Upon the 8th of June, 1731, his excellency, John Montgomerie, governor of the province, granted letters patent to Thomas Hawley and Company for all that " tract of land situated north of and near unto Long pond, which is bounded as follows, viz. : beginning at Jonah Keeler's^- north-west corner, and running north seventy-seven degrees and a half, containing three hundred and twenty-six acres." The Oblong, or east patent, was situated on the east side of the town.i' On the Sth of June, 1749, James Brewer purchased of Thomas Hawley and Company, fifty acres, bounded west by the twenty mile line, which he afterwards conveyed to Solomon Close of Greenwich.

The Hawleys were originally from the town of Reading in

a This individual was the father of Jedediah Keeler, vvliose sons are the present Job, Nathan, and Jereniiali Keeler, of North Salem.

ij The south east corner of North Salem still retains the shape of the oblong.

Vol. I. 60

474 HISTORY OF THE

Connecticut. Of this family was Ezekiel Havvley, son of Joseph Ha\vley,fi one of the proprietors of the Oblong in 1754. Ezekie Hawloy was a commissioned officer in the continental service and chairman of the committee of public safety ; in the latter capacity he served throughout the Revolution. He died suddenly in 17SS, leaving four sons, Ezekiel, Peter, Joel, and David. Joel, the third son, was the father of the present Alfred S. Hawley, who occupies the ancient homestead.

The following entry, in the town book, relates to the first election of town officers.