Arden Sherman Chatfield

FAMILY LINE AND HISTORY

Arden Sherman Chatfield
8th of 10 children of Charles Henry Chatfield & Nellie Belle Chamberlin
Military: WWII, US Army Private, Co. G Infantry Division 184th Regiment; cook
Occupations: Farm laborer, Chico Ice Company, butcher’s union, cook, waiter, busboy, dishwasher
Avocation: Hobo, traveled the USA hopping trains
Born: Aug 29, 1910, Sanders, Rosebud (now Treasure) Co., Montana
Died: Oct 3, 1981 (age 71), Chico, Butte Co., California; of heart failure
Buried: Oct 7, 1981: Chico Cemetery (Veteran’s Section) in Chico, Butte Co., California
Never married, no children

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Timeline and Records

Ten children of Charles Henry Chatfield & Nellie Belle Chamberlin:
1. Charles Joseph “Charley” Chatfield
1895 – 1986
2. Leo Willard Chatfield
1897 – 1956
3. Howard Francis Chatfield
1899 – 1953
4. Roy Elmer Chatfield
1901 – 1978
5. Nellie Mary “Nella May” Chatfield
1903 – 1983
6. Gordon Gregory Chatfield
1905 – 1948
7. Verda Agnes Chatfield
1908 – 1978
8. Arden Sherman Chatfield
1910 – 1981
9. Ina Jacqueline Chatfield
1913 – 1993
10. Noreen Ellen “Babe” Chatfield
1915 – 1968

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Aug 29, 1910: Birth of Arden Sherman Chatfield, 8th of 10 children of Charles Henry Chatfield & Nellie Belle Chamberlin, in Sanders, Rosebud Co. (now Treasure Co.), Montana.

Headstones, Hearsay, and a Little History:
May 28, 1913: Nellie Chatfield boards the train in Sanders, Montana with her nine children in tow.
Nellie sold the wagon and horses for $300 and with tickets in hand and nine children in tow, she boarded the train at Sanders, leaving Charles behind. As Nellie readied her household for the long train-ride to California, she said nothing as she crated her New Haven kitchen-clock, a gift from Charles at the birth of their first child. She said nothing as she boxed her button collection, her sewing needles, and her nearly completed crazy quilt—a crayon-colored piece she’d started during her first pregnancy. She said nothing as she packed her trunks with her high-necked blouses and bloomers and petticoats, nothing as she packed away her linens, her family pictures, her black cast-iron pots, and her past. With Nellie, wrath was silent.

In a fit of venom, while ironing her traveling skirt, she dropped the heated sad iron on her foot. She boarded the train in a wheelchair. With “All aboard!” the family gathered their worldly possessions and filed on. Nellie was forty. Charles, the oldest at seventeen, carried his silver timepiece and small leather-bound pocket diary. Leo, two years younger, carried his case knife. Howard, a scrappy fourteen-year-old, carried a chip on his shoulder. Roy, not quite eleven, stayed close to Nellie; he carried the food baskets and what was needed for the little ones. Her first girl, Nella May, a wisp of a child not yet ten—had her hands full hanging on to Verda who was four and tow-headed Arden who was two-and-a-half. Gordon, seven, carried his mother’s hatbox. Tiny three-month Ina was in her mother’s arms.

Headstones, Hearsay, and a Little History:
In 1915 the Chatfield family left Los Molinos and moved to the up and coming agricultural town of Chico, buying a fairly new two-story corner residence in the Chapmantown district, a working-class neighborhood near the Diamond Match Factory. In those days most people rented; few owned their own homes. With only two upstairs bedrooms, the boys sharing one, the girls the other, it was a small house for a large family. Downstairs, Grandma Chatfield created a tiny sleeping space for herself in an alcove under the stairway, keeping the small downstairs bedroom for company. Grandpa slept in the shed.

circa 1917: Youngest Chatfield children sitting on the railing of Boucher house in Chico, California:

