George Ephraim Hawkins (1850 - 1914)

Born 11 Aug 1850 in Milford Twp, Knox Co, OH

Ancestors

Husband of Sarah (Stultz) Hawkins — married 10 Nov 1869 in Delaware Co, OH

Descendants

Died 15 Mar 1914 at age 63 in Red Oak, Montgomery Co, IA

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Biography

Research and commentary by Sara Stevens Patton

After his mother and sister died in 1865, George moved with his father and sister Rose to Delaware County, about 100 miles from their family home in Milford Township in Knox County. They moved in with one of his two older sisters, Phebe or Eliza Jackson both of whom had married the two Jackson brothers also from Knox County. At this point, Ephraim and his sons-in-law decided to move west to Iowa. At the age of 18, George went with his sister Rose and her husband, Erial Stevens, to Montgomery County Iowa, driving overland in a covered wagon in 1868. The following year, George returned to Ohio and was married in Delaware County Nov. 10, 1869, to Miss Sarah (Sadie) L. Stultz whose father's farm was close to the Hawkins farm in Knox Co.

In 1870 the couple moved to Montgomery Co, IA to join the rest of George's family and for six years farmed their land in West township, near where Hawkins Park now stands. George and Sadie remained very close to George's sisters families--the Jacksons and Stevens. Whilte his obituary states that George and Sadie moved their family into Red Oak in 1876, the Montgomery Co Independent newspaper March 9, 1888 states: "GE Hawkins with Dearborn, expects to move his family to town" so the exact date of their move to town is not known. Elsewhere it is also noted that George worked for the John Deere Company, selling plows (this was before motorized tractors had become commonplace.) from 1876-1880 when he went into the retail business. This would suggest that the 1876 date is probably correct.

According to various articles in Red Oak newspapers, George was also involved in various other businesses. In 1885, he became a partner with Wm Koehler in the Farmer's Store, which carried groceries as well as tea sets, fancy cups and saucers, chanber pots, hanging and table lamps, colored glassware, dinner sets, etc. as well as groceries. Their motto was "Square Dealing and 16oz. to the Pound." He also worked with Dearborn Coal company.

In 1889, George joined his brother-in-law, Erial Stevens, who had a business selling and delivering oil, kerosene and gasoline for home heating, cooking and lighting. When Stevens left the business for other pursuits, George continued to run it eventually working for Standard Oil and the Consolidated Tank Line Co. of Cincinnati as a traveling salesman but continued as a partner in the Farmers Store. In 1892, George sold his share of the Farmers' Store due to "failing health."

In 1889, both George and Erial Stevens were deacons in the Church of Christ and George was also the Clerk for the Church. In 1891, a letter published in the Red Oak Express describes in great detail the train trip taken by George and Sadie all the way to Portland and San Francisco stopping along the way in various towns in Colorado and Utah to see the sights and visit old friends. ^[1]

The couple had four children: Alexis, Owen, Blanche and Russell.

Son Alexis worked with his father briefly in the oil business but later became a partner in the Hawkins-Thomas clothing store. His wife Nelle designed clothes based on movie publicity photos. (Movies were a relatively new phenomenon and all the rage.)

Son Owen joined the Iowa State guard and was sent to the Philippines to fight during the Spanish American War, along with his cousin Harry Stevens. Owen became a sergeant and re-enlisted in WWI and sent to France where he was awarded the French Crois De Guerre for heroism and became the hometown hero. Based on census records, Owen seems to have tried his hand at a number of trades: soldiering, farm hand, sales clerk in his older brother's clothing store, driving a laundry truck for the Stevens Brothers Laundry (his cousins), owning a movie theater in Red Oak where his younger brother worked, and finally owning his own clothing store in Guthrie Center, west of Des Moines. In 1932, Owen decided to run for the Iowa State House of Representatives and had won the Republican primary in June but suffered a stroke that summer and died at the age of 57.

