John F. and Lulu M. Hidy nee Stafford and children

Lulu M.⁶ Stafford (William¹ Robert² Andrew³ Daniel⁴ Clayton⁵), Born on 02 January 1900 in Hubbell, Thayer County, Nebraska;^1,2 died on 21 February 1972 in Sabetha, Nehama County, Kansas;³ married (1) to Claude Hartsell in Mitchell County, Kansas at the age of 16;⁴ (2) married to John F. Hidy, before 1930;⁵  (3) married to Lester "Brownie" Warfel, after 1942.⁶

Lulu or "Beulah" as she was later called,⁶ was the first child born to Clayton and Grace Stafford nee Everts.^2,7   She was born while they lived in Hubbell, Thayer County, Nebraska.¹  The local newspaper, The Hebron Journal, ran a brief notice stating she was born on 02 January 1900.¹   The 1900 census lists her as "Lulu M," her parents as Clayton and Grace L. and it describes her father as a farmer and owner of his farm at this time.² Research in land records produced a deed of trust documenting how Clayton obtained the land he was farming.  Lulu's maternal grandfather, Timothy Everts, left his farm to his only farm to his daughter, Grace.⁸  The Everts farm straddled the Kansas-Nebraska state line.  His residence was very near Hubbell, Nebraska, but records for the transfer of ownership of the farm were filed in Belleville, Kansas.

Not long after Lulu's birth, something convinced Clayton and Grace to leave their home in Hubbell and head for Chandler, Lincoln County, Oklahoma where Lulu's sister, Martha Florence, was born on 28 July 1902.^9,10 A warranty deed filed in Belleville, Kansas documents their residence in Chandler, Oklahoma in August of 1902¹⁰ when Clayton and Grace sold her father's farm.  This was the last time they were land owners.  After a short stay in Chandler, Lulu's parents packed their belongings and moved their family of four to Creston, Union County, Iowa where their third child, another girl was born on 11 October 1904.¹¹  They named her Opal "Sophie" Irene.^6,12

Since no documentation has been found to describe why the family moved so often, one can only assume that each move was prompted by difficulties in the present location.  Maybe they could not pay their bills; maybe there was trouble with neighbors or Clayton's employers.  By the time Lulu was 6 years old her parents had moved Atchison, Kansas.¹³ The stay there was again a short one.  Lulu's youngest sibling, Charley Clayton Stafford, was born on 26 November 1906 in Glen Elder, Mitchell County, Kansas.¹⁴ This was a very rough time for Lulu's mother.  Lulu's father was in Lansing penitentiary in Leavenworth County, Kansas.¹⁵  He was incarcerated there for approximately four years.  Details of his life are discussed on his webpage.

According to the 1910 census, Grace Stafford and her four children were living in Linn County, Kansas with Thomas N. Higgins.¹²  The details concerning the relationship between Grace and Thomas Higgins are unknown.  There is evidence documenting Grace and her children return to Clayton Stafford after his release from prison.¹⁶   Lulu and her family returned to Glen Elder, Kansas.  Lulu's mother died in Glen Elder when Lulu was only 15 years old.¹⁶ In less than one year after her mother's death, Lulu married her first husband, Claude V. Hartsel, in Mitchell County, Kansas on 05 April 1916.^4,17  From this marriage, Lulu had three children.⁶ By 1930, this marriage had dissolved, Claude V. Hartsel was listed as a prisoner in the Montgomery County, Kansas Jail.¹⁸

Lulu Hartsel married John F. Hidy sometime before 1930.⁶ Lulu and John Hidy lived in Marshall County, Kansas and were the parents of two children.¹⁴ John Hidy died on 27 February 1942 in Seneca, Kansas.  After John F. Hidy died, Lulu married a man named Lester Warfel and continued to live in Nemaha County, Kansas.⁶  Lulu Hidy-Warfel nee Stafford died at Sabetha, Nemaha County, Kansas on 21 February 1972.¹⁷  Lester Warfel died about April 1973 at Sabetha, Nemaha County, Kansas.¹⁹

	Lulu Stafford with son Leroy Hartsel
	Lulu with daughters Orpha M. Hidy and Betty Hartsel
	Lulu with husband Lester Warfel

Further research needed:

• Divorce record for Lulu and Claude Hartsel

• Marriage record for John F. and Lulu M. "Bula" Hartsel nee Stafford - probably in one of these Kansas Counties - Marshall, Mitchell or Jewell

• Marriage record for Lulu M. and Lester Warfel - may be in Nemaha County, Kansas

• Death record for Lulu M. Warfel

• Land records for Lulu and her husbands

• Are Betty and Evelyn the same person?

i.

Evelyn Hartsel

b. about Nov 1917 in Kansas¹⁷

ii.

Leroy Virgil Hartsel

b. 11 April 1919 in Kansas;^17,20 d. 04 December 1992²⁰

i.

Betty Hartsel

b. [?]; d. before 08 Jan 1989;⁶ m. Mr. Stevens⁶

i.

Albert Laverne Hidy

b. Living

ii.

Orpha M. Hidy

b. 16 February 1928 at Centralia, Marshall County, Kansas;^{6,21, 22} d. 08 January 1989 at Hiawatha, Brown County, Kansas;^21,22 m. Marvin L. Tate on 05 October 1955 at Seneca, Nemaha County, Kansas.²²

Lulu Mae Stafford

Census Records:

• 1900 - Hubbell, Thayer County, Nebraska

• 1910 - Scott Township, Linn County, Kansas

• 1920 - Ionia, Jewell County, Kansas

• 1930 - Noble Township, Marshall County, Kansas

Marriage Records:

Lulu Stafford married at least three times.  The research on her marriages is incomplete at this time.

• Hartsel - Stafford marriage record (05 April 1916), Mitchell County, Kansas

• Married John F. Hidy between 1920 and 1928

• Married Lester Warfel after 1942

Newspaper Clippings

(Available upon request)

• Birth announcement, daughter to Clayton and Grace Stafford, Hebron Journal, Friday, 12 Jan 1900, page 1, column 5.

Death Certificate:

• Need this record

Burial Records:

• Need this record