Few men of Orange County were so popular as Mr. Hastings, and much sorrow was felt by his fellow citizens when it became known that their brilliant genial representative at Albany had been called from earth.
REV. WARREN HATHAWAY, D. D., who has held the pastorate of the Blooming Grove Congregational Church for forty years, was born in Saratoga County, N. Y., in 1828, a son of Rev. Levi and Rhoda (Miller) Hathaway. His education was obtained at Oberlin College, Ohio, and it was there he began his clerical studies. He was ordained in Connecticut and his first charge was in the town of Lebanon, Conn., where he remained a year and a half. He was then transferred to Fall River for a period of six years, following which he held a pastorate at Medway, Greene County, N. Y., until 1866, when he came to Blooming Grove. By his first wife, who was Miss Cornelia Day, Dr. Hathaway had five children, three of whom are living. For his second wife he chose Miss Elizabeth H. Miller. Although nearly four score years of age. Dr. Hathaway is very active in the affairs of the church, with which he has been identified so many years.
IRA A. HAWKINS. The Hawkins family traces its origin far back into England's earliest history. The first to come to America were Robert Hawkins and his wife, Mary, who came over in the good ship "Elizabeth and Ann," Captain Cooper, master, in 1635, and settled in Charlestown, Mass.
Moses Hawkins was born October 8, 1763, and came to Orange County in 1790. He married Phebe Harlow, and settled in East Division, town of Goshen, on the farm now occupied by his great grandson, Frank T. Hawkins. They had three sons, Benjamin, Ira and Samuel, and one daughter, Mary, who married Joshua Howell.
Ira, born January 31, 1796, married May 17, 1821, Hannah, daughter of General Abram and Esther Rockwell Vail. They settled on a farm near Chester, where they lived fifty years. They had six children. Their eldest son, James, born June 3, 1822, married Adaline Green, daughter of John and Julia Roe Green, in 1844. In the following year they removed to Hamptonburgh, at which place he established his home, and remained on the same farm until his death in 1887. He was trustee and elder of the First Presbyterian Church of Hamptonburgh. Their children were William Green; James R. V. Iraeneus, who died in infancy; Adaline Green, married Alfred E. Ivers, of Allendale, N. J.; Charles Francis; M. Jennie, married James L. Price, of Hamptonburgh and Ira A.
Having become a widower in 1865, on October 28, 1868, he married Emily A., daughter of George W. and Hester A. (Sanford) Price, of Hamptonburgh. They had one son, George W. P., and one daughter, Emma Antoinette, married John Budd Gregory, who now occupy the homestead farm.
Ira A. Hawkins, born August 4, 1864, at the death of his father in 1887, came with his brother George into possession of the farm, where he resided until 1894, when he sold his interests in the place to his brother and purchased the C. L. Morehouse farm, near Warwick, on the Edenville road, where he now resides. Besides successfully carrying on his farm, he is also engaged in the insurance business. He is now serving as treasurer and elder of the Dutch Reformed Church of Warwick.
On October 24, 1888, he married Anna, daughter of Valentine and Hannah (Seaman) Seaman, of Blooming Grove, who were both lineal descendants of Captain John Seaman, who settled at Long Island in 1660.
Their children are: Valentine Seaman, born December 1, 1889, died September 7, 1893; Charles Francis, born March 9, 1892; Ira Alden, born December 30, 1894, and Harold James, born November 20, 1896.
IRWIN E. HAWKINS was born and reared on the homestead farm near Otisville. He acquired his early education at the district school, and at an early age identified himself with farming. When he attained the age of thirty-two years he engaged in the milk business at Middletown and Mount Vernon, Westchester County, N. Y. He has served as town collector for three years, school collector six years and commissioner of highways. In politics he is a republican. He followed the carpenter trade for two years and is now identified with the Otisville Sanatorium. He married Miss Harriet Smith, daughter of Frank and Hannah (Bell) Smith, October 19, 1892. Mr. Hawkins is a member of the Otisville Grange No. 1020. He and his wife are members of the Otisville Methodist Church and are liberal contributors to its support.