Hawley — Stores and Post-Offices.

Extracted from "History of the Connecticut Valley in Massachusetts, Volume II," by Louis H. Everts, 1879.


      There is no village in the town, and the stores and post-offices are kept in the eastern and the western parts, in the neighborhood of the churches. Soon after 1800 an attempt was made to found a village in the vicinity of the old church, and here was opened the first store, by Joseph Hubbard. This stand was afterward occupied by Joshua, William, and Calvin S. Longley in the order named; and they were also the postmasters while the office remained here. Some time before 1830, William Sanford had an opposition store and tavern across the way from the Longley place, where was also kept a tavern. At that time there were also several mechanic shops, and the place had a promising future, which came to a sudden termination by the location of the churches elsewhere.
      At East Hawley merchandising was begun about 1833, by Whitney Hitchcock and Jonas Jones. They were succeeded by Lucius L. Clark, and he by William Longley and Leonard Campbell. Calvin S. Longley becoming the proprietor, closed his business at the old stand and moved here with the Hawley post-office. Both the store and office are now kept by Edwin Scott. A tri-weekly mail is supplied from Shelburne Falls.
      The West Hawley office was established in 1861, at the house of Willis Vincent, where it has since been kept, receiving three mails per week from Charlemont. In this part of the town stores have been kept by Harvey Baker, Aaron Ayers, Clark Fuller, and Foster King, the latter still in business.
      About 1830 the South Hawley post-office was established at the house of Col. Noah Joy, an innkeeper. It was afterward in charge of Nelson Joy, Levi Holden, and Henry Clark. While the latter owned the house it was burned, and the office was suspended about 1862.
      After 1800 a Dr. Forbes located as a physician in town, living on the place now occupied by J. W. Doane. After his death his widow married Dr. Moses King, who was a practicing physician in Hawley from 1820 till 1849. In the same period Drs. George Hill and Charles Knowlton were also practitioners. Since 1850 there has been no resident physician.



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