Hannah Hayward-The Woman with Two Gravestones

The Hayward family is one of the most interesting in Easton's long history. Edward Hayward arrived before the incorporation of the town and purchased land around the now Southeastern Regional School. The family built the Red House in 1778, and it still stands today. Descendents of the original Edward still live on the original land today.

The northern boundary of Easton today is the 42nd parallel of latitude. Once upon a time, however, the presumed boundary extended further north into today's Stoughton. When the state government sent a team of surveyors to straighten the boundary dispute out, Edward Hayward, our Justice of the Peace, met them at the border and threatened to split their heads open with an ax. Not an inappropriate approach to take with MBTA officials today! Hayward was also the leader of the Town Party in the Great Church Controversy-the origin of the ancient enmity between South and North Easton. A feisty guy, but also a successful farmer who was probably the richest man in town when he died in 1760.

Edward married Hannah Kinsley in 1715 and together they built up the property in South Easton and had four children. When son Joseph died in 1740 at age 18 Edward and Hannah bought this gravestone probably from Nathan Fuller of Middleborough. The bizarre face may be a representation of the soul or simply a country simplification of the traditional death's head.

Coloring Added

Hannah died in 1747 and here is the design on one of her stones:

Edward lived on and the next year he married his second wife, the widow Keziah White. When Edward died in 1760 his youngest and only surviving son by Hannah, Matthew, was made executor of his estate. He erected the following stone for his father:

The design is a much weathered example of an acanthus leave pattern that is very common here, but that has not been studied much by art historians. Hannah's other gravestone is also an acanthus pattern:

You now have enough evidence to solve the "How did Hannah get two gravestones?" question. What do you think? I'll give you that answer and some speculation on why Hannah has two stones in tomorrow's blog.