Jan 26, 1920: Federal Census for Chico, Butte Co., California:
Chatfield, Charles H.: head, owns, age 49, born Colorado, father born Illinois, mother born Texas, foreman for rice ranch
Nellie C.: wife, age 46, born Montana, father born New York, mother born Pennsylvania
Charles J.: son, age 24; born Colorado, father born Colorado, mother born Missouri, laborer rice ranch
Leo W.: son, age 22; born Wyoming, father born Colorado, mother born Missouri, laborer, rice ranch
Roy E.: son, age 18; born Colorado, father born Colorado, mother born Missouri, Lumber Grader in Match Factory
Nellie M.: daughter, age 16; born Colorado, father born Colorado, mother born Missouri, Forewoman in Match Factory
Gordon G.: son, age 14; born Wyoming, father born Colorado, mother born Missouri
Verda A.: daughter, age 11; born Montana, father born Colorado, mother born Missouri
Arden I.: son, age 9, born Montana, father born Colorado, mother born Missouri (Arden S.)
Ina J: daughter, age 6, born Montana, father born Colorado, mother born Missouri
Norine E.: age 4 3/12, born California, father born Colorado, mother born Missouri (Noreen)
Note: Charles is working for the Spaulding ranch 16 miles west of Chico, as foreman harvesting rice.

1929: City Directory, Chico, Butte Co., California (pg 54):
Chatfield Arden A Boucher as ne cor Irwin

Apr 23, 1930: Federal Census for Chico, Butte Co., California:
Chatfield, Nellie: Head, owns, Value of property $2,500, age 54, married, 1st marriage at 19, born Missouri, father born New York, mother born Pennsylvania, wrapper in Match Factory
Roy E.: son, age 29, single, born Colorado, father born Colorado, mother born Missouri, Driver for Ice Plant
Arden I.: son, age 19, single, born Montana, father born Colorado, mother born Missouri, waiter in restaurant (Arden S.)
Ina J.: daughter, age 17, single, born Montana, father born Colorado, mother born Missouri
Noriene E.: age 14, single, born California, father born Colorado, mother born Missouri (Noreen)
Chatfield, Charlie: Husband, age 59, married, 1st marriage at 24, born Colorado, father born Illinois, mother born Texas, carpenter for contractor
Note: Charles appears to be back in Nellie’s good graces as he is in the household again.

Headstones, Hearsay, and a Little History:
Arden was the wanderer in the family, a vagabond of sorts. He traveled the country by hitchhiking and railway, seeing every state except Oklahoma through his dark glasses. Even on the road he was immaculately dressed, favoring light-colored slacks and shirts, his shoes always shined. The story has it that he wore two shirts, two pairs of pants, and two pairs of socks so he could travel empty-handed.

He habitually disappeared for a few days, occasionally for a few weeks, often for a few months, and sometimes for a couple of years. One early Sunday afternoon he got up in the middle of a conversation with his mother, walked out the front door, and no one saw him again for three years. When he returned, he walked back in, sat back down, and finished his sentence as if he’d never left. Years before he’d been hit on the head with a fifty-pound block of ice while working at the ice company. It must have affected him.

Arden broke the rules—and sometimes he broke the law. He was once hauled into court in front of a local judge who had lost all patience with him. “You, sir,” the judge shouted, “are a bum,” implying Arden was someone too lazy to work and wasted his life wandering. “I, sir,” Arden replied with dignity, “am not a bum. I am a hobo.” My mother’s brother had deliberately chosen a wandering life.

To the chagrin of his family and the wrath of his mother, Arden often made the papers:

Jul 15, 1930: Oroville Mercury-Register, Oroville, Butte Co., California (pg 1):

Jul 23, 1930: Appeal-Democrat, Marysville, Yuba Co., California (pg 7):</span

Jun 2, 1931: Postcard (Missoula, Montana) from Arden to his mother, Nellie Chatfield:

1933: Chico Enterprise, Chico, Butte Co., California:
TRANSIENT BOOKED Arden Chatfield, a transient, is scheduled to appear in police court tomorrow following his arrest at 7:15 p.m. last night at Humbolds road and Mill streets on a charge of vagrancy.

May 8, 1935: Chico Enterprise, Chico, Butte Co., California:
BANDIT SUSPECT FREED BY DEATH Because death wouldn’t take a holiday, Arden Chatfield, a 25-year-old youth, yesterday escaped a robbery trial. Chico authorities were notified by the police that the complaining witness died two weeks ago and prosecution would be useless. Judge Carraghar sentenced Chatfield to 30 days in the county jail for technical vagrancy. He was arrested by Sergeant Lee Parker, who testified he found several cans of marijuana in Chatfield’s pockets.

