Hatley Family Genealogy & History

John E. Hatley, a former first sergeant in the United States Army, was born on July 30, 1968, in Decatur, Texas. Hatley is best known for his military career, which included notable deployments with the 101st Airborne Division in Operations Desert Shield and Desert Storm, as well as missions in Bosnia, Kosovo, and Iraq. His career took a significant turn when he was convicted in 2009 for the murder of four Iraqi detainees, a case that linked him to the infamous Leavenworth 10, a group of US military personnel convicted of war crimes. Hatley was sentenced to life in prison but was released on parole in October 2020.

John E. Hatley was born to parents Darryl and Ann Hatley in Decatur, Texas, and was one of five children. He dropped out of Groesbeck High School to join the United States Army, where he later completed his GED and pursued further education at the University of Maryland while on active duty.

Marvin Hatley, born Thomas Marvin Hatley on April 3, 1905, in Reed, Oklahoma, was a renowned American film composer and musical director. Notably recognized for his work at the Hal Roach studio from 1929 to 1940, Hatley composed scores for iconic series such as Our Gang, Laurel and Hardy, and Charley Chase films. His composition "Dance of the Cuckoos," famously known as the Laurel and Hardy theme song, remains a standout achievement. Hatley's exceptional scores for Laurel and Hardy films like Way Out West and Block-Heads earned him Academy Award nominations. Despite leaving Roach studio in 1939, he returned for one final project, Saps at Sea, due to Stan Laurel's insistence, before transitioning to a successful career as a lounge pianist.

Simon Hatley (1685 – after 1723) was an English sailor and privateer known for his daring voyages to the South Pacific. His most notable act was shooting an albatross during a storm south of Cape Horn, an incident immortalized by Samuel Taylor Coleridge in "The Rime of the Ancient Mariner." Hatley participated in Woodes Rogers's expedition against the Spanish in 1708 and later sailed under George Shelvocke, facing capture and imprisonment by the Spanish on both occasions. Despite being labeled a pirate, Hatley returned to Britain in 1723 and faded into obscurity, yet remains a significant figure in literary history due to Coleridge's poem.

Simon Hatley was born in Woodstock, Oxfordshire, to Symon and Mary Hatley, the oldest child in a family of prosperous hatters. His mother, Mary Herbert, was reportedly a Catholic, possibly linked to the Catholic Herbert family of the earls of Pembroke. The Hatley family owned a large house and rental properties, indicating their wealth and standing. Simon attended Woodstock Grammar School and was literate in Latin and English, later apprenticing as a pilot in Bristol, which set the stage for his adventurous maritime career.

Tim Hatley is a renowned British set and costume designer celebrated for his work in theatre and film. With a career spanning over three decades, Hatley has earned numerous accolades, including Tony Awards for Best Set Design and Best Costume Design, as well as multiple Drama Desk Awards and Laurence Olivier Awards. His notable projects include Broadway productions like Shrek the Musical and Spamalot, as well as West End hits such as Dreamgirls and The Bodyguard. Hatley's innovative designs have graced stages from the Royal National Theatre to Broadway, highlighting his versatility across both musicals and dramas.