Fifteenth Generation

5729. Edaline Anesta Chatfield was born on 27 July 1883 in Littleton, Arapahoe Co., Colorado, USA. She lived in Santa Barbara, Santa Barbara Co., California, USA in 1930. She lived in Yuma, Yuma Co., Arizona, USA in 1940. Edaline died Thyroid cancer on 7 May 1964 at the age of 80 in Yuma, Yuma Co., Arizona, USA. She was buried in Littleton Cmtry., Littleton, Arapahoe Co., Colorado, USA. She lived in Platte, Jefferson Co., Colorado, USA 1910/1920. Edaline lived in Long Beach, Los Angeles Co., California, USA. No children.
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Occupation: Jefferson County Assessor, assistant in Golden Colorado
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Affiliation: DAR (Daughters of the American Revolution), Rebekahs
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Upon her May 7, 1964, death, Edaline passed on her father's Civil War letters and artifacts to her cousin—Margaret Chatfield McCarty, the co-author of "The Chatfield Story—The Civil War Letters and Diaries of Private Edward L. Chatfield of the 113th Illinois Volunteer".

"Feb, 1913: Pretty Home Wedding — A pretty wedding took place at the home of the bride's parents Wednesday afternoon. The contracting parties were Miss Edaline Chatfield, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. E.L. Chatfield, and Mr. Bernie Rhea, son of Mr. and Mrs. K.S. Rhea. Only immediate relatives of the happy couple, numbering about thirty, were present. Many handsome and useful gifts were received. After a brief honeymoon they will reside on a ranch about two miles west of Littleton. Rev. Edmondson, of the Presbyterian Church, officiated. The Independent joins their many friends in wishing them a happy and prosperous journey through life. (Littleton Independent)

May 8, 1964: Edaline Rhea dies at Parkview Hospital — Edaline Rhea, 81, of 407 S. 21st Avenue, died at Parkview Baptist Hospital last night. She had been residing recently at the Yuma County Nursing Home. Arrangements are pending at the Johnson Mortuary. (Yuma Daily Sun)

[Obituary] May 18, 1964: Edaline Rhea Services Set — The body of Edaline Rhea, 81, who died Thursday at Parkview Baptist Hospital will be cremated. The remains will be interred in Littleton Colorado Cemetery beside her husband, Bernard L. Rhea, who died May 8, 1959. Memorial services will be held at the First United Presbyterian Church at a time to be announced later. It is requested that in lieu of flowers contributions be made to the City of Hope, American Cancer Fund, or the Memorial Fund of the First United Presbyterian Church. Mrs. Rhea came to Yuma with her husband 29 years ago. She was a member of the First United Presbyterian Church, the Daughters of the American Revolution, and the Rebekahs, and served as Treasurer of the church Sunday School for many years. She is survived by two cousins: Mrs. Margaret Chatfield [Margaret Elmina Driver Chatfield] of Temple City, California and [I.N. Chatfield's youngest daughter] Mrs. Laura G. Heyd of El Centro. (Yuma Daily Sun)"
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"Edaline Anesta Chatfield married Bernard "Bernie" Landon Rhea, the son of the elected Jefferson County tax assessor, K. Shelby Rhea. The couple had no children. Because of this, upon her May 7, 1964, death, Edaline passed on her father's Civil War letters and artifacts to her cousin, Margaret "Peg" Chatfield McCarty. Peg was a high school history teacher, and it had been Cousin Edaline's wish that Peg would be responsible for the family's historical documents. Before her death, Edaline had bequeathed her father's Civil War diaries to the historical museum in the city of Littleton, Colorado, where "Chatfield" names a state park and recreation area, a dam and reservoir, a high school, some local housing developments and businesses, and a few streets, avenues and lanes. A treasure trove of war tales and family history still awaited discovery, as we would soon find out. I moved the bed away from the corner, allowing Peg to reach down between the bed and the wall with both hands, her feet dangling off to the side of the bed as she stretched across it on her stomach. She emerged with an old shoebox, its lid bound by a string of red yarn. Carefully slipping off the yarn, her eyes widened. Underneath Edaline's bed, inside that aged shoebox, was the treasure she had hidden so many years before—a collection of Civil War letters written by her father and other members of his family. Peg had never seen them before; she had only been told about them. Edaline's safe hiding place had finally been found.

