HAWKINS Narrative

William Hawkins, a glove maker from Exon Glouer, Devon, England--age 25--sailed from Dartmouth on February 21, 1634 (in an undesignated vessel) bound for St. Christopher Island in the Caribbean. On board was his wife-to-be, Margarett Harwood--age 22--of Stoke Gabriell, Devon, England.3 In 1638, William Hawkins was among the original 52 men who received homelots in Providence RI 5 (see 1664 map prov1664c.jpg)--a Baptist community founded by Roger Williams after he was "invited" to leave Salem MA. All of their children were born in Providence.

In 1687, John Hawkins was fined for refusing to take his oath as a juryman. Starting in 1710, he began deeding land to his children, a total of 325 acres; and in 1719, he confirmed a 1702 deed granting one-half of the homestead to his youngest child, Edward and the remainder to Edward on his father's decease (suggesting that John's wife was dead by 1719). 19

Jul. 1, 1679	taxed
Apr. 1683	brought in a wolf's head
Dec. 13, 1687	fined for refusing to take oath as juryman
~1702	deed to youngest son, Edward Hawkins (see Feb. 11, 1719)
Dec. 29, 1710	deeded 40 acres to Richard Evans Jr. and Sarah, his wife, for love etc.
Mar. 28, 1711	deeded 40 acres to Elizabeth Smith, his daughter, wife of Joseph
Jul. 27, 1711	confirmed a deed made by his brother Edward in 1692 to John Aldrich, and calls himself "John Hawkins eldest son of William Hawkins, deceased, and of Margaret his wife, also deceased."
Jun. 16, 1713	taxed, with son Edward
Aug. 12, 1713	deeded 93 acres for love, etc., to son-in-law Elisha Knowlton and Lydia, his wife
Jun. 5, 1714	deeded 52 acres for love, etc., to son-in-law Hosannah Brown and Mary his wife
Oct. 19, 1715	gave free consent to sons William Hawkins, Hosannah Brown, and Elisha Knowlton to sell all their lands which they had of him. [when was land deeded to son William Hawkins?]
Nov. 30, 1717	deeded 50 acres of land to Jonathan Salisbury and Abigail his wife, for love, etc.
Nov. 30, 1717	deeded to Joseph Smith (son of Joseph Smith, joiner), and Patience his wife, 50 acres for love, etc.
Feb. 11, 1719	confirmed a deed made seventeen years before to youngest son Edward, and now gave him half the homestead, house, and lands, and the other half at his decease
Aug. 24, 1723	sold, with son Edward, 30 acres on south part of farm on which they dwelt, to Joseph Mowry

Daniel Hawkins, with his wife Thankful (Bennett) and children, moved from Providence RI with five other men to Winchester NH in the late 1700's (presumably between 1778 and 1780 14) where he acquired extensive lands over the course of his life. In 1778, a "Daniel Hawkins of ...Providence, Trader" obtained a lease to an iron mine in town. He built his first home about 1778 on Allen Hill Road in Ashuelot. In December of 1780, "Daniel Hawkins of Winchester ...gentleman" purchased 140 acres of land from his partners where he started his first farm. On some deeds he was referred to as "Capt" although no evidence of military service has yet been found. 6

Daniel surveyed many of the roads that are still in existence in Ashuelot and Winchester. He originally intended that Fenton Hill Road would serve as the route between Winchester and Ashuelot, but it was impassible in the winter and a new road was constructed on the south side of the Ashuelot River, the Back Ashuelot Road, to connect the two towns.

Daniel also participated with his Winchester ironworks partners (Daniel Cahoon and Jonathan Jenks) in the acquisition of land in Lyndon, Orange VT after the ironworks in New Hampshire closed in the late 1780's. Dr. Jonathan Arnold had removed from Winchester NH to Lyndon VT with many of his parishioners. Daniel Hawkins subsequently sold 100 acres to Thomas Thurston and exchanged the remainder of his land in Lyndon VT with Cynthia (Brown) Jenks - widow of Jonathan Jenks - for land in Winchester NH. 17 (Supposedly, the town was named Lyndon after Jonathan Arnold's eldest son, Josias Lyndon Arnold.) 18

