Bennington

HAWLEY, Samuel & James

Vermont Historical Magazine, No. XI, October 1867, pp 132-133, 865
(extracted from a section on the history of Arlington, Bennington County, 
Vermont)

Samuel HAWLEY, Sr. came from England in 1666 and settled in Stafford [Tolland 
County], Connecticut. He had two sons (daughters unknown), Samuel [Jr.] and 
Ephraim. (Editor's note in text: "We much regret the want of space obliges 
us to suppress in part the systematic and interesting genealogical tables of 
this family (and others) especially as the historian has been at commendable 
pains in his research on this point, correcting in some instances the 
valuable tables in Cothrens History of ancient Woodbury [Washington County, 
Vermont] to which he acknowledges indebtedness, by information obtained from 
living members of the family.") Ephraim left ten sons and two daughters. Of 
these, Abel, Gideon Jehiel, Josiah, and perhaps others came to Arlington 
[Bennington County, Vermont] in 1764, taking their parents with them.

Abel [HAWLEY] married first a person whose name is unknown. Their children 
were: Peter, Mary (who married Eliakim STODDARD), James,* Agurand Abel. 
Abel [Abel the younger] married Mary FOLSOM; he was a loyalist and died in 
Canada. His farm in Sunderland [Bennington County, Vermont], 300 acres, was 
confiscated and his wife and children forcibly turned into the street. Abel 
[HAWLEY] Sr.'s second wife was Bethiah CURTIS. Their children were: Sarah, 
Esther, Prudence, and Clara. Abel HAWLEY Sr. and his wife Bethiah were held 
in high regard for their devoted piety. It was remarked that he was the only 
person who could safely reprove Col. Ethan ALLEN's impiety. Once when ALLEN 
had been thus reproved, he replied, "Whether I am right or not uncle Abel, 
one thing is certain that you are exactly." Josiah [HAWLEY] married Hannah, 
eldest sister of Col. Seth WARNER. Their children were: Amos, Gideon, 
Lemuel, Rhoda, and Silence.

Jebiel HAWLEY, who may be regarded as the founder of the town [Arlington, 
Bennington County, Vermont], married first, [written in the text by an 
unknown person is the given name, Sarah] ----- DUNNING; second, Abra HUBBEL. 
Their children [the children of Jehiel and Abra HAWLEY] were: Andrew, 
Curtis, Abijah, Jeptha, Mary, Ruth, and Anna. Jehiel HAWLEY was a man of 
great conscientiousness and fervent piety. Had he not been tainted with 
devotion to his king, he would have been ranked among the honored in our 
history.

Andrew HAWLEY and Ann HARD left children: Eli, Philo, Zadok, Adoniram, 
Jehiel, Sarah Ann, Polly, Andrew, and Lucy. Polly [HAWLEY] married Giles 
[CHITTENDEN], son of Gov. [Thomas] CHITTENDEN. Eli [HAWLEY] married widow 
McGEER, whose maiden name was Mary JEFFERS. He and Daniel CROFUT of this 
town [Arlington] were employed by the British as Spies from the beginning of 
the [Revolutionary] War until peace was concluded. After Congress refused 
the application of Vermont to be admitted to the Union as a State, it is said 
that they were also employed by Governor CHITTENDEN. Editor's footnote from 
text: David CROFUT returned to Arlington [Bennington County, Vermont] soon 
after the peace, and Eli HAWLEY somewhat later. They were accustomed to 
relate many a tale of hardships endured on the mountains, and hair-breadth 
escape from pursuers. [David] CROFUT was once saved by a woman who opened a 
trap door in the room where she was spinning for his descent. Then 
carelessly covering it with a rug, she placed her wheel upon it and continued 
her work. His pursuers soon arrived, but deceived by her answer and the 
general appearance of things went away without a search. He was afterward 
captured by a party of soldiers who delivered him over to their commander at 
Bennington, who in the night released him to the great disgust of his 
captors. Eli HAWLEY, on his way from New York to Canada with important 
dispatches once met Col. BROWNSON in the vicinity of Lanesboro [Berkshire 
County], Massachusetts. His life did not seem very secure just then, but the 
friendly greeting "How do you do, Zadok," dispelled his alarm. Zadok was the 
name of a brother who much resembled him. He [Eli HAWLEY] often pointed out 
the "Raven Rock" as the place where he had an interview by night with Gov. 
CHITTENDEN. [Eli] HAWLEY fairly believed to the day of his death that the 
leaders of the Green Mountain Boys were determined that Vermont should be a 
British Province rather than a part of New York, in case Congress should 
compel the alternative. His belief probably shows how completely all the 
agents of the British were deceived.

[* The following biographical item about "James HAWLEY" was extracted from 
the same source from a section on the history of Shelburne, Chittenden 
County, Vermont; however, it is unknown to submitter, who is not researching 
this family, if this James HAWLEY and the James HAWLEY mentioned in the above 
account are the same person.] From p 865: James HAWLEY emigrated from the 
town of Arlington to this town [Shelburne, Chittenden County, Vermont] in 
early days, located on a lot near Joshua REED's, now owned and occupied by 
Myron REED, a millwright by profession, was master builder of the first grist 
mill erected at Shelburne Falls by Ida ALLEN, and superintended its running 
for a time; a prominent citizen; father of several respectable children, some 
of them still living.

Submitted by Cathy Kubly