History of Northampton, Massachusetts, from its settlement in 1654;

CHAPTER VII.
JOSEPH HAWLEY—PHYSICIANS—TOWN HALL—PASCOMMUCK.
Suicide of Joseph While the subject of building the new
Hawiey. meeting-housc was in agitation, the com-
munity was greatly shocked by the suicide
of Joseph Hawiey, the second person in town bearing that
name. On Sunday morning, June 1, 1735, Lieut. Joseph
Hawiey cut his throat in his bedchamber, and died soon
after. He was a man of more than ordinary ability, great-
ly respected, and a leading citizen. Many important offices
had been conferred upon him, and he transacted much
business for the town. In nineteen consecutive years he
was fifteen times chosen townsman, and from 1716 to 1734,
was annually elected town clerk. In this capacity he
charged the town for making rates, and the ministers—Mr.
Stoddard and Mr. Edwards—for recording marriages.
These last charges were made in accordance with the law of
1716. He was County Treasurer from 1730 to 1732. Dea.
Hunt in his diary calls him Lieut. Hawiey, but no evidence
of service in the militia appears.
His Business ^^- Hawlcy was interested in several
branches of business, and was successful in
them all. He was a merchant, and for many years appears
to have been the principal trader in town. He owned an
'interest in a sawmill, carried on boating on Connecticut
River, and managed a large farm. Much was done at that
time by the farmers of the Connecticut valley, in the way
of fattening cattle for market, and in this Mr. Hawiey was
engaged to some extent. Droves^ were sent from the towns
1 Samuel Sheldon of Northampton, was one of the drovers and Dr. Thomas Wells
of Deerfield, was another. The latter had charge of a drove of cattle from that town
to Boston, in 1729. He was absent ten days and received 95s. for his services.
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