He was born in Musquash, New Brunswick, the son of Calvin Luther Hatheway and Sarah Harrison.
Hathaway's resignation helped defeat the government, and he was re-elected as an Anti-Confederate candidate later that year.
Hathaway instead became chief commissioner of public works in the government of Albert James Smith.
He did not run in the 1866 election won by the Confederation Party, but ran in 1870, three years after New Brunswick became a Canadian province.
The legislation implemented a single, tax supported public school system based on the principle of Separation of church and state that would have enacted direct taxation for education.