J.T. Hawes, Sec. 18; P.O. Madison; born June 17, 1834, in Erie Co., Penn.; his parents Matthew and Anna M. (Miles) Hawes, came west in 1842, reaching Madison with a team Dec. 24, 1842; while here, J. T. attended school under tuition of Theodore Conkey; afterward a Union Captain and member of the Legislature; he also attended the first Sabbath school, taught by the Rev. Mines, in the old capitol. The family settled in Verona in March, 1843, the second family in that town, and in their house the first religious service was held by the Rev. Stebbins in the summer of 1843. J. T. attended school in the first schoolhouse, built in 1846, near what in now the poor farm; his father also kept open house for the traveling public; in 1849 and 1850, he kept the old National Hotel, on the site of the present Vilas House. In 1856, J. T. Hawes married Mary J. Williams of Oneida Co., NY; she was born Sept. 27, 1834; her father, B. W., was a lineal descendant of Roger Williams, founder of Rhode Island and her mother, Abigail Sheldon, a native of New York. Since 1856, Mr. Hawes has lived on his present 130-acre farm; has four living children—Estella A. (Mrs. F.A. Matts), Edith A., Mary L. and Fred W.; and lost an infant daughter, Charlotte E., died in 1872. Matthew Hawes died May 4, 1873; he was a Democrat; and was elected Justice of the Peace and Supervisor on the first town ticket in Verona; was later Town Treasurer and one of the Commissioner to lay out the Madison and Wiota road; his son, our subject, has made his own farm and home; he is likewise a Democrat and has been Justice of the Peace eight years; he served seven and a half months of the years, in Co. G, 49th W.V.I; was honorably discharged on account of disability and still suffers much for partial loss of speech and eyesight; he made application and will doubtless receive a pension.
1880 History of Dane County, Town of Fitchburg, p. 1255.