Joseph Hawkins

He was a private in the Revolutionary War, served in the Virginia line, when he was only sixteen years old. he served 10 months during 1781 and 1782. He served mainly in operations and he fought in several skirmishes with the Tories and Indians near Wilmington, North Carolina. He was granted a Pension of $33.33 per year for life on 9-Apr-1834. We have copy of his application for Pension, #S4322. He fought in The North Carolina Line. At enlistment, he was living with his father in Burke County, North Carolina, he went back to live with him after the war. He moved to Jackson County Tennessee in 1806, and applied there for a Pension on 18-Mar-1834, at age 69. He served as a Justice of the Peace and officiated at the wedding of his daughter, Polly and Curry Lee in 1816 . On October 6, 1817 he was appointed by the Tennessee State Legislature as a commissioner to help lay-off the town of Gainesborough, Tn. Among the responsibilities of this commission was a charge to raise funds for the construction of a court house and jail in Gainesboro. They were also responsible for supervising the transfer of the county seat from Williamsburgh to Gainesboro. In 1814, Josph received three grants totalling 90 acres (one of 10 acres, one of 15 acres, and one of 65 acres) on the North side of Spring Creek on Roaring River. In 1833, he received an additional grant to 52 acres. In 1837, he received another grant for 154 acres lying on the north side of Spring Creek and joining property owned by Asa Lynn. Finally, in 1839, he received two grants of 200 acres each. These lands were also on Spring Creek and bordered lands owned by John Loftis. In 1843, he deeded the 65 acre tract to his daughter, Polly Hawkins Lee ,citing "...the natural love and affection which I have for my daughter Polly...and for the better maintenance of herself and offspring". The remainder of his land passed to his heirs after his death. Joseph Hawkins first appears in the Spring Creek Baptist Church records in September, 1806, which, according to other sources, was the year of his arrival in Jackson County. On March 1, 1809, Joseph was appointed clerk of Spring Creek Church, an office which he held until October 15, 1836. There is an entry in the church records dated July 3, 1842 which states: "the case of Joseph Hawkins...was taken up and he was excluded for adhering to and approving the principle and practice of the Stockton's Valley Association and associating with that disorderly body that was excluded for the same offense in April of 1841...". He was not mentioned again in the Spring Creek Church records. Many Baptist churches in Jackson County and surrounding regions were moving towards membership in the state Baptist convention and were beginning to accept the "missionary concept" and the idea of cooperative missions. These changes were opposed by Spring Creek Church, which wished to maintain strict autonomy and which felt the new ideas to be "unscriptual and disorderly".
Distillery occupied by Joseph Hawkins, Jackson Co.
Raw materials: Kind employed - 100 bushels corn.Cost - $33.63No. persons employed: Two men Machinery: One still( Capitol invested $125.00Expenditures: ( Amount paid annually for wages $48.00 Sales Ready.( Contingent expense $20.00Production: Anual manufacture 200 gallons whiskey. Market Value $140.00
Source: TN Census Report 1820--- Sheet of Manufacture Etc
Sources:1. Revolutionary War Pension Claim of Joseph Hawkins, General Services Administration, National Archives, Washington, D.C., Pension File #S4322.2. Burke County, North Carolina Land Records and More Important Miscellaneous Records, 1751-1809, Volume III, compiled by Edith Warren Huggins, Southern Historical Press, published 1977, page 123 and 137.3. A Letter from Josiah Wilson Hawkins to William Carroll Hawkins, February 21, 1889.4. History of Gainesboro, transcribed from old manuscripts by Mrs. Maude McGlasson in 1936.5. Census Report 1820---Sheet of Manufacture Etc.6. Harold Hawkins
