NJGenWeb ~ Morris County, New Jersey

Source: J. Percy Crayon, Rockaway Records of Morris County, N. J. Families, (Rockaway, N.J., Rockaway Publishing Co., 1902)

The HATHAWAYs were a numerous family in Morris County, having settled at Morristown and Hanover, NJ, at an early date, and by many intermarriages with the old families were related and connected with very many of the older settlers, many doing service in the Revolution. This sketch will be confined to the lines resident and connected with the Rockaway church and buried in the Cemetery.

Simeon HATHAWAY and wife, of Morristown, NJ, had children baptized at the Presbyterian church: 

• Elijah, Chloe, Samuel and Annie were baptized Nov. 1, 1747; 
• Silas, was born Oct. 12, 1749, baptized Nov. 8. 1749, lived at Rockaway where he married Prudence BALDWIN Jan. 24, 1773, was captain in the Revolution. He died Feb. 7, 1803. Both he and his wife Prudence and their son Samuel, who was born Sept. 11, 1774, and died Dec. 17, 1802, are buried at Rockaway. Miriam, daughter if Simeon was baptized Apr. 12, 1752.

About halfway between Rockaway and Morristown on the Littleton road, lived Jonathan HATHAWAY. He owned the "the Hathaway forge" between his residence and Morris Plains. Jonathan HATHAWAY was born 17338, died Aug. 26, 1814, buried at Morristown. His near neighbors, the GARRIGUS, attended the Rockaway Church, while the HATHAWAYs attended church at Morristown. He married (1) Lydia PECK Dec. 20, 1759. She was born 1736, died Sept. 10, 1802. His second wife was Sarah PRUDEN. She was a daughter of Capt. James KEEN, and was second wife of Isaac PRUDEN. They were married Mar. 26, 1803.

Children: 

• Nathaniel baptized at Morristown June 21, 1761, died Apr. 20, 1770. 
• Sarah, baptized June 5, 1763; 
• Timothy, baptized June 30, 1765, died Aug. 4, 1770; 
• Thankful, born May 15, 1767, married Benjamin LAMSON, died 1827, buried at Rockaway. 
• Phebe, born Aug. 18, 1769; 
• Abigail, born Jan. 15, 1772; 
• Jonathan, who was a doctor and dentist, born Dec. 21, 1773; 
• Lydia, born Sept. 25, 1779.

Dr. Jonathan married his second wife Sally, widow of Moses COOPER. She was a CLIFTON. They had one son Jonathan, who occupied the Hathaway homestead until about 1870.

The healing powers of Dr. Jonathan HATHAWAY’s slaves, ointments and other medicines became known far and wide. Those who had been afflicted for many years applied to him for relief, and returned to their homes almost miraculously cured. We knew one of patients, Daniel HOLLY, who lived at Stockholm. He had boasted that he had never known a sick day in his life, but in his later years an ulceration afflicted the sole of his foot, and not having the patience of Job to endure the pain, he applied to Dr. HATHAWAY for relief, a distance of about thirty miles. The doctor examined the foot, but shook his head doubtfully, it was a case beyond his skill, but finally told him that if he was willing, and thought that it would be more comfortable on the top of his foot, he could change the position. HOLLY thinking that it would be a relief to have the affliction anywhere from where it was, consented to have the remedies applied. In a few weeks the result was accomplished, but it became so much more painful there, that he returned and consulted Dr. HATHAWAY to have its location changed to where it was, the change was made, and HOLLY bore the affliction, a patient sufferer until the day of his death.

If ever a doctor or a dentist, for he was both, delighted in the pulling of teeth for a small consideration it was Dr. HATHAWAY. In this line he became famous, the suffering humanity who became nearly distracted by a troublesome molar, would travel miles in the dead hour of night for relief, but as usual, as when teeth are going to be extracted in these days, the sight of the dentist with turnkeys and forceps, the achings would suddenly cease out of nervous sympathy, and the patient not having the courage to endure the pain of extraction, would return home when the trouble returned, and the second journey was made with more favorable results.

The doctor and dentist inherited a goodly number of dollars and a small farm, and was a liberal benefactor to the end. When he was about to balance up his accounts with this world, he willed that his posterity should pay "his dear beloved wife Sally" an annual income of $500 as long as she lived. So long as the visible means were in sight this annuity was strictly complied with, but his posterity died in rather reduced circumstances as his wife Sally, went West to grow up with the country and lived to be over a hundred years old.

The old Hathaway mansion is now very much dilapidated. The clearings made over one hundred and fifty ago are battling against the supremacy of weeds, briars, brush and timber. The property after three generations of Jonathan HATHAWAY’s changed owners years ago, and but few now know, or have ever heard of its original owners, who formed a part if this ancient history.

Transcribed by John Cresseveur

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