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THE STORY AS I KNOW IT

Ann H. Mack wrote an article for The Virginia Genealogist, Volume 28, 1984 entitled Hawley/Halley In Seventeenth Century Virginia. She has since done further well documented research on this family. The material found on this website is from her research. We are very grateful for her careful work.

Sarah Hawley was born about 1686 in the Northern Neck of Virginia. Her parents were Henry and Mary Hawley. A document is held in the Mount Vernon ladies Association Library dealing with a legal suit in Fairfax County which states, "Sarah Lewis, wife of Thomas Lewis of Fairfax county aged about 62 years... deposeth that her father Henry Hawley came and settled on Spencer's land about 55 years ago...." Signed by Sarah (S) Lewis and dated March 29 1748.

Sarah married William Harrison about 1702. He owned a lot of land in Stafford County that later became Fairfax County. He died in Stafford County in 1724. Ms. Mack notes that the will was recorded in Stafford County Will book K, page 99 which is now lost

Sarah and William Harrison had five children:
1. William (who also became "Captain") born 1703 married Isabella Triplett.
2. Sybil born 1705 married Col. Hugh West
3. Sarah born 1708/9 married 1st Thomas Triplett, 2nd John Manley.
4. George born 1707 married Martha Price
5. Mary born after 1714 married 1st John Brown, 2nd John Peake.

In 1740, after Mary Harrison wed John Brown, Sarah married a second time. She was 54 years old and her new husband, Thomas Lewis was 10 years younger. He died in 1749. His will can be found in Fairfax Co, VA Will Book A-1 pp. 291-3. Sarah was to have the use of the estate, Difficult Run, during her natural life. All lands and estates were bequeathed to the children of his brother, Stephen Lewis. Sarah sued that her late husband and his brother had conspired to defraud her and she was granted a judgement of 6868 pounds of tobacco. However, she was ordered to pay 15 pounds, 2 shillings and 5 pence to the estate of Stephen Lewis.

Mary Harrison Brown had gone to Difficult Run to live with her mother after her husband, John Brown died. There she met and married the overseer of Difficult Run, John Peake. By 1772 the Peake family had moved to Fauquier County, Virginia. Sarah moved there to be with her daughter and died there in 1778 at the age of 92.

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Doc; gbhaw010.html
Date created: 5/14/1998
Date edited 1/5/2016
Edited 7/26/2024