“WRENTHAM

NANCY WARE HAWES, died, August 28, ages 96 years, 8 months, 6 days.  Mrs. Hawes was the daughter of Capt. Nathaniel Ware and sister of the Hon. Jarius Ware, and was born in Wrenthem, Dec. 22d, 1779.  In 1807 she married George Hawes, who was for many years prominent both in town and county, serving as colonel in the war of 1812, as Representative to the General Court in 1828, and Senator  from Norfolk County in 1834.  She survived her husband nearly forty years.  One who had known her long and well paid this fitting tribute to her character: ‘Even since the infirmities of age came on, the mind of this venerable woman retained its freshness and bouyancy of spirit.  Her keen sense of humor, her quaint drollery, was full of sound, good sense and real wisdom, and her words have been stored in many hearts.  Her memory, when scores of years did not seem to enfeeble, helped to make her mind one of unusual quality and power.  In person she must have been beautiful in youth, and was ever of commanding presence.’  Her pastor, in years gone by, thus wrote of her’: ‘ She was one of the elect and grand persons of that grand old town; one of those who constitute the charm and crown of our New England towns, whose loss we can ill-afford in these days.  Let us consider what she has been and what she still is, a character so strong, so sincere, so royal and yet so humble.”

Reference Data:

Norfolk Co. Manual and Year Book for 1876, by Henry O. Hidreth, 1877, page 149