Wayne County Biographies



Part of the Indiana Biographies Project



John Hawkins

John Hawkins was born in Wayne County, Ind., in 1811, a son of John and Lydia (Corner) Hawkins, natives of North Carolina. His parents were married in South Carolina, and in 1807 came to Wayne County, Ind., and entered a quarter-section of land, where our subject now resides. At one time he owned 400 acres of land, and was one of the extensive farmers of the county. He died at the age of eight-three years, and his wife died at the age of eighty-six years. They belonged to the Society of Orthodox Friends. They had four children — Tamar (deceased), Sarah, Nathan and John. The latter was educated at the log-cabin subscription schools of Richmond. He has followed farming successfully through life, and owns a fine farm of 250 acres, on the East Fork of Whitewater. His father built one of the first mills near Richmond. Subsequently Mr. Hawkins built a mill, and he and his father were engaged in the lumber business sixty years in connection with farming. He was married in 1833 to Sarah, daughter of Josiah and Edith (Ballard) Jessup, of Guilford County, N. C. They have had eight children — Levi, Elizabeth (wife of Wm. Brannon, of Wayne County), David, Nathan, Oliver, Albert (deceased), Ellen and Emeline. Mr. Hawkins, wife and family are member of the Society of Orthodox friends. Mr. Hawkins has been School Trustee a number of years. Mrs. Hawkins' parents were of English ancestry. Her mother died at the age of forty-five years, and her father at the age of seventy years. They were members of Orthodox Friends. Of their six children two survive — Sarah and Edith.

Source:
History of Wayne County, Chicago: Inter-State Publishing Co. 1884. Volume 2