From an e-mail (16Sep2003):

John Hawkins was the oldest ancestor in North Carolina and migrated to Orange county prior to 1765. In court papers, he was listed as Esq. and served in various political capacities in Orange county, including High Sheriff. Mrs. Shearer postulated that he migrated from Virginia and was the son of Joseph Hawkins of Spottsylvania County Virginia. Alas, she provided little documentation except to cite the appearance of the name John Hawkins in various documents of the time. However, a number of John Hawkins lived in Virginia at the time. For example, Joseph's brothers John, and Philemon each had sons named John. In addition, Nicholas Hawkins in Spottsylvania County had a son named John. In fact, the John Hawkins that Mrs. Shearer referenced in Hanover county, was definitely not John Hawkins Esq. What supports the conclusion that sheriff John Hawkins was the son of Joseph of Virginia? Indeed, while one can find specific references to John, sons of Philemon, William, and Nicholas, the only specific reference to John as Joseph's son is in Joseph's will. He otherwise cannot be identified in any legal documents that I have found.

Will of Joseph Hawkins p. 525-526 [Spottsylvania Co., VA Will Book D - Page 525]

In the Name of God Amen I Joseph Hawkins of Spotsylvania County being at this time thorough Divine Goodness of sound mind and disposing memory do make this my last Will and Testament and dispose of my estate in the following manner to wit:

I lend my beloved wife Jane Hawkins the tract of land whereon I now live being the land that was left me by my Father together with that part of that tract of land that I purchased from Marmaduke Moore, Gent. that lies on the South East side of the roads that lead from Terry Run Bridges to Richardson's Mill; also all my Other Estate that is now in my possession of every kind during her natural life and after her death to be disposed of as I shall hereafter direct.

Item I give and bequeath to my son Joseph Hawkins that part of my land that I purchased from said Moore that is on north west side of the above mentioned tract also my tract of land containing about four hundred acres adjoining James Jones, Edw. Coleman and others to him his heirs and assigns Forever also the land and plantation above mentioned that I have lent to my wife after her death I give and bequeath to my said son Joseph Hawkins his heirs and assigns forever. I also give and bequeath to my said son Joseph Hawkins the negro man named Cosby that is now in his possession to him his heirs and assigns forever. Item I give and bequeath to my two daughters Lucy Hawkins and Sarah Hawkins all the slaves, stock and household furniture that is lent to my wife and all the outstanding debts together with all my Estate of every kind and Quality not herein before given to be equally divided between them to be to them their heirs and assigns forever they my said two Daughters first paying all my just debts.

And I do constitute and appoint my beloved wife Executor and my two sons John Hawkins and Joseph Hawkins Executors of this my Last Will and Testament in Witness thereof I have hereunto set my hand and seal this 30th day of March 1769.

Signed Sealed & Delivered Joseph Hawkins

Wit: Philmon Hawkins

Charles Cosby

Upon reading Joseph's will, it is striking that it does not leave any property or money to John. The will provides dwelling for his wife Jane during the remainder of her life and it leaves property to his other children Joseph, Sarah and Lucy. John must have been in good standing within the family for he is listed as one of the executors. Yet, he is left no money or property. One can surmise that he was already established as an Esq. and property owner in North Carolina and thus did not wish to maintain holdings in Virginia [Register of Deeds, Orange County North Carolina Nov 10, 1767, NC Ref 929]