Youngest son worked as a clerk is Alex's clothing store and later at Owen's movie theater in Red Oak. By 1930 he had moved his family to Lincoln, Neb where we worked as a salesman in clothing store and later as an insurance salesman. After his father's death, his mother lived with Russell's family, moving with them to Nebraska where she died in 1841 at the age of 90!

Daughter Blanche married twice, both husbands dying before she did. Her first husband was a doctor who sadly died at the young age of 27. Her 2nd husband was a millinery salesman and Blanche ran her own millinery shop (hat store) in Topeka, KS. After his death in 1940, she moved to Lincoln, Neb. to be close to her brother Russell and her mother who was living with Russell. She died and is buried in the same plot with Russell and his wife.

George was always very active in Democratic politics. On Aug 27, 1890, George took his 8 yr. old niece, Della Stevens to the 15th Judicial District Democratic Convention held in Council Bluffs, Iowa. Della Stevens held the banner and yelled ""Hooray for Harrison, he's my man. If I can't vote, Uncle George can." (Her own father Erial Stevens was a Greenbacker opposed to monopolies and bank-controlled money.) Apparently the Hawkins family continued their loyalty to the Democratic Party as one of his great-grandsons became the State chairman of the Democratic Party in Iowa in the 1990s.

George died on 15 March 1914 in Red Oak at the age of 63.

Obit. RED OAK SUN, Friday March 20, 1914 (posted on Montgomery Co Genweb) Red Oak Express March 14, 1914

"George E. Hawkins,well known and highly respected through over 40 years of residence in Montgomery county, died at his home 501 Maple st., at 4:30 o'clock Sunday afternoon, March 15, from a complication of stomach and kidney troubles, from which he had been a sufferer for two years. His condition had been critical for several months.

" The funeral was held at the home at 2 o'clock Wednesday afternoon, March 18, Rev. A.O. Wright, of the Christian church, conducting the service. The pall bearers, all of them nephews of the deceased, were Inda and Harry Stevens, Walter A., O.E., Chas. and George Jackson. Singing was by Mrs. Fred Tonner, Miss Myra Wolfe, Arthur Hersman and H.J. Atkinson. The remains were laid to rest in Red Oak cemetery.

"Those who came from a distance to attend the funeral were Mrs. D. C. Umsted, from St. Louis MO; Mrs. C.J. Burnham and George Jackson, from Villisca.

"George Ephriam Hawkins was born in Knox county, Ohio, Aug. 11, 1850, and came to Montgomery county in 1868. He returned to Ohio and was married in Delaware County Nov. 10, 1869, to Miss Sade L. Stultz, and in 1870 they moved here and for six years made their home in West township, near where Hawkins park now stands. They moved to Red Oak in 1876, and this has since been their home.

"Mr. Hawkins was on the road for John Deere Plow Co. from 1876 until 1880, then for four years engaged in the retail grocery business here with O.J. Gibson, and also with William Koehler. He then worked in the Dearborn coal office for several years, and from 1890 until 1895 was the local agent for the Standard Oil Co. For several years until compelled to quit on account of ill health, he was a traveling saleman for the Red Wing Advertising Co, of Red Wing Minn.

"Surviving Mr. Hawkins are his wife and four children, as follows: A. M. Hawkins, Owen C. Hawkins and Russel F. Hawkins, all of Red Oak, and Mrs. D.C. Umsted, of St. Louis, Mo; Mrs. Erial Stevens, a sister, also survives.

"Ever since 1864 Mr. Hawkins had been a member of the Christian church, and he was one of the church's most active members. He was one of the organizers of the church society here in 1874, and was an earnest worker in the church as long as his health permitted. He was a good man, and he leaves a host of friends whose hearts are saddened by his death and who express sincere sympathy for the sorrowing family."^[2]

Census

BET 1860 AND 1910 1 JUL 1860 Place: Milford Twp, Knox Co, OH

Ephraim Hawkins -49 Farmer $3885/$500 property valued. B. RI (1811)

Harriet Hawkins-48 B. Conn (1812)

Celestia-17 B. OH (1843)

Rosanna-15 B. OH (1845)

George-9 B. OH (1851)

(Lived next door to John Jackson -23 B. OH-farmer $800/$250 property and Phebe (Hawkins) Jackson-22 B. OH.

