History of Hawley, Massachusetts, USA

Hawley, Massachusetts
Franklin county. Hawley is on elevated ground, and watered by branches of Deerfield river. The soil is good for grazing, and feeds about 3,000 sheep. A considerable quantity of leather is tanned in this town. Incorporated, 1792. Population, 1837, 995. Hawley has good iron ore and some iron works. It lies 107 miles W. by N. from Boston and 14 W. by S. from Greenfield.

This town is situated on the Green Mountain range, and is watered by several small branches of Deerfield River.

Some sheep are raised, and some leather manufactured, but agriculture is the main concern.

Distance from Greenfield, 20 miles; from Boston, 120.

This town was incorporated in 1792. It has an elevated situation on the Green mountain range, and is well watered by several branches of Deerfield river. Rev. Jonathan Grout, the first Congregational minister, was settled here in. 1793; he died in 1835, aged 72. His successor was Rev. Tyler Thacher. No regular minister has yet been settled over the second parish. The names of some of the first settlers were Deacon Joseph Bangs, Adjutant Zebedee Wood, Daniel Burt, Samuel and Arthur Hitchcock, Timothy Baker, Reuben Cooley, Joseph Easton, Elisha Hunt, Abel Parker, Nathan West, Phineas Scott, Thomas King, Joseph Longley, William Mclntire, and James Percival. Part of the north part of the town is named from Bozrah, Con., from which place some of the first settlers came.

Old Mr. Hale, one of the first settlers of this town, located himself about half a mile from the South Hawley post-office. He is described as being a very singular sort of a man. He was never married, but lived by...

Hawlet, a post-township, Franklin county, Massachusetts, about 100 miles W. by N. from Boston. Population, 880.

HAWLEY, a township of Franklin co., in the state of Massachusetts, U.S., 111 m. NW of Boston, watered by branches of Deefried river. It has a hilly surface, but affords good pasturage. Pop. in 1840, 977.

A Gazetteer of the World: Or, Dictionary of Geographical Knowledge, Volume 3 Publisher A. Fullarton, 1859

Hawley, situated on the highlands in the western part of Franklin County, has for its boundaries, Charlemont on the north, Buckland and Ashfield on the east, Plainfield on the south, and Savoy on the west.

Its assessed area is 17,895 acres. There are 6,416 acres of forest, consisting of maple, beech, birch, hemlock and spruce. The land is hilly, the scenery picturesque, and the climate cold and healthful. Among the minerals found here are massive iron pyrites, magnetic iron, and zoisite. Forge Hill, in the western centre, is one of the most prominent elevations. A large number of clear and sparkling brooks, well stored with trout, flow from the hills, and swell the waters of Deerfield River. The soil is good for grazing, and the growing of wool receives considerable attention. There are large quantities of maple sugar sent to market.

The product of the 133 farms in 1885 was valued at $102,639. There are three saw mills, also manufactories of broom-handles, and of straw and...