For more than a century, the Society of the Hawley Family has collected and preserved an extraordinary record of Hawley family history. Since the Society’s founding in 1923, generations of members have created or donated research notes, correspondence, photographs, manuscripts, newsletters, ledgers, family files, and organizational records that document both Hawley genealogy and the history of the Society itself. Together, these materials represent thousands of hours of research by dedicated volunteers and are an irreplaceable resource for present and future generations.
To ensure these collections are preserved for years to come, the Society has begun a long-term archival preservation and digitization initiative. The goal is not only to protect fragile historical documents from loss and deterioration, but also to create a well-organized digital archive that will make the collection more accessible to future researchers while preserving the original materials.
In June 2026, Society volunteers gathered in Minnesota to begin this exciting project. Working together, the team developed a standardized archival workflow for organizing, describing, and digitizing the collection. Every item is carefully assigned a unique accession number, organized within its archival collection, scanned or photographed at high resolution, and documented with descriptive metadata that records its historical context, dates, creators, and significance. Preservation master files and researcher-friendly access copies are created to ensure both long-term conservation and future usability.
Among the first collections processed are some of the Society’s most historically significant records. One highlight is the Society’s original 1923 ledger, which documents the earliest years of the organization through membership records, financial transactions, and Society activities. This remarkable volume provides a direct connection to the Society’s founders and preserves the story of its earliest decades.
Another cornerstone of the collection is the original handwritten manuscript of The Hawley Record by Elias Hawley, along with the research notebooks and supporting materials used in its preparation. These documents provide valuable insight into the research, methodology, and dedication that produced one of the most important published works on Hawley genealogy.
Among the first collections to be digitized were the papers and correspondence of Dorothy Hawley, who for many years served as Secretary of the Society. Dorothy maintained extensive genealogical correspondence, membership records, research files, and organizational documents, creating an invaluable record of both the Society’s work and the Hawley family. Her collection offers a glimpse into the dedication of the many Society officers and volunteers whose efforts have kept the organization thriving for more than a century.
In 2004, the archives were entrusted to present-day genealogist and archivist Trudy Hawley. Since then, Trudy has devoted years to identifying, organizing, and arranging thousands of documents, photographs, ledgers, and family files into a structured archival collection. Her work laid the foundation for today’s digitization project, making it possible to efficiently scan and catalog the remarkable collection.
The Minnesota project marks only the beginning of this long-term initiative. Thousands of additional documents, photographs, manuscripts, newsletters, family files, and research collections remain to be processed. As work continues, additional collections will be organized, digitized, described, and preserved, ensuring that more than a century of Hawley family history and Society heritage will remain available for future generations.
The Society of Hawley Family Archives reflects the dedication of countless members who have contributed their time, research, and passion over the past century. Through this ongoing preservation effort, we honor their work while building a lasting resource that will continue to educate, inspire, and connect Hawley descendants for many years to come.
