Matthew Hawley Sr. (abt. 1748 - abt. 1800)

Born about 1748 in Waterbury, New Haven, Connecticut

Ancestors

Husband of Abigail (Squires) Whitehead — married about 1790 (to about 1800) in Connecticut, United States

Descendants

Died about 1800 at about age 52 in Port Hood, Inverness, Nova Scotia

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Biography

Matthew Hawley was born in 1748 in Waterbury, New Haven, Connecticut, son of Obadiah Hawley (1708 - 1751) and Sarah (Wheeler) Hawley ( - ).

His siblings were:

1. Hannah (Hawley) Mills (~1735 - )
2. Richard Hawley (1738 - 1825)
3. Elias Hawley (~1746 - 1831)

Matthew married Abigail Squires ( - ) in 1790 in Connecticut.

Their children were:

1. James B. Hawley
2. Matthew Hawley
3. William Hawley
4. John Hawley.

In 1774, he is mentioned in his brother, Frederick's will.^[1][2]

Matthew Hawley was deceased by 1820 (likely several years prior at least) as his wife Abigail (now Whitehead) is seen petitioning for land under her second husband's name (who is now also deceased).

Petition to Ainslie: Petitioner is the widow of James Whitehead. She has lived thirty years in Cape Breton. She asks a grant of the land at Mabou which her husband held by crown lease, and which her two sons help her to cultivate. She has three sons by a former marriage, name, Hawley, who have land on the Island. Report of Crawley to Crowdy: Lot 35 on the eastern side of the S.E. Branch of the Margaree River, 213 acres. To be called, "Ramoth Gilead". Plan.^[3]

History of Inverness County

On the road last mentioned leading (from Brook Village) to Lake Ainslie there lived... James, and Isaac Hawley, sons of Mathew Hawley of Hillsborough.^[4]... Among the born residents of Hillsborough at a comparatively early date were the four, brothers John, James, Mathew and William Hawley, and their half-brother Thomas Whitehead.

They were in all respects good, useful and intelligent citizens. Mathew was one of the earliest appointees to the magistracy and rendered impartial service in that office, especially at the Court of Sessions. James, his brother, was one of the best beloved in the district. Alexander Hawley, son of John, is a harness maker residing at Mabou Bridge. He and James, son of William, residing on the old homestead near Mabou Village, are the sole surviving members of their respective families. Mr. Whitehead, who owned the John Murray farm at Hillsborough, sold cut and moved out of this County many years ago. Several of the Hawley families of the second generation moved to Ingonish many years since.

This person was created through the import of 124-DeCoursey.ged on 14 September 2010. The following data was included in the gedcom. You may wish to edit it for readability.

Sources

1. ↑ “Probate Records, v. 17-18, 1767-1776”, database with images, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3QSQ-G92K-YPY8 : 27 June 2022), FHL microfilm 007627294, image 435, Fairfield, Fairfield, Connecticut, Vol 18, 1775-1776, Pages 263-264.
2. ↑ “Probate Records, v. 19-20, 1775-1783”, database with images, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3QSQ-G92K-T261  : 1 July 2022), FHL microfilm 007627295, image 221-223, Fairfield, Fairfield, Connecticut, Vol 19, 1775-1783, Pages 415-420.
3. ↑ Cape Breton Island Petitions 1787-1843, Cape Breton number: 2564, Microfilm: 15798, 1820, Whitehead, Abigail via https://archives.novascotia.ca/cape-breton-land/
4. ↑ History of Inverness County, JL MacDougall, p 305