In April 1794, pews were sold to raise funds to build a new meetinghouse. Stephen purchased Pew No. 39 for £25 at an auction conducted by his father, Daniel Hawkins. In June 1795, Stephen (along with Daniel, Daniel Jr. and Ephraim Hawkins) signed a petition for Authority to Raise Money by Lottery to Build New Roads in Winchester. In 1804, he signed a petition objecting to being taxed to pay for ministers and churches, etc., when he didn’t agree with these religious teachings 4. After the death of his first wife, he married her widowed sister, and lived for some time in a house (still standing) acquired from his father-in-law Ezra Parker 15. A deed recorded September 27, 1823 from Daniel to his grandsons Stephen Olney and Oliver Hawkins provided for the care of "their father Stephen Hawkins" in all things "suitable" and for a "Christian burial" at his death. 16

Reportedly, he was born in the village of Ashuelot and carried on the business of blacksmith and farmer. According to the same source, he lived a few years "on the old homestead" (apparently the one Stephen Hawkins acquired from his father-in-law Ezra Parker and described above) and continued his trade and farming but finally returned to Ashuelot where he spent the remainder of his life. 1

Despite being an eldest son who would typically inherit the family farm, Charles Phineas left Ashuelot and moved to New York City (probably before 1846 when he married Mary Hampton White who was from New Jersey). He was joined at some point by his brothers, William B. and Abial. Why they made this move is unclear, although it seems likely that the presence of their mother's relatives in NYC (Charles' 2nd cousins, Abial Miles and William Burtis Miles) was an encouragement, given that the Hawkins and Miles are buried near each other in Green-Wood Cemetery and a William A. Miles was an executor and trustee of Charles' will.

The brothers operated a brewery at 343-345 West 41st Street, NYC. Charles resided nearby at 446 W. 44th Street in a townhouse which still stands today. Later, Charles and his son-in-law Robert Inslee (husband of Mary Cynthia, Charles' first born child) ran the brewery as partners until Charles' death. Charles' will made provision for his sons George and Ellsworth to buy into the brewery as partners with Robert Inslee upon their majority which they apparently did, operating the brewery under the name "C. P. Hawkins' Sons" and making "Ashuelot Ale". Sometime after the death of his first wife in 1877, Charles married a woman named Euphemia who survived him and inherited a life interest in the house on 44th Street. They had no children. Charles was interred in the Green-Wood Cemetery in Brooklyn on Dec.10, 1881 (as are many other Hawkins, including his first wife and five of his children). 9

Although George apparently bought into in his father's brewing business along with his brother Ellsworth under the terms of his father's will and was involved in the brewery's operations for some period of time 10, he eventually became an engineer for the public waterworks in Queens County, New York--a position that enabled him to provide his family with a comfortable home 13, complete with servants and governesses 11. For unknown reasons, he lost this job or retired early drastically reducing the family's income. These reduced circumstances were reportedly a source of friction between George and his wife, Augusta.

Born in her parents' mid-life, she became pregnant and married at age 17, despite the disapproval of her parents 11. She and husband, William D. Johnson, were reportedly very happy together, however. Unfortunately, beginning in the early 1930s circumstances conspired to disrupt their home life. In fairly short order, "Bill" lost his job in the fallout of the market crash, his mother contracted cancer and Hazel became her caretaker, and finally Hazel herself contracted tuberculosis.

When Hazel became ill she was first sent to Trudeau Sanatorium at Saranac Lake, NY where she stayed for nine months. Her family was able to visit her only once when Harry D. Johnson, Sr. drove Bill and her two children (along with Harry D. Johnson, Jr.). She was then transferred to St. Anthony's Hospital in Queens where she stayed for a year before being allowed to come home, living in a room off the dining room, on complete bed rest with the windows open at all times. After a few months, however, her condition was such that she was sent to Bellevue Hospital in Manhattan.

While at Bellevue, she met a nurse who began to talk to her about Christian Science (with which she was presumably familiar since her husband and his family had been interested in Christian Science for many years 1 2) and Hazel began to follow its precepts. When she was released after several years, arrangements were made for her to receive an advanced type of treatment, one that involved the gradual forced collapse of the lungs through the injection of gas to permit the lung to heal. Unfortunately, when she returned home after the very first treatment, it quickly became clear that something was wrong: the doctor had apparently injected too much gas and the lung had collapsed completely. The doctor was called to the house and after preparing the family for the worst, went into Hazel's room while the family stood by outside the closed door. There was silence and then the doctor opened the door to reveal a completely revived Hazel, excitedly proclaiming that she had been healed by Christian Science.