A Query appeared in the Virginia Gazette and stated that "on 2 April 1776, Capt. John Hawkins married Mary Waller who was born in Halifax County Virginia". The Query then asks "who was the father of John[Virginia Gazette, Williamsburg, Va. Query # 4353(a)]." We know from the Orange County North Carolina records that John was known as Capt. Hawkins [Abstracts of Minutes of the Inferior court of pleas and Quarter Sessions of Orange County 1777-1788, page 32, Abstracted and edited by Alma Cheek Redden 1966] and we also know that his wife was Mary [Ibid., page 39]. One of their sons was named Hardress; an old Waller family name somewhat like John or William is in the Hawkins family. To my knowledge, the name Hardress shows up only twice in any Hawkins family line. The son of Johns Hawkins Esq. in North Carolina and his grandson (Benjamin's half brother) in Indiana are the only Hardress Hawkins that I have found. Tracing the name Waller in Burkes Landed Gentry, Burkes Peerage and Armorial Families, one can find George Waller of Castletown, Limerick, Ireland who married Mary Hardress. Down through the years, the name Hardress was often coupled with other Waller familial given names such as William and Edmund. Searching various databases, one can find numerous John Hardress Wallers, William Hardress Wallers, and Hardress Edmund Wallers. Indeed, one can find a William Hardress Waller born in 1797 in Virginia. This William Hardress Waller's grandfather was John Waller II who was born in Buckingham England and died in Spottsylvania County Virginia in 1786. John Waller II married Dorothy King in Spottsylvania County Virginia in 1675 and had several children among which was Edmund (Hardress?). As shown in court records, Edmund Waller was a contemporary of the eldest Joseph Hawkins in Spottsylvania County Virginia. Edmund Waller married Mary Pendleton in 1720 and had four sons and two daughters. One of the daughters was Mary who would have been about the age of Joseph Hawkins' son John and she and John both grew up in Spottsylvania County Virginia. I have been unable to find any other reference to this Mary Waller. That she became the wife of John Hawkins Esq. is a reasonable conclusion. Given the propensity of the families to name children after close relatives, it is also reasonable to believe that John and Mary gave their sons old family names from each side of the family; i.e. John and Hardress. With this in mind, I think it is reasonable to conclude that John Hawkins Esq., sheriff of Orange County North Carolina could be son of Joseph Hawkins of Spottsylvania County Virginia.

But what of the other John Hawkins in Virginia at the time? Most genealogist believe that brothers Philemon and John and possibly Nicholas and William, immigrated to Virginia around 1700 - 1715. Philemon died in 1725 and his widow and sons Philemon and John moved the family to Warren county North Carolina shortly after. This line of Hawkins is well documented and excludes John Hawkins Esq. of Orange County. William had a son John Hawkins who can be traced to Jessamine county KY [Hawkins Family of Virginia, the Carolinas and Kentucky by Dorothy Ford Wulfeck, page 34]. John Hawkins son of Nicholas married Elizabeth Ellis and died in 1764 [Ibid., page 59]. This leaves the descendants of the John who came to Virginia in 1705. Looking first at Joseph's brothers. Starting with his brother William, , we can show that his son John was the one which Mrs. Shearer referenced in Hanover county. John of Hanover County appears to have married Mary Langford and died in Scott County Kentucky [Ibid., page Page 34]. Brother Philemon's son John married first Margaret Jameson and then Sara Johnson and both families settled in Kentucky [Ibid., page 34].

There is another Hawkins family who had sons John. A Hawkins family appears in York county Virginia before 1640 including John, William, Mathew, and George [Ibid., page 1-4]. George and William both died before 1655 without issue. Descendants of John and Mathew migrated into Louisa, Augusta, and Lunenberg counties of Virginia over next 100 years. Although there were John Hawkins in these three counties, they can be accounted for during the time in which we know John Hawkins Esq. was in Orange County North Carolina.

This interpretation has since been corrected and refined in light of more recent research by Mr. Hawkins (email 15Aug2005):

New Hawkins Info

John Hawkins, the earliest ancestor of the Smith County Hawkins that I have been able to document, is said to have been born February 14, 1732/33. His birthplace was thought, without documentation, to be Essex County Virginia. The Tennessee DAR has established his birth date, according to Willie Sharer. Also, according to Ms Sharer, John married Mary Waller. John and Mary had the following children: Hardress, born about 1770 m. Mary Barney in Orange County NC, Mary born September 9, 1771, John born March 8, 1773, Elizabeth born September 22, 1774 m. John Dick in Orange County NC, and Francis who's birthdate is unknown.

We know from previous research that John Hawkins, the elder, drowned in the Haw River in 1786. In 1790, Hardress and the younger John divided their father's property. Previous research followed the younger John to Rowan County NC where he married Polly Goodman with whom he had issue, Benjamin. He then moved into Randolph County and after Polly died married Elizabeth Varner. From Randolph County, John and Elizabeth moved to Indiana where they raised John's second family.

While researching my Wife's family of Harveys, I followed one of her ancestral lines to Hancock County Ga. In my local library, I found a `History of Hancock County' which had summaries of early Hancock county wills. History of Hancock County Georgia by Elizabeth Wiley Smith Wilkes Publishing, Washington, GA 1974. It contained a summary of the will of Hardress Hawkins and listed as heirs, wife Elizabeth and nephew, Hardress. Realizing this must refer to his brother John's son Hardress, it renewed my interest in following John's siblings.

