she was then, stood Godmother at Tewkesbury where her husband had lately been executed, to Richard, the short-lived son of George, Duke of Clarence, brother of the King, who had been her protector during the difficulties which had beset her in those troubulous times.

Richard Hadley and his wife Philipa had several children, James, Sir Henry, George, Sir John who afterwards lived at Bruyton, Sir William, whose seat was at Barlinche, and two daughters, Ann and Jane (see Somerset Medieval Wills). When James Hadley came of marriageable age, his father entered into arrangements with Christopher Matthew of Glamorgan for his marriage with Friedeswide Matthew (The Ancestor). Questions of the bride's dowry, etc. were settled, after which the marriage took place. After the death of his first wife, James Hadley married Elizabeth------------------. By his first wife, he had Children : Christopher, John, James Thomas, Ann and Rachel.

"Wills I didn't Copy" This is the end of the first half the next is the first and second generations in the US.

Further notes on the Early Hadley's by Chalmers Hadley

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