THE REVOLUTIONARY WAR RECORD OF JOSEPH HAWKINS: The following is a transcript of a deposition given by Joseph Hawkins on March 18, 1834. This deposition was taken by James T. Quarles and was part of Joseph Hawkins' application for a Revolutionary War pension. "...he entered the service of the United States under the following named officers and served as herein stated: In the year 1781, there was a call for men to go against the Cherokee Indians. Applicant volunteered as a private soldier under Captain James McFarland, the Regiment was commanded by Colonel McDowell, and served this tour of two months, was discharged and returned home to his father's residence in Burke County, North Carolina where he then resided with his father. There was after his return home another call for men to go against the Tories and British. Applicant volunteered under his former Captain McFarland under the command of Major White and his former Colonel McDowell. Believes this was in August or the first of September 1781. General Rutherford was our General. I marched from Burke County near the court house to a widow Ward's about eight miles distance from Sherrel's Ford on the Faulhaber River where this regiment rendezvoused. We was then marched to Wilmington, N. C. and kept about there until the place was evacuated by the British. We was then marched and encamped near the town. We had some fighting with the enemy picket guard and the Tories, but nothing like a general engagement. While lying and watching about, one of our men was killed in one of our skirmishes, and I understood from a deserter that came in to us that we had killed seven of the British in our skirmishes in the swamps in and about Bluford's Bridge. I enlisted for three months but I served four months this tour. I was discharged by Colonel McDowell, cannot with certainty state the time but know it was soon after we heard that Cornwallis was taken. There was another call for men to go against the Indians. I volunteered again under Captain Nicholas Hale, am not certain but believe (unreadable name) commanded the,Regiment. We rendezvoused on the North of Holstein River and was kept about there until peace was made with the Indians ... was then discharged and I went home and was out this tour two months as well as I now recollect. There was another call for men to go against the Indians again and I substituted in the place of Hugh Woods who was drafted. We rendezvoused at what was called the Head of Hausauer River under Colonel Joseph McDowell and marched to the the Cherokee Nation. Believe it was upon the waters of Tennessee River or Hiwassee. We had no general engagement with the Indians. When we could find them our orders was to pursue and destroy them in their way. We killed some Indians by shooting at them while in pursuit after them and destroyed some of their towns. Cannot say with certainty the length of time I served this tour before I was discharged by Colonel McDowell. We had to wait some time at the place of rendezvous for the men to collect before we was marched from that place and the great distance we had to march and that in a wilderness, mountainous country. Am satisfied I served two months this tour. In all. I served ten months......
REFERENCES: 1. Revolutionary War Pension Claim of Joseph Hawkins, General Services Administration, National Archives, Washington, D.C., Pension File #S 4322. 2. Burke County, North Carolina Land Records and More Important Miscellaneous Records, 1751-1809, Volume III,,compiled by Edith Warren Huggins, Southern Historical Press, published 1977, pages 123 and 137. 3. Burke County, North Carolina Land Records, 1755-1821, Volume IV, compiled by Edith Warren Huggins, Southern Historical Press, published 1987, page 13. 4. Burke County, North Carolina Records, 1755182 1, Volume IV, compiled by Edith Warren Huggins, Southern Historical Press, published 1987, pages 135, 136, 138. 5. Federal Census Records, Jackson County, Tennessee, 182Q,,-1830, 1840. 6. Personal letter from Josiah Wilson Hawkins to William Carroll Hawkins, February 21, 1889. 7. History of Gainesboro, transcribed from old manuscripts by Mrs. Maude McGlasson in 1936. 8. 1820 Census of Manufactures, Jackson County, Tennessee (copy on file in the genealogy reference room at the public library in Cookeville, Tennessee). 9. State of Tennessee Land Grant Records, Grants 5502, 5506, 5522. 2821, 5551, 7189, and 721 1. IO. Jackson County, Tennessee Deed Records, Joseph Hawkins to Polly (Hawkins) Lee and Heirs, July 15, 1843. 1 1. Minutes of the Spring Creek Baptist Church of Jackson and Overton Counties, Tennessee (1806 - 1868, Excluding Civil War Years), transcribed by Jane K. Wall and J. Hobart Bartlett, pages 12, 17, 18, 19,-20, 221- 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 35, 36, 40, 42, 44.
