EDWARD D. HAWES
E. D. Hawes was chosen by the qualified voters of the county, at the regular fall election in 1869, to fill this onerous office and was re-elected in 1871 and 1873.
Edward D. Hawes was born in Schuyler county. New York, October 18, 1828. His father, Jonas Hawes, died at his old home, many years ago. His mother, Rebecca Hawes, survived her husband about five years. Edward D. Hawes, in his youth, attended the common schools and later, the Peach Orchard academy, on Seneca Lake. He then spent one year (1856) with his brother, John D. Hawes, at East Troy, Walworth county, Wisconsin, engaged in teaching. In 1857 he went to Iowa City where he held the position of principal of the first ward school four years, and was also deputy county superintendent of schools. He went to Polk county in 1861, locating in the city of Des Moines, where he was superintendent of the city schools, also had charge of the high school. He was elected county superintendent of Polk county in 1862, and then gave up the charge of the city schools. He held this position two years, during the time, doing institute work in more than thirty counties of the State. In 1864 Mr. Hawes left Des Moines and then became identified with the interests of Cass county, of which he has since been a prominent citizen. In February of that year, he located at Lewis and there engaged in the grocery business, in partnership with J. C. Yetzer of Atlantic. Six months later he sold his interest in that business, and removed to the farm on which he now resides. It is located in sections 23 and 24 of Washington Township, and contains three hundred and sixty acres. The farm is under good cultivation and his improvements are of the best. He is engaged in the business of raising and feeding stock for market. Mr. Hawes was married February 4, 1864, to Mrs. Mary C. Carey, widow of Dr. J. B. Carey, who was formerly of Ohio but died in Lewis, March 5, 1863, aged forty years. Mrs. Hawes was born in Fulton county, Illinois, January 8, 1841, and is a daughter of J. P. and Mary Crosswait. The former died in Atlantic. The latter is now living in Atlantic. Mr. and Mrs. Crosswait were among the pioneers of this county, having come here from Fulton county, Illinois in 1856. They located at Lewis. He owned land in several counties in this section of the State, but was not engaged in active business after coming here. Mrs. Hawes has one daughter by her former marriage, Jennie B. Carey, born March 30, 1860. She is now teaching school at Indianola, Warren county, Iowa. Mr. and Mrs. Hawes have three children--Nellie C, born August 26, 1867; Ettie D., born January 24, 1872 and Louis E,, born July 29, 1878. Mr. Hawes has held the office of county superintendent six years and also nearly all of the township offices.
Contributed by Lisa Varnes-Rex from "History of Cass County, Iowa. Together With Sketches of its Towns, Villages and Townships, Educational, Civil, Military and Political History: Portraits of Prominent Persons, and Biographies of Old Settlers and Representative Citizens." Springfield, Ill.: Continental Historical Company, 1884, pg. 472.