By 1806, Hardress had moved into Hancock County Ga, for on the 1st of November of that year, Hardress witnessed the will of Thomas Grace in Hancock County. In 1816, Hardress was given a Headright grant of 151 acres in Hancock county on the Ogeechee river [both Thomas Grace's will and the Index to the Headright Grants in Hancock County Georgia available on the USGenWeb Archives website]. Hardress must have died sometime before 1820 for his will is listed in the Hancock county will book of 1817-1820. Moreover, neither he nor his wife is listed in the 1820 census of Hancock county.

Prior to moving to Georgia however, Hardress was party to a number of transactions involving his sister Elizabeth. I found a marriage bond in North Carolina, dated 30 March 1793. Although the bond doesn't mention Elizabeth by name, John Dick and Hardress Hawkins guaranteed the bond. Elizabeth's husband, John Dick apparently died shortly after their marriage for in August 1794, Elizabeth Dick was named (temporary) Guardian of Mary Dick. State of North Carolina at a Court of P. & Q. Sessions begun and held in the Town of Hillsborough the 4th Monday of August 1794, being the 28th day of said Month. Present, John Taylor, William Nunn, Absolom Tatom, Esquires. Elizabeth Dick named Guardian of Mary Dick. (p. 81) At the November Court 1794, Elizabeth Dick was named (permanent) guardian of Mary based on bond posted by her brother Hardress and James Patterson. State of North Carolina at County Court of P. & Q. Sessions begun & held for County of Orange at Court House in the Town of Hillsborough on the 4th Monday of November, 1794, being the 24th day of said Month. Present, William Courtney, James Baldridge, William Lytle, Esqrs. Elizabeth Dick came into Court & entered into Bond with James Patterson & John Hawkins, in sum of 1000 pounds for faithful guardianship of Mary Dick to which Guardianship Elizabeth Dick was appointed last Court. (p. 86)

Moreover, at November Court, Letters of Administration of John Dick's estate were granted on security of Hardress and others. At an Inferior Court of Pleas & Quarter Sessions begun & held for the County of Orange on 4th Monday of November 1793, Letters of Administration of Estate of John Dick, deceased, granted to Elizabeth Dick, Relict of said John Dick, deceased, - on what - was prayed by William Dick, the father of deceased, & granted on Security, James Baldridge, James Carson, Hardiness Hawkins, Esqrs. (p. 66)

By the first of the year, 1794, Elizabeth Hawkins Dick was widowed and had a small child. However, on the day after Christmas of that year, she married Thomas Crowder, son of Mark and Mary Crowder. There were seven children by the second marriage: Frances Maria, Addison , Eliza Ann, Mark Thomas, Martha Hawkins, Louisa Matilda, William Gustavus, Arabella Matilda. Eliza Ann Crowder, married Dr. Thomas Fitzgerald Green of Milledgeville Georgia. After the death of her second husband, Elizabeth lived with her daughter in Milledgeville until her death in 1842.

Among the children of Eliza Ann and Thomas Green was Anna Maria Green, b. 1844 that married Samuel Austin Cook in 1869. In 1925, Anna Maria Green Cook published a book, HISTORY of BALDWIN COUNTY GEORGIA. The above details are provided in the book. The book also gives biographies of a number of early Baldwin County families, including her own. In the Crowder-Hawkins biography, Ms Cook details the ancestry of her grandmother Elizabeth Hawkins Dick Crowder and grandfather Thomas Crowder.

Thomas Crowder, son of Mark and Mary Crowder, was born January 22, 1774. He married, December 26, 1804, Mrs. Elizabeth Hawkins Dick. Mrs. Dick had one daughter by her first marriage, Mary, who married Mr. Wm. Lucas. There were seven children by the second marriage: Frances Maria, Addison , Eliza Ann, Mark Thomas, Martha Hawkins, Louisa Matilda, William Gustavus, Arabella Matilda. Mrs. Crowder was the daughter of Capt. John Hawkins, born in Baltimore, Md. Her mother, Mary Waller, daughter of Captain John Waller, was born in Halifax county, Virginia, June 30, 1734. She married Mr. Welby who died, leaving her with one child, Benjamin Waller Welby. She removed to Hillsboro, N. C., and there married John Hawkins, April 2, 1776. Elizabeth Hawkins was the third child. Mr. Dick, her first husband, died and she married Thomas Crowder.

John Hawkins enlisted in Maryland Volunteer Company before the Declaration of Independence and served throughout the Revolutionary. War as Lieutenant, afterwards Captain.