Only a few of the letters were still in their original envelopes, their 3-cent Union stamps cancelled in Memphis. One envelope lacked a stamp and read, "Due 3". Some envelopes had no cancel marks whatsoever, having been hand-carried to their destination by friends. The bottom of one such envelope read, "Care of Mr. Parker." All envelopes had been addressed to the members of the Chatfield family c/o the Grand Prairie Post Office, Kankakee County, Illinois. The letters—over 100 of them—had been written in handsome cursive on paper of varying quality. Some were in excellent condition, easy to read and transcribe. Others had badly faded, written on cheap paper, frail and worn, their contents requiring delicate care and magnification to decipher. The letters were a special treasure. The diaries that Edaline had donated to the Littleton Historical Museum constituted a fine account of Edward's daily activities during 19 of his 34 months in the Union Army, but his letters provided windows to his character and soul, his words chosen with care and written from the heart. Edaline had saved the letters for Peg, her historian cousin, the great granddaughter of her father's younger brother, James Herrick Chatfield. Peg understood the compelling responsibility of such an inheritance, even then."
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Edaline C Rhea in household of Bernard L Rhea, "USA Census, 1920"
Event Place: Platte, Jefferson, Colorado
District: 95
Gender: Female
Age: 36
Marital Status: Married
Race: White
Can Read: Yes
Can Write: Yes
Relationship to Head of Household: Wife
Birth Year (Estimated): 1884
Birthplace: Colorado
Father's Birthplace: Ohio
Mother's Birthplace: Ohio
Sheet Number and Letter: 10A
Household ID: 52
Line Number: 22
GS Film number: 1820164
Digital Folder Number: 004294434
Image Number: 00887
Household Gender Age Birthplace
Head Bernard L Rhea M 33 Colorado
Wife Edaline C Rhea F 36 Colorado
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Edaline O Rhea in household of Bernard L Rhea, "USA Census, 1930"
Event Place: Santa Barbara, Santa Barbara, California
District: 0011
Gender: Female
Age: 45
Marital Status: Married
Race: White
Relationship to Head of Household: Wife
Birth Year (Estimated): 1885
Birthplace: Colorado
Father's Birthplace: Ohio
Mother's Birthplace: Ohio
Sheet Number and Letter: 16B
Household ID: 378
Line Number: 100
GS Film number: 2339949
Digital Folder Number: 004532361
Image Number: 00249
Household Gender Age Birthplace
Head Bernard L Rhea M 43 Colorado
Wife Edaline O Rhea F 45 Colorado
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Edaline C Rhea in household of Bernard Rhea, "USA Census, 1940"
Event Place: Yuma, Supervisorial District 1, Yuma, Arizona
Gender: Female
Age: 56
Marital Status: Married
Race: White
Relationship to Head of Household: Wife
Birthplace: Colorado
Birth Year (Estimated): 1884
Last Place of Residence: Long Beach, Los Angeles, California
District: 14-6
Family Number: 168
Sheet Number and Letter: 8B
Line Number: 58
Affiliate Publication Number: T627
Affiliate Film Number: 115
Digital Folder Number: 005461871
Image Number: 00151
Household Gender Age Birthplace
Head Bernard Rhea M 53 Colorado
Wife Edaline C Rhea F 56 Colorado

Edaline Anesta Chatfield and Bernie Landon "Bernie" Rhea were married on 19 February 1913 in Platte, Jefferson Co., Colorado, USA. Married: at the home of Edaline's parents.
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Colorado Statewide Marriage Index
Name: Bernard L Rhea
Event Date: 19 Feb 1913
Event Place: Platt, Jefferson, Colorado
Spouse's Name: Edaline A Chatfield
Page: 6196
GS Film number: 001690126
Digital Folder Number: 005204194
Image Number: 01311
Bernie Landon "Bernie" Rhea was born in 1886 in Colorado, USA. He lived in Platte, Jefferson Co., Colorado, USA in 1920. He lived in Santa Barbara, Santa Barbara Co., California, USA in 1930. Bernie lived in Yuma, Yuma Co., Arizona, USA in 1940. He died on 8 May 1959 at the age of 73. He was buried in Littleton Cmtry., Littleton, Arapahoe Co., Colorado, USA. Son of the elected Jefferson County tax assessor, K. Shelby Rhea.
Father's Birthplace: North Carolina
Mother's Birthplace: Iowa