Nero Hawley couldn’t not make cider.
Born enslaved to the Mallet household of North Stratford (later Trumbull), Connecticut in 1742, he was gifted to Phebe Mallet and Daniel Hawley at their marriage in 1758. The Hawleys had been a affluent household. Between Daniel and his brother, Ebenezer, they owned and operated farms, a sawmill, a gristmill, a retailer, a brickmaking operation, and a cider mill. Nero labored in every of those.
Nero’s labor made Daniel’s agricultural pursuits simpler and extra worthwhile. When it got here to Daniel’s cidermaking, Nero was possible concerned in nearly each step, from planting and pruning timber to urgent and barreling juice. He most likely labored on the cider mill within the fall urgent apples for most of the Hawley’s neighbors.
In 1761 Nero married Peg, who was enslaved by the Reverend James Beebee on a close-by farm. Whereas nonetheless enslaved by Daniel Hawley, Nero appears to have additionally labored for Beebee within the his sawmill, gristmill, fulling mill, and on his farm, the place Nero most likely helped make cider.
On April 20, 177, through the Revolutionary Struggle, Nero was enlisted in Granger’s Firm, 2nd Connecticut Regiment, taking Daniel’s place. He noticed service all through the Hudson Valley, within the Philadelphia area (together with Valley Forge), and on the Battles of Monmouth, NJ and Stony Level, NY. He was honorably discharged on April 12, 1781 and returned residence to North Stratford.
On November 4, 1782, when he was 41-years previous, Daniel Hawley freed him for “divers causes,” probably in recognition of Nero’s service within the Revolution. Nero continued to work for Daniel and Beebee via at the least 1785. That yr, Beebee bought Nero a small parcel of land and Beebee died, liberating Peg and Nero’s kids.
Utilizing abilities he had discovered for Hawley, Nero started a brickmaking enterprise in 1785 after which a timber enterprise in 1796. Whereas he used his expertise with Daniel’s different companies to ascertain his personal, nothing has been discovered but to counsel that Nero made cider both for himself or for others after 1785.
Nero started to decelerate by 1807. By 1815 he was unable to do bodily labor. He died on January 30, 1817, at 75 years previous.
As we’ve seen, Nero led an exceptionally energetic and industrious life, however his life isn’t an exception. Like many different less-documented African Individuals, Nero Hawley made American cider and American independence attainable.
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I wish to thank Nancy Fisher, President of the Trumbull Historic Society for taking the time to research the development and supreme destiny of Daniel Hawley’s cider mill.
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Additional Studying
Together with probate inventories for Nero Hawley (1817), Peg Hawley (1833), Daniel Hawley (1797), and James Beebee (1785) discovered on Ancestry.com, the above is predicated on the next sources:
From Valley Forge to Freedom: A Story of a Black Patriot by E. Merrill Seashore
“Historic Profile: Nero Hawley” on Previous Prologue – A round-up of latest analysis which expands Seashore’s biography.