Thomas Crowder and his wife and her two sisters moved to Hancock county, Georgia; from thence Mr. Crowder and wife, in their old age, moved to Milledgeville, Georgia, where he died in 1840. She lived a few years longer, Dr. Green removing her to his home where she died in 1844.

From the book, HISTORY of BALDWIN COUNTY GEORGIA by MRS. ANNA MARIA GREEN COOK, ILLUSTRATED ANDERSON. S. C, Keys-Hearn Printing Co., 1925 - History of Baldwin County see page 8 and page 463.

Comparing the records of Orange County, North Carolina regarding Elizabeth Hawkins' marriage and the death of her husband with the Hawkins-Crowder biography, there is no doubt that they are of the same family. That the writer of the biography was Elizabeth's granddaughter lends credibility to the accuracy of the information. What then can be concluded from this information?

From the biography, we can confirm that John Hawkins married Mary Waller. However, the biography indicates that he was from Baltimore County Maryland and not Spotsylvania County Virginia. In addition, it indicates that Mary Waller was not from the Spotsylvania County Waller family but from a family in Halifax County Virginia. The marriage date, April 2, 1776, given in the biography is somewhat troubling. If this date is correct then the birth dates we have for their children must be in error, if they are her children. But the younger John and his brother Hardress must have been of age when, in 1790, they divided the property left to them by their father. Indeed, Orange County Court minutes list Hardress as deputy Sheriff in 1885. Therefore, he and John must have been born before 1776. The biography also says that Elizabeth was the third child, her mother was Mary Waller, and that she and her two sisters moved to Hancock County Georgia. This raises the possibility that Hardress and his brother John were stepbrothers of the three girls. Lastly, in the 1880 census of Kankakee district of Indiana, Hardress, the younger John's son, lists his father's birthplace as Maryland. That is, Hardress and probably his brother John were born in Maryland not North Carolina.

The biography states that John Hawkins enlisted in the Maryland Volunteer Company before the Declaration of Independence and he served throughout the war. Indeed, records of the Maryland Militia support this statement. According to the Maryland on-line archives, the Maryland Volunteers were organized in 1776 to support the war effort and later integrated into the 5th Maryland Regiment. The 5th Maryland Regiment, with John Hawkins was transferred to the southern Campaign. This might have put him in Orange County in 1776 to meet and marry Mary Waller Welby. Moreover, contents of one of George Washington's letters indicates that Capt. John Hawkins served under Major General Nathanael Greene, commander of the southern campaign, (Writings of Washington, Vol. 15 UVA Electronic Text Library). Notes to this letter indicate that Capt. John Hawkins retired in 1781.

Finally, records from Old St. Paul's Parish in Baltimore Maryland indicate that a John Hawkins was baptized June 12, 1733. According to the book, Baltimore County Families 1659-1759 by Robert Barnes, Genealogical Publishing Company 1001 N. Calvert St, Baltimore, MD, there was a John Hawkins b. February 14, 1732/33 in Baltimore County. His father was John Hawkins b. 23 December 1713 and his mother was Mary Simpkins. However, I am not convinced that this is the correct John Hawkins, even though the birth dates are the same [many genealogist have determined that this John Hawkins died Mar 5, 1799 in Abbeville South Carolina -- more details about Capt. John Hawkin's possible ancestry can be found in JOHN HAWKINS OF BALTIMORE COUNTY MARYLAND ].

In summary, information, which has recently come to light, indicates that John Hawkins was not of the Virginia Hawkins as previously thought, but born in Baltimore County Maryland, maybe the son of John Hawkins and Mary Simpkins. One version is that John married in Maryland and had two sons, Hardress and John. The fate of Hardress and John's mother is unknown. He enlisted in the Maryland Volunteer Company and later married Mary Waller Welby in Hillsboro North Carolina in 1776. John and Mary had three daughters. These daughters, as well as half-brother Hardress, relocated to Hancock county Georgia. Their other half-brother, John, relocated to Indiana.

The name Hardress has such regular occurrence in the Waller families that I lean toward another version. That is, the marriage date given in the biography is wrong and John and Mary Waller married before 1776 in Maryland and all the children belong to John and Mary. During the war when John was posted to the southern campaign, Mary and their family removed to Hillsboro. Support for one or the other version might be gained if we can find Elizabeth's birthplace. I haven't been able to find any of her children in the 1880 census that might give their parents birthplace. I'm told that her daughter, Mary Hawkins Crowder, who apparently never married, owned a family bible that in public and contains a lot of information on the Hawkins. I've tried to get a copy but as yet have been unsuccessful.