Our Fourth Ancestor in America

Hezekiah Hawes, Jr., was Hezekiah Sr.'s third child. He was born at Wrentham, Massachusetts, May 5, 1723. He died at Wrentham December 23, 1755. The cause of death is supposed to be exposure on long trapping and fur trading trips. He married Unity Fales at Walpole, Massachusetts, on January 12, 1747/8. She was the daughter of Peter and Sarah Fales of Walpole.

The children of this union were:
Sarah
John
David
Robert

All these children were born in Wrentham, Massachusetts.

Unity, his widow, married Joshua Morse of Sherburn, Massachusetts, in 1766, and had by him a son named Hezekiah Morse.

So far as I can find there was no will or administration proceedings. All the facts given are clearly stated in the Town Records of Wrentham. There is an item in a Mr. Ware's will, not a bequest, but a reference to Hezekiah, Jr., son of Deacon Hezekiah Hawes, Sr., and his wife Unity Fales, having been witnesses to some paper of Mr. Ware's.

In obeying the biblical injunction, our ancestors had so many children that at this time several were named Hezekiah. I mention this reference in Mr. Ware's will so that you will see that I still have our genealogical wagon attached to the right Hezekiah, Jr.

Sometimes I think the life of our old-timers was a better life than ours, but my wife claims I am biased (as if she would know).

Their life was sad and somber, each progress booster claims.
Their lives were all but wasted from Edward down to James.
There were no new inventions, nor none of this and that.
The way they tell the story it does look sort of flat.

But listen, and I'll tell you about the other side.
I'll give those measly boosters the roughest kind of ride.
There wasn't new inventions, nor easy payment plan,
Nor no ten thousand collectors a-chasing every man.

There wasn't education and didn't have to be,
A man could figure in his head what his tax would be.
Laws were so few you could count 'em on your toes.
You could do what you golly pleased, no law stuck in its nose.

There was time then to raise your crop, and hunt your meat and fish.
The bath room was at the crick, you took one if you wish.
You raised your own tobacco, some folks do so still.
You got what news you needed when you went down to the mill.

Far from cities, commerce, strife,
You're darn tooting that was life.
Now take a look and tell what progressive ways have brought[:]
More expense, less common sense, doing things you hadn't ought.

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