Joseph Hawkins------Revolutionary War Soldier Joseph Hawkins was born in Baltimore County, Maryland on June 7, 1765. He was the son of Augustine and Elizabeth Henley Hawkins. When Joseph was thirteen, his family moved from Maryland to North Carolina where his father entered a land grant of 200 acres in Burke County on August 13, 1778.At the age of sixteen, Joseph became a Revolutionary War soldier. Most of his Service was mainly in operations against the Indians and Tories, fighting in several skirmishes near Wilmington, North Carolina.He serve a total of 10 months during 1781-1762.In 1781 a call came for men to fight against the Cherokee Indians, Joseph volunteered and served as a private under Capt. James McFarland, with Col. Joseph McDowell as commander of the regiment. After two months he was discharged. Sometime after returning home Joseph answered the call for men to fight against the Tories. He served again under Capt. McFarland with Maj. White and Col. McDowell commanding the regiment.Years later, in an application for a Revolutionary War pension, he stated: "I marched from Burke County, near the court house, to a Widow Ward's about eight miles distance from Sherrill's Ford on the Catawba River, where the regiment rendezvokused." He went on to say "we were then marched to Wilmington, North Carolina and were kept there until the place was evacuated by the British. We were then marched and encamped near the town." Joseph enlisted for three months but served four: being discharged after Cornwallis was defeated.Later, Joseph would serve a fourth term of duty. He substituted in the place of Hugh Woods, who had been drafted. The regiment tendezvoused at the head of the Catawba River under Col. Joseph McDowell where they then marched to the Cherokee nation. In his pension application he indicated that he served for two months on this tour. Joseph applied for his Revolutionary War pension nearly fifty years later. It began on March 4, 1831 and continued until his death, about thirteen years later.After his Revolutionary War service, Joseph returned to his father's home in Burke Co. North Carolina. He later married, but the name of his wife is yet unknown to those who have researched his life. They had three known children: Elizabeth, Polly and William although census records for 1820 and 1830 seem to indicate there may have been others. Due to the incomplete nature of early records, the identity of these children, if any, are unknown. Joseph is on record as having served on several juries while living in Burke County. In 1795, he is listed as a Justice of the Peace and a Militia Officer in Burke County. Records show that he bought 140 acres of land from William Hawkins (probably a brother) on June 20, 1790.In 1806, Joseph left North Carolina and settled on Spring Creek, part of Roaring River in Jackson County, Tennessee. Records indicate that Joseph received seven grants to land in Jackson County, between 1814 and 1839. Early deed and land grant records show that he received a total of 696 acres in grants, all of which he passed on to his heirs.Joseph was a prominent member of the Spring Creek Baptist Church, first appearing on church records in September 1806, the year he arrived in Jackson County. Chruch records show that he served as clerk of spring Creek Baptist Church for many years. He also was appointed moderator of church business meetings. He also represented the church at associational meetings and served on various committees. He continued as a member until about 1841-42 when he and several others disassociated themselves with Spring Creek Baptist and became involved with the movement toward membership in the state Baptist Convention, which accepts the missionary concept, a concept unacceptable to' Spring Creek Baptist.Joseph held various jobs while living in Jackson County. For several years he served an Justice of the Peace, officiating at his daughter, Polly's wedding in 1816. In the 1820 Census of Manufactures, it shows that Joseph operated a distillery in Jackson County.In 1817 Joseph was appointed by the Tennessee State Legislature to a board of commissioners that were charged with the responsibility of laying off the town of Gainesboro. The commission also had the responsibility for raising money for the construction of a courthouse and jail in Gainesboro. They were also given the responsibility of supervising the transfer of the county seat from Williamsburgh to Gainesboro. Joseph Hawkins died in Jackson County, Tennessee on September 5, 1844, at the age of 79 years.
References1. Echoes of Spring Creek and Jackson County, Tennessee by Harold Allen Hawkins and Janice Hawkins Elrod, 2000.2. Revolutionary War Pension Claim of Joseph Hawkins, General Services Administration, National Archives, Washington, DC Pension File #54322.3. History of Gainesboro, transcribed from old manuscripts by Mrs. Maude McClassen, 1936.4. Minutes of the Spring Creek Baptist Church of Jackson and Overton Counties, Tennessee (1806-1868 excluding the Civil War years) transcribed by Jane K. Wall and J. Hobart Bartlett, pps. 12, 17-20, 22, 24-33, 35, 36,40, 42 ,44. (Contributed by Carol and Glenn Bradford, 931-520-7537 or e-mail hallmjc@ charter.net and Dimple Hawkins Thacker)



Somewhere, I have a note that said he lived with the Indians for seven years but I cannot find it
at this time.

Lois