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Title
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Hyatt-LaBoon Collection
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Description
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Items related to the families of David Edward Hyatt, Robert Glenn Hyatt, and Roberta Hyatt LaBoon.
The center of the collection is a christening gown made by Elizabeth Benners Willis Hyatt in 1885 for the christening of her son, David Edward Hyatt, and used by several subsequent generations.
JAMES & ELIZABETH HYATT
Elizabeth Benners Willis (1857-1926) married James Robert Hyatt (1853-1931) in Waynesville, NC. James was a tax collector for the city, and later owned and operated a grist mill. They had five children: David, Josepha, James, Buel "Bud," and Elizabeth "Bellie" (who as an adult went by Betty). It is believed that the gown was worn by all five children.
DAVID & AURORA HYATT
The Christening gown passed down to their oldest son, David Edward Hyatt (1885-1959), who married Aurora Glenn in 1907. They moved to Greer in 1908 and had three children: Robert Glenn Hyatt, 1909; Albert E. Hyatt, 1910 (who likely died as a child); and Tyree Walter Hyatt, 1913. It is believed that the gown was worn by all three children.
Soon after Tyree was born, David went to fight in World War 1, and served at Base Hospital No. 25 — an American Expeditionary Forces medical unit established at Allerey-sur-Saône, France, in the summer of 1918.
In the 1930 census David is back home, living at 90 Arlington Street; he is listed as manager of a cafe, but by this time he was also running a grocery store. His son Robert is 20 and working as a grocery salesman; Tyree is 18.
In the 1940 census they are living at 515 Hill Street (now East Poinsett). His son Tyree, along with Tyree's wife (“Bibly”?) Mae Masters Hyatt and Tyree Jr., also live with them; David owns the house, and Tyree pays $10/month for rent. Tyree is an engraver at a textile plant.
ROBERT & THELMA HYATT
David's oldest son, Robert, began working as a substitute post office carrier in May 1928. Robert married Thelma Holder (1909 - 2005), and the christening gown passed down to them. In May 1933 he was made substitute clerk at the post office.
Their only child, daughter Roberta, was born July 11, 1936. In October 1938 he was made a full clerk at the post office; Thelma also worked full time as a clerk in a printshop. She later worked as a clerk in the City of Greer's "office for power and light," likely meaning Greer CPW.
The Hyatts were members of Memorial UMC; in 1946 Robert was elected board member of Memorial, and re-elected September 1951. In addition to his work with the church, Robert was very active in numerous Greer organizations.
In March 1950 he was one of five members of the Greer Board of Health to resign together in protest of lack of funding, authority, and City Council participation. He was a member of the Bailey Masonic Lodge; in December 1939 he was elected Worshipful Master. In March 1942 he was awarded his Past Master jewel; then in March of 1976 he was awarded a Grand Lodge Citation for Outstanding Service.
He was a charter member of Greer Chapter of Order of the Eastern Star; there, he was installed as Associate Patron in April 1941, and raised to Worthy Patron in April 1942.
He was a member of the Greenville Lodge of Perfection, the Hejaz Shrine Temple, the Greer Amateur CB Radio Club, the Greer Camp of Gideons, and he was the Roper Mountain Astronomer.
In August, 1960, Robert succeeded JV Barnett as assistant postmaster of Greer, a position he would hold the rest of his career.
BOONIE & ROBERTA HYATT LABOON
Their daughter Roberta attended Greer High School as a freshman in 1951. She married Jimmy "Boonie" LaBoon (1934-2017), who graduated from Greer High in 1952 and Furman University in 1956. Boonie and Roberta were founding members of Faith UMC in Greer and then longtime members of Zoar UMC. Boonie was a tax accountant but was famous for his love of fireworks. Boonie and Roberta had five children, all of whom wore the christening gown: David Franklin LaBoon, Amanda C. LaBoon, Debra Anne LaBoon West, and Robert D. LaBoon.
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Table Of Contents
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2024.17.0 — Hyatt-LaBoon Collection (this finding aid)
2024.17.1 — Hyatt Christening Gown
2024.17.2 — Photograph: David Franklin LaBoon wearing christening gown
2024.17.3 — Photograph: Robert D. LaBoon
2024.17.4 — Set of negatives, late 1930s to 1940, all taken at same location. Includes 14 negatives, listed below. Identities of the individuals are not yet identified, but they do not appear to show any of the other people listed in the biography above. One possibility is that they are photos of the LaBoon family. Jimmy "Boonie" LaBoon was 6 in 1940 and his older brother Alvin was 15, making them viable options for photos 7 and 9, and his parents Johnie and Frances could be two of the adults.
2024.17.4.1 — Photograph: Two teenage girls
2024.17.4.2 — Photograph: Two teenage girls, second shot
2024.17.4.3 — Photograph: Woman in a fine dress, looking down
2024.17.4.4 — Photograph: Two children sitting on a porch stair
2024.17.4.5 — Photograph: Woman in a fine dress, posing
2024.17.4.6 — Photograph: Four children standing in front of a house
2024.17.4.7 — Photograph: two boys with a puppy in a wagon
2024.17.4.8 — Photograph: Woman with a young girl
2024.17.4.9 — Photograph: Young boy sitting on a wagon
2024.17.4.10 — Photograph: Two young girls in front of a house
2024.17.4.11 — Photograph: young boy with a Son-Ny wagon
2024.17.4.12 — Photograph: man with four young children
2024.17.4.13 — Photograph: man squinting
2024.17.4.14 — Photograph: Woman posing in a fine dress
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Accession Number
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2024.17.n
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Accession Date
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May 18, 2024
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Accession Creator
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David Lovegrove
