A+Hayward
GAWP5 presents Abraham Hayward, 1750-1796, Boston, cabinetmaker, as the craftsman behind planes imprinted A+Hayward.
Alternative candidates from SE MA were explored and five have been found:
Alexander Hayward 1773 - 1842, Hopkinton,
housewright
Arnold Hayward 1780 - 1857, Boston, MA, housewright
Ahaz Hayward 1785 - 1853, Milford, MA, joiner
Ansel Hayward 1789-1863, Easton, MA, cabinetmaker
Amos Hayward 1816 Fitchburg, 1820 Boston, 1822
Acton, MA, housewright and carpenter
A+Hayward
GAWP5 presents Abraham Hayward, 1750-1796, a Boston cabinetmaker, as the candidate behind the A+Hayward planes. Birch planes with wedges A and B have flat chamfers while later planes of beech with wedges C have round chamfers. The molders range in length from 9 3/8" to 9 1/2". The later planes are estimated to be ca. 1790 to 1820.
Based on the relatively late manufacturing date of the wedge C planes with round chamfers vs Abraham's estimated working dates, a search for alternative craftsmen candidates from SE MA was initiated.* The search started with a review of Abraham and his family. This yielded a revised birthdate of 1734 for Abraham which places him further from the range of the observed plane characteristics. (Boston deed records verify this earlier date with a reference to Abraham, cabinet maker, in 1757.) Abraham did have a son Abraham Jr., but he died in 1781 which does not support the likely hood of a second generation making the later planes.
The search then moved to looking for other SE MA craftsmen. Five candidates have been found to date:
Alexander Hayward 1773 - 1842, Hopkinton, MA, housewright
Arnold Hayward 1780 - 1857, Boston, housewright and carpenter
Ahaz Hayward 1785 - 1853, Milford, MA, joiner
Ansel Hayward 1789-1863, Easton, MA, cabinetmaker
Amos Hayward 1816 Fitchburg, housewright, 1820, Boston, housewright, 1822 Acton, carpenter. (No background information.)
These additional candidates likely cover the dates of the later A+Hayward planes with the C wedges, but only two might account for the earlier birch planes with wedges A and B.
* A discussion on the craftsman behind A+Hayward planes was posted on the Facebook group "Rhykenologists International", by Dan Linski in May 2025. The search for alternative candidates then followed.
Alexander Hayward
1773 MA - 1842 Hopkinton, MA, housewright.
parents Ezekiel and Hannah Johnson, family in West Medway in 1774, in Holliston in 1779 and then Hopkinton. His older brother Jason was also a housewright.
m Mary (Polly) Kibbee in 1800, Hopkinton
1801, 1806 and 1815 court documents, Hopkinton, MA, housewright
A 1799 deed lists an Alexander as a laborer from Hopkinton, MA and an 1803 deed lists an Alexander as a housewright from Barre, Worcester Co., MA. These two deeds also include Jason Hayward, a housewright from Hopkinton. Since Alexander and Jason are brothers from Hopkinton, the editor is led to believe that Alexander, housewright from Barre, is one and the same Alexander, housewright from Hopkinton. This is supported by the US census records, where from 1800 through 1840, only the Alexander from Hopkinton, MA is listed.
In later deeds, Alexander from Hopkinton, MA is recorded as a yeoman and a gentleman.
Alexander Hayward, 1801 court document, Hopkinton, housewright.
Arnold Hayward
b ca 1780 So. Bridgewater, MA - 1857 Boston, MA (With the 1780 birth date, Arnold seems to be a little late for the birch planes with flat chamfers.)
m Hannah Bent 1808
children; Charles and George
Arnold was found as a housewright and carpenter in Boston Directories dated 1810, 1818, 1820 and 1822.
1809 deed, Boston, carpenter
1850 census, Boston, carpenter
Ahaz Hayward
1785 Milford, MA -1853 Swansey, NH, Joiner. (Assume to be too late for the birch planes with flat chamfers.)
parents Jesse and Hannah
m Pamela Wiswal 1809
children Thomas, Lucretia and Ahaz
1807 and 1808 Worcester Co. deeds place Ahaz in Milford with the trade of a joiner. Ahaz's father was Jesse, which indicates that an earlier generation did not make planes.
Ahaz Hayward, 1807 deed from Milford, Worcester Co., MA, joiner
Ansel Hayward
1789 Easton, MA -1863 Ill. Cabinetmaker. (Assume that Ansel is too late for the birch planes with flat chamfers.)
parents Joseph and Lydia (Barrows)
m Lucinda Tolman 1812
children Lucinda, Harriet, Ansel, Cyrus, Chloe, Lydia, Daniel and William
Ansel learned his cabinet making trade from Mark Lothrup of West Bridgewater and worked in Boston in 1814. A 1815 Bristol Co. deed places him in Easton with the trade of a cabinet maker. A 1838 deed records him still in Easton with the trade of a mechanic. "He built the house where Rev. Francis Homes now lives." Ansel's father was Joseph, which rules out the possibility of an earlier generation making planes. In the 1860 census from Macoupin Co., Illinois, Ansel was listed as a pattern maker. Ref; "Centennial Gathering of the Hayward Family"
Ansel Hayward, 1815 deed, Easton, MA, cabinet maker
Amos Hayward
Amos Hayward 1816 court document, Fitchburg, houssewright, 1820 Boston, housewright, 1822 Acton, carpenter. (No background information or period census records could be found for Amos.)
Amos Hayward 1816 court document, Fitchburg, housewright.
