Hawley — Geographical
Extracted from "History of the Connecticut Valley in Massachusetts, Volume II," by Louis H. Everts, 1879.
THIS town is situated in the western part of the county, and has for its northern boundary the town of Charlemont; east are the towns of Buckland and Ashfield; south, Ashfield and the town of Plainfield, in Hampshire County; and on the west is Savoy, in Berkshire County. It was known as Township No. 7 of the ten townships sold by order of the General Court, June 2, 1762, and was purchased by Moses Parsons for a consideration of £875. Parsons in turn sold to other land-speculators; but the records of their proprietorship are not attainable, and the names of but few are known. It is believed that none of them became actual settlers. The town was incorporated Feb. 7, 1792, with its present name, in honor of the Hon. Joseph Hawley, of Northampton, and was duly organized in the following April.
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