This event was of signal importance, not only returning Hazel to her family but confirming Hazel's and other family members' belief in the efficacy of Christian Science. She subsequently was able to live normally for another fifteen years (a New York City Health Department test revealed that the lesions in her lungs had closed and she was given a "clean bill of health"), until a relapse resulted in her death at her daughter's home at the age of 45.

3 Tepper Michael, ed., Passengers to America, A Consolidation of Ship Passenger Lists from The New England Historical and Genealogical Register reprinted by Genealogical Publishing Company, Baltimore, Maryland, 1977 as reported at American Plantations and Colonies - Undesignated vessel, 1634-5

4 The 1794 and 1804 references were found in the History of Cheshire and Sullivan Counties, New Hampshire, Hurd, D.H. ed., Vol. I, © 1886; "History of Winchester" by Dr. George W. Pierce (pps. 541-585). The 1795 reference was found in the Town Papers of New Hapshire 1690-1800, Vol. XIII, N-W, Hammond, pps. 693-4.

8 A copy of the will registration for C.P. Hawkins in New York lists Abial M. Hawkins as the executor; it is addressed to: "Euphemia Hawkins [2nd wife?], Mary C. Inslee, Caroline M. Bockhorn, Albert W. Hawkins, William A. Hawkins - and George W. Hawkins all of full age - Elsworth F. Hawkins, Susan E. Hawkins and Charlotte E. Hawkins, infants over the age of fourteen years - and to Stephen O. Hawkins an infant under the age of fourteen years -- severally residing in the City of New York...". see Transcription of Will of Charles Phineas Hawkins

13 Evidence suggests that at one time he lived at 206 Martense Ave., Flatbush LI (see White Artifact--Descendants of John Philip White) and a handwritten notation on that document further suggests that he lived there in 1907 when he was 47 years old. A letter concerning the liquidation of the family's interest in the house on West 44th Street sent to him in 1912 indicates his address as 21 Tulip Street, Richmond Hill. Whether either of these is the home referred to above in the narrative is unknown.

The first mention of Daniel Hawkins in court records is on the 10th of January in 1778 when: "Daniel Hawkins of said Providence, Trader" obtained a lease (with his partners) from a Henry Foster to an iron mine in town. On the 23rd of December in 1780 a "Daniel Hawkins of Winchester in the county of Cheshire and state of New Hampshire, gentleman" purchased 140 acres of land from his partners where he started his first farm.

Found an interesting deed dated March 19th 1804: (Moses Chamberlain to Daniel Hawkins) "for $1,000 one half of the farm that the same Moses Chamberlain deceased bought of Stephen Hawkins it being the whole of the half that said Stephen had of Ezra Parker and is the same that said Stephen now lives on with one half of the buildings of every kind whatsoever also 1/2 of all the land belonging to said farm in Winchester aforesaid for boundaries and particulars describing thereof reference Ezra Parkers deed of said farm and other lands."

Just looked at a photocopy of an 1805 map that Daniel Hawkins drew for a state survey. He has the farm that Ezra Parker lived on earlier, labeled "S Hawkins." That farm is on the south side of the river half way between the villages of Winchester and Ashuelot and the buildings are still standing!

95-92 Daniel Hawkins to Stephen Volney [sic] Hawkins & Oliver Hawkins (17 March 1823) $420.00 . . . "the maintenance of their father Stephen Hawkins during the natural life in all things suitable for a person of his age and condition both in clothing victualing drink and lodging nursing and doctring and at his death to give him a Christian burial. ¾ parts of the farm in said Winchester lately owned by Ezra Parker deceased except about 2 ½ acres on the east side sold to Amos Wooly of the said ¾ on dividends from the other ¼ part and is bounded as followeth north on Ashuelot River and east on Sabins and Wooley to the old road then on said old road to the Scott Pasture and south on said pasture and Sabins and Burts land west on Burts and north on Dan Wise land with all the buildings thereon standing. Said lands and buildings are to be equally divided between said Olney and Oliver according to quantity and quality the whole farm contains about 200 acres of land more or less. Recorded: 27 September 1823"