Ephraim Hawley House - Gideon Hawley

Gideon Hawley

Gideon's grandson graduated from Yale University in 1749 and worked under Jonathan Edwards and became a missionary to the Iroquois Indians.

Captain David Hawley

David, great grandson of Gideon, served in the American Revolutionary War under Benedict Arnold at the Battle of Valcour Island on Lake Champlain on October 11, 1776. Hawley commanded the two-masted schooner USS Royal Savage with a crew of 50 men. His cousin Ephraim Hawley (1746–1777) served as his Lieutenant and his young nephew Samuel Hawley was also a seaman. The ship ran aground during the battle and was burned by the crew to prevent it from falling into British hands. The Royal Savage had been Arnold's flagship until he went aboard the ship USS Congress. This naval battle is considered to be the first of the United States Navy and delayed for one year the British attempts to cut the colonies in half. David Hawley is also credited with capturing twenty British ships during the war for American Independence. He is most famous for leading a raid across Long Island Sound on November 4, 1779 to capture Tory Judge Thomas Jones to exchange for captured General Gold Selleck Silliman who had been taken prisoner out of his Fairfield, Connecticut home by the British in May 1779.

Major Aaron Hawley

Aaron, great grandson of Gideon, served as Brigade Major under General Gold Selleck Silliman.