1870: Montgomery Co, Grant Twp, Red Oak Junction, Iowa p. 17-9: #70/70 14 July

George Hawkins - 19 Farmer born OH (1850-51)

Sarah Hawkins - 18, "keeping house", born Iowa (1851-1852)

E. Hawkins - 59 "without occupation", $3000 real estate, $270 personal property, b. RI (1810-1811)

Ephraim Hawkins also listed in same census as living with Erial Stevens household (his son in law), with daughter Rose Stevens, and granddaughter, Lillie, age 10 months.

1880 Montgomery Co, Red Oak Twp, IA Census p. 339 A

Hawkins, George E. -29 OH f. b. RI m. b. CT farmer

____, Sadie -28 OH

____, Alexis M. - 7 IA

Owen S. - 5 IA

Ephraim -67 RI RI RI

(Ephraim also appears on same 1880 census age 69 living with daughter Phebe Jackson.

1896 Red Oak Directory shows George E. Hawkins as an oil dealer; 5 in the family living at 611 Joy 3n 2e; son A.M. Hawkins also listed as an oil dealer.

1900 Montgomery Co, Red Oak Jct, Ward 3, IA. p. 127B 6 June 1900 #187/188; at 1108 Boundary.

Hawkins, George 49 b. Aug 1850 OH married 30 yrs. f. b. RI; m. b. CT Traveling oil salesman

___, Sarah wife 49 b. Oct 1850 OH 4 children born/4 living f. parents born OH

___, Owen son - 25 b. Dec 1874 IA single, salesman-clothing

___, Blanche dau 19 b. Feb 1880 IA single at school

___, Russell son 7 b. Jul 1892 IA single at school

1910 Red Oak City, Ward 3 p. 1B at 507 Reed St. 15 April 1910 #25 (image 2)

Hawkins, George E. 59 OH md. 40 yrs. f.b. RI m. b. CT salesman...(illegible)

___, Sarah wife 58 OH 5 births/4 living parents b. OH

Reiley?, Blanche V. dau 29 IA widowed substitute post office clerk

1915 IA Census Montgomery Co (this is even harder to put families together)

Owen Hawkins 43 b- Iowa 607 Reed St

Sadie 63 Ohio " " " (45 yrs. in Iowa) earned $45 in 1914- clerk

Russell 22 Iowa " " " merchant earned $1200 in 1914

Margaret 21 " " " "

Event

Land Sales Dec 10 1880 George E Hawkins buys from Ephraim Hawkins S1/2SW 1/4 of NE1/4 of SE1/4 28-72-38 ^[3]

Nov 26 1881 George E. Hawkins sells #2 SE 1/4 SW1/4 18-71-38 5.5 acres ^[4]

Mar 1, 1882 George E. Hawkins sells SE 1/2 SW1/4 NE1/4 SE1/4 18-71-38 5 acres ^[5]

Sources

1. ↑ (A search of Red Oak, IA newspapers can be done by name and date online at: https://redoak.advantage-preservation.com/
2. ↑ RED OAK SUN, Friday March 20, 1914 (posted on Montgomery Co Genweb) Red Oak Express March 14, 1914
3. ↑ Montgomery Co, IA Deed Bk13:348
4. ↑ IMontgomery Co, IA Deed Bk16:8
5. ↑ IMontgomery Co, IA Deed Bk16:730

Montgomery Co, IA Deed Records

Red Oak Newspapers--- https://redoak.advantage-preservation.com/

• Source: S40 Abbreviation: Red Oak Sun Title: Red Oak Sun Subsequent Source Citation Format: Red Oak Sun BIBL Red Oak Sun TMPLT TID 0 FIELD Name: Footnote VALUE Red Oak Sun FIELD Name: ShortFootnote VALUE Red Oak Sun FIELD Name: Bibliography VALUE Red Oak Sun