May 8, 1935: The Sacramento Bee, Sacramento, Sacramento Co., California (pg 9):

Nov 1, 1936: Postcard (Reno, Nevada) from Arden to his mother, Nellie Chatfield:

undated postcard (Grants Pass, Oregon) from Arden to his mother, Nellie Chatfield:

Ap 12, 1940: Federal Census for Stockton, San Joaquin Co., California:
State Hospital for the Insane
Chatfield, Arden: Inmate, age 30, born abt 1910, male, white, born Montana, single, did not attend school or college, worked 3 hours per week prior to the census

Nov 9, 1940: WWII Draft Card information:
Name: Arden Sherman Chatfield
Gender: Male
Race: White
Age: 25
Relationship to Draftee: Self (Head)
Birth Date: 29 Aug 1915
Birth Place: Helena, Montana, USA
Residence Place: Chico, Butte, California, USA
Registration Date: 9 Nov 1940
Registration Place: Chico, Butte, California, USA
Employer: Unemployed
Weight: 145
Complexion: Ruddy
Eye Color: Brown
Hair Color: Brown
Height: 5 6
Next of Kin: Charles Chatfield

Nov 9, 1940: WWII Draft Card:

Note: Arden’s military record is off by five years; he was born in 1910 (not 1915) and is age 30 (not 25) years old. Interesting that he uses his father as the person who would always know his address rather than his mother. Knowing Nellie, she would not vouch for him with his past behavior.

1940: Arden Chatfield, US Army Private, Co. G Infantry Division 184th Regiment:

Above photo: Arden served as a cook at Camp Merriam (established in 1928 as an Army National Guard training camp in San Luis Obispo Co., California); he is in white with cook’s hat, second from left in the middle row.

Jul 23, 1942: Death of Charles Henry Chatfield (age 71), father of Arden Chatfield, at the Butte County Hospital in Oroville, California; of cardiac failure and malnutrition.

Jul 24, 1942: Chico Enterprise, Chico, Butte Co., California:
C.H. Chatfield Taken by Death
Charles H. Chatfield, widely known Chico resident for the past 25 years, and retired rancher, died at a local hospital yesterday following a short illness.
Chatfield was born in Florence, Colorado, September 21, 1870 and has been a resident of this community for 25 years. The family residence was at 666 East 16th street. He followed his occupation as a rancher until his retirement a few years ago.
He leaves to mourn him, his wife Nellie Chatfield of Chico and the following children, Charles J. of San Francisco, Leo W. of Camptonville, Howard F. and Roy E. of Chico, Gordon of Martinez, Arden with the U.S. Army, Mrs. Nellie McElhiney of Oakland, Mrs. Verda Day of Vallejo, Mrs. Noreen Clemens of Vallejo, and Mrs. Irma Fouch of Yuba City. Twelve grandchildren also survive.
One brother, Elmer Chatfield of Wyoming, and two sisters, Mrs. Ella Small of Superior, Arizona, and Mrs. Calla Joslyn of Santa Monica, California.
Friends are invited to attend the funeral services Saturday morning at 9:30 o’clock at the Black and Johnson Funeral home. Rev. Father Patrick J. Cronin of St. John the Baptist Catholic church will read the last rites and the interment will be held in Chico cemetery.

Aug 24, 1942: Arden Sherman Chatfield is discharged from the U.S. Army

Aug 1949: Letter from Ina (Chatfield) Fouch to her mother Nellie:
Dear Mom,
I thought I would drop you a line or two, even tho there isn’t much to write about. Was wondering how you’re surviving the hot weather. Weren’t some of those days terrific though?
Did Arden ever show up Chico again? He got off at Gridley and was wondering if he got a job there, or moved on? One never can tell about him.
I hope to have some tomatoes, etc., for you when Verda comes thru altho the tomatoes aren’t doing very good. We are hoping these later ones will be better. Hope to be able to get you some peaches too.
I gave Jim a little birthday party last week. He was quite thrilled as it was his first birthday party. Shirley sent him the nicest suede cowboy jacket, but it is a little hot to wear it right now. He wears it for about 5 minutes at a time.
Well, I have an ironing to do & want to get at it before it gets too hot so will sign off.
Hope you are feeling better and the heat isn’t bothering you much.
Love to you both, Ina

1952: City Directory, Chico, Butte Co., California (pg 100):
Chatfield Arden S cook Leo’s Grill r1543 Boucher av

Jan 2, 1956: Death of Nellie Belle (Chamberlin) Chatfield (age 82), mother of Arden, at her home on Boucher in Chico, Butte Co., California. Nellie is buried in the Catholic Section of the Chico Cemetery, nowhere near her husband.

