Birth: 06 MAR 1822 Covington, Kenton Co, Kentucky
Marriage: 14 JAN 1846 Fulton County, Indiana
Birth of Daughter: 15 MAY 1849
Name: Sarah Jane Hawkins
Place: Starke Co, Indiana
1850 Census: 16 OCT 1850
Place: Marshall Co, Indiana, USA
Note: Wife, Telitha Ann, and two children are living in his household.
Birth of Son: 27 MAR 1853
Name: Ezra E. Hawkins
Birth of Son: 13 SEP 1855
Name: William Howard Hawkins
Birth of Son: 08 DEC 1859
Name: John R. Hawkins
1860 Census: 11 JUN 1860
Place: North Bend Twp, Stark Co, Indiana
Note: Wife, Telitha Ann, and five children are living in his household.
Military: 1862
Note: Served in the Civil War – 54th Infantry, Company D. Was in the Civil War for a few months before he got sick. He did apply for a pension later on, but it wasn’t granted.
Details:William was drafted for service in the Civil War on Oct 6, 1862 and enlisted the following day into Company D, 54th Infantry under the command of Lt. Albert Eggleston. Shortly afterward, he was mustered into the company at Camp Sullivan in Indianapolis. At the camp they slept on the ground in tents with “rubber blankets” under them and little more protection from the elements. About a week or two after entering the camp, he contracted dyspepsia, a catch-all for an assortment of upper abdominal ailments, and what he later called chronic diarrhea, a condition that afflicted many of the Civil War soldiers. He was place in the care of the regimental physician at a place called Burnside Barracks. On Dec 8, 1862 he was sent to the “Soldiers Home”, which may have been at Lafayette, Indiana. After a period of observation and treatment, he was found unfit for duty and received a medical discharge on December 23, 1862 without ever seeing action.
Years later, still afflicted with the chronic diarrhea he contracted in the service, he applied for a pension. Although a physician declared that he was disabled, no pension was granted. Additional information was requested in response to the initial application. That application remained open for many years with William and various other people providing information as it was requested. William never received a pension and the application was still open at the time of his death. Within his pension application were affidavits provided by two of his daughters in support of his claim of good health at the time of his enlistment. Emily M. Fetters provided an affidavit from Arapahoe, Nebraska and Sarah J. Garn provided one from Meauwataka, Michigan. Both were stamped November 11, 1881. His wife Talitha also provided an affidavit in 1889.
Neighbors also provided affidavits attesting to his health and ability to work prior to entering service and that he was fortunate to have three sons to help him complete his farm work after contracting his illness.
William was described in his application as 5 feet 7 inches tall, 130 pounds, with black hair and a “sallow complexion, pulse 80, respiration 24.”
Birth of Son: 11 APR 1865
Name: Cyrus L. Hawkins
Note: Died 15 MAR 1866
Birth of Daughter: 11 AUG 1868
Name: Rachel E. Hawkins
1870 Census: 23 JUL 1870
Place: North Bend, Starke Co, Indiana
Note: Wife, Telitha, and six children are living in household.
1880 Census: North Bend, Starke Co, Indiana
Note: Wife, Telitha, and two children are living in his household.
Will: 16 SEP 1891
Place: Starke Co, Indiana
Note: The Will of William W. Hawkins, probated 11 Jan 1892, Book A., pages 282-285, Starke Co., Indiana reads as follows:
Be it remembered that on the 11 Day of January 1892 the same being the 7th Judicial day of the January term of the Starke Circuit Court. Before the Hon. George Benson, Judge of said Court, the following proceedings were had to wit-
In the matter of the Last Will and Testament of William W. Hawkins, Deceased. Comes now Albert J. Gould and shows to the Court a certified copy of the last Will and Testament of William W. Hawkins, Deceased, together with a certified copy of the probate thereof, which is properly authenticated and filed, and the Clerk of this Court is ordered to record the Same.
State of Indiana
Stark County
I, William W. Hawkins, of Starke County, in the State of Indiana, being of sound mind and disposing memory, do hereby publish this my last Will and Testament.
Item 1. It is my will that my Just debts and funeral expenses be paid as soon after my death as can be done.
Item 2. I will, bequeath and devise all my property to my children, share and share alike, namely, Ezra E. Hawkins, Emily Maria Fetters, Sarah J. Garn, William H. Hawkins, Louisa Joseph, and Rachel E. Joseph, and John R. Hawkins.
Item 3. It is my Will that my son Ezra E. Hawkins, act as my Executor, and he is directed to sell the personal property belonging to my Estate as soon after my decease as he lawfully can, and he is further directed to sell all my real Estate at probate sale, without notice, and without any order of Court, at the best price possible, at any time within three years from my decease, such sale to be upon the following terms, $1000, at least down, and the residue in equal payments at one, two, three, and fours, with interest at six per cent, per annum. The deferred payments to be secured by mortgage on the land, and it is my will that should my Executor, Ezra E. Hawkins wants said land, he may have the privilege of buying the same upon the forgoing terms, by accounting therefor to the other devises, the proceeds of such sales, after payment of all Just debts and cost and expenses to be equally divided among my said children above named.
Item 4. In case any of my children heretofore named should decease before I do, It is my will that the share of such shall go to his, her or their children alike at my death, and in case the said John R. Hawkins die before I do, it is my will that fifty (50) Dollars of said John R.’s share shall go to Lucinda Hawkins, wife of the said John R. and the residue to my other children then living, share and share alike. In witness whereof, I hereto subscribe my name this sixteenth day of September 1891
SIGNED – William W. Hawkins
Signed and acknowledged by said William W. Hawkins as his last will and testament in our presence, and signed by us in his presence.
SIGNED – Albert J. Gould
SIGNED – Emil Warner
Death: 04 JAN 1892 North Bend Twp, Starke Co, Indiana
Burial: North Union Cemetery, North Bend Twp, Starke Co, Indiana, Plot: WPA loc. is gr. 2, lot 2, block 1
Click here to see parents: Zadock Hawkins and Jane Cooper
Telitha Ann Owens
Birth: 02 FEB 1827 Marshall, Indiana
Death: 04 SEP 1891 North Bend Twp, Starke Co, Indiana
Burial: North Union Cemetery, North Bend Twp, Starke Co, Indiana
Obituary: Talitha A. Hawkins was born Feb 12, 1827 and departed this life Sept 4, 1891, aged 63 years, 7 months and 2 days. She was married to Wm. Hawkins when she was 18 years old, and she has been the mother of 11 children, 7 boys and 4 girls, 36 grandchildren, and 2 great grandchildren. Four of her sons preceded her to the other world. She leaves a husband and seven children, four boys and three girls, all married. She has been a consistent member of the United Brethren church for over 35 years, and died in triumph of a living faith in Christ.
parents are unknown
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