Jan 3, 1956: Chico Enterprise, Chico, Butte Co., California:
Nellie Chatfield
Recitation of the rosary will be held in the Brusie Funeral Home this evening at 8 o’clock for Mrs. Nellie Chatfield, who died at her home on Boucher Street Monday.
Mrs. Chatfield was born on Mar 7, 1873 in Kansas City, Mo., to Frank and Emma Chamberlin. She resided in Chico in the same house the entire time.
Mrs. Chatfield was a charter member of the Catholic Ladies relief society.
She is survived by eight children: Charles J. of, South San Francisco; Leo W., of Camptonville; Mrs. Nellie McElhiney, of Oakland; Arden, of Yountville; Mrs. Ina Fouch, of Yuba City; Mrs. Ray Hayknee, of San Jose; and Roy E. and Mrs. Verda Day, both of Chico; a brother, Willard Chamberlin of Corvallis, Ore., two sisters, Mrs. Ada Whitaker and Mrs. Mamie Rosborough, both of Baker, Ore. 21 grandchildren and 17 great-grandchildren. Mrs. Chatfield lost a son, Gordon in World War II and another son, Howard, three months ago.
At 9:50 a.m. Wednesday the cortege will proceed to St. John the Baptist Catholic Church where requiem mass will be offered for the repose of the soul.
Those who desire may have masses said in lieu of flowers.
Note: Arden may be living in the Veterans’ Home of California in Yountville, Napa Co., California, the largest Veteran’s home in the United States.

Feb 13, 1965: Excerpt of letter to Verda from Mamie (Chamberlin) Rosborough, Verda and Arden’s aunt, and sister of Nellie Chatfield:
Feb. 13, 1965.
My dear Verda;
Poor Arden, it is to bad he can’t make up his mind to settle down some place, and stay put, how is his health, do you know? One thing if he goes out to Roy’s and Jo’s, Jo will always be nice to him.
With love to all, Aunt Mamie
Note: Mamie if referring to Arden and Verda’s brother, Roy Chatfield and Roy’s wife, Jo (Chambers) Chatfield

Oct 3, 1981: Death of Arden Sherman Chatfield (age 71), 8th of 10 children of Charles Henry Chatfield & Nellie Belle Chamberlin, in Chico, Butte Co., California; of heart failure.

October 5, 1981, Chico Enterprise, Chico, California:
Arden Chatfield.
Services will be held at 11:00 a.m. Wednesday at Brusie Funeral Home for Arden Sherman Chatfield, 71, of Chico.
He died Saturday in a local hospital.
Born Aug 29, 1910, to Mr. and Mrs. Charles Chatfield in Sanders, Mont. His family moved to Chico when he was five. He was reared and educated here.
He served in World War II and worked as a farm laborer for 30 years. He retired when he was 65 years old.
Survivors include two sisters, Ina Fouch of Yuba City and Nellie McElhiney of Martinez; and a brother, Charles, of Paradise.
The Rev. John Crowley will officiate at the service. Burial will be at the Chico cemetery.
Visitation will be held from 5 to 9 p.m. today at the Brusie Funeral Home.

Oct 7, 1981: Burial of Arden Sherman Chatfieldin the Chico Cemetery (Veteran’s Section) in Chico, Butte Co., California
Note: Arden’s younger sister Ina (Chatfield) Fouch made the arrangements for her brother’s funeral. Arden had money in the bank to cover his burial costs and the Veteran’s Administration paid for his headstone.

California Death Index:
Name: Arden Sherman Chatfield
Gender: Male
Birth Date: 29 Aug 1910
Birth Place: Montana
Death Date: 3 Oct 1981
Death Place: Butte
Mother’s Maiden Name: Chamberlin

Department of Veteran’s Affairs Death File:
Name: Arden Chatfield
Death Date: 3 Oct 1981
Branch 1: ARMY
Enlistment Date 1: 22 Mar 1941
Release Date 1: 24 Aug 1942

Note: Headstones, Hearsay, and a Little History, stories by Catherine Sevenau

2020. Catherine (Clemens) Sevenau.