Individual Details
Benjamin Hawkins II
(16 Jun 1738 - 30 Nov 1806)
Benjamin Hawkins Jr. is found on the list at a court of Orange held in summer/fall of 1782 for supplying 3 and 1/5 bushels of wheat on October 14, 1780.
Benjamin and Ann went from Orange Co., Virginia to Mercer Co., KY sometime after 1788 as a land Transactions in Orange County lists the following sale:
1788 Benjamin Hawkins and Ann his wife
James Hawkins and Jane his wife sell to Thomas Coleman 370 acres on Rapidan River Close to Willis and Waugh. It is part of the 40,000 acres formerly granted to Spotswood.
Most of the Hawkins/Bourne line and Benjamin and Sarah Willis Hawkins lived up near the Rapidan River and in Culpeper on the other side of the Rapidan....except, for Benjamin and Ann Bourne Hawkins who moved down close to Barboursville in the area of Cameron Mt.
BENJAMIN HAWKINS OF MERCER COUNTY, KENTUCKY
Benjamin Hawkins, the grandfather of Ann Reminta Hawkins, was born in Virginia in 1738, the son of Benjamin Hawkins and Sarah Willis. He married Ann Bourne, the daughter of Andrew Bourne, in 1764 in Fauquier County, Virginia. In 1789, Benjamin Hawkins together with his brother, James Hawkins, departed Virginia and came to Kentucky after they sold their Orange County, Virginia property to the husband of the widow of their brother, Captain Moses Hawkins (killed at Germantown, Pennsylvania in 1777). Thomas Coleman, who bought the land in Orange County, had married Capt. Hawkins’ widow, Susan (Strother) Hawkins in 1783. Later, Moses Hawkins’ widow moved with her second husband from Virginia to Woodford County, Kentucky and then to Franklin County, and there are numerous descendants of Moses Hawkins living today in that area. Benjamin and James Hawkins witnessed the will of Moses Hawkins.
In 1790, Benjamin and James Hawkins both appeared in Fayette County, but sometime before 1800, James moved to Jessamine County while Benjamin settled in Mercer County. Benjamin Hawkins died in Mercer County about 1806, and although he left no will, there is an inventory of his personal estate recorded in May 1807 on file at the Mercer County courthouse in Harrodsburg, Kentucky. The Hawkins farm was situated on the waters of the Kentucky River in the northeastern corner of the county very near the Anderson County line. The village of Salvisa was located a few miles away, named after the nearby Salt and Levisa rivers. (The name of the Levisa River was later changed to the Kentucky River.)
After Benjamin Hawkins’ death, his oldest son, Andrew, purchased the property from his siblings in 1811, but it was Andrew’s brother, Francis Hawkins, who eventually bought the farm and lived there. He and his wife, Permelia, reared all ten of their children including Ann Hawkins, who became the wife of John S. McGee. Francis Hawkins died on June 14, 1869, and one of his sons, “A. L.” Hawkins, bought out his brothers’ interests and continued to reside on the farm raising another generation of the Hawkins family on the home place.
The old home place was eventually sold to Robert Stratton in the 1920’s, and his descendants still own the farm today. The original Hawkins farmhouse is still standing, although no longer used as a dwelling. According to one of the present owners, the house was originally built as a two-story log structure in the shape of a “T,” but later in its history, the logs were covered with clapboard siding and the rear extension was torn down.. There are two stone chimneys, one at each end of the house, and the family cemetery is situated on a little knoll approximately 200 yards away. The cemetery is outlined by a dry-stack stone wall, now partially collapsed, and contains several graves, only three of which are marked with inscribed headstones. The marked graves are those of Francis Hawkins, his wife, Permelia, and their son, William. It is believed that both Benjamin Hawkins and his wife, Nancy Ann Bourne, are buried there. The house and cemetery are located on Short Road just a few miles north of Salvisa.
The following excerpt was taken from a personal letter dated December 26, 1968 and written by David Hawkins of Shreveport, La. addressed to Wyatt Shelly of Lawrenceburg, Ky. and on file at the Anderson Co., Ky. public library.
"...a descendant of the Benjamin Hawkins who was a brother to my ancestor (Capt.) James. Benjamin came to Ky. with James in 1789 after the two sold out their Orange County, Va. property to the husband of the widow of Captain Moses Hawkins (killed at Germantown in 1777). Thomas Coleman bought the land in Orange and had married Moses' widow Susanna (Strother) Hawkins in 1783. From other sources (undocumented) I am informed that Benjamin was born in 1738. He married Ann Bourne (dau. of Andrew Bourne, d. 1788) in Fauquier County, Va. in 1764. He was in the 1790 census of Fayette with James and didn't show up in Jessamine (where James then lived) in 1800. Recently I have discovered that he died in Mercer in 1807. There is an inventory there in the May court of that year and his children are listed as Sarah (married Reuben Boston in Orange 1783) and other daughters whose names I don't have together with sons Andrew, Francis, Benjamin, Abraham, and John. You will find these in the Mercer censuses except for Andrew who shows in 1830, 1840 and 1850 censuses for Anderson. He was 78 in 1850.
"The disappointment, if such it is, is that Benjamin, so far as I know, wasn't in the Revolution. He was around 40 during the war. "My reason for the digression about Capt. Moses Hawkins early in this letter is that I believe that he was related to Capt. James and Benjamin. James and Benjamin witnessed his will, and , as noted above, my ancestor very definitely sold land to his widow's husband. Moses' widow moved with her second husband to Woodford County and the family was later in Franklin. There are doubtless numerous descendants in that area. The reason that I am going to such length is that Moses Hawkins name is well known in genealogical circles. The DAR book of Patriots lists him as born in Culpeper County, Va. 1748. Very likely his ancestry has been run down by descendants - and it may well be the key to mine.
"The Bourne papers in the Kentucky Historical Society in Frankfort are supposed to contain a list of names of Hawkins who were related to Capt. Moses' son, William Strother Hawkins, who was born around 1771-2. He made the list in his lifetime and it passed through various hands before ending, I am told, in the records at Frankfort. I have written the Society but so far haven't received an answer as to the availability of "the list." It dealt only with Hawkins kin to William S. Hawkins who were then living in Kentucky - before 1858, the time of his death."
Benjamin and Ann went from Orange Co., Virginia to Mercer Co., KY sometime after 1788 as a land Transactions in Orange County lists the following sale:
1788 Benjamin Hawkins and Ann his wife
James Hawkins and Jane his wife sell to Thomas Coleman 370 acres on Rapidan River Close to Willis and Waugh. It is part of the 40,000 acres formerly granted to Spotswood.
Most of the Hawkins/Bourne line and Benjamin and Sarah Willis Hawkins lived up near the Rapidan River and in Culpeper on the other side of the Rapidan....except, for Benjamin and Ann Bourne Hawkins who moved down close to Barboursville in the area of Cameron Mt.
BENJAMIN HAWKINS OF MERCER COUNTY, KENTUCKY
Benjamin Hawkins, the grandfather of Ann Reminta Hawkins, was born in Virginia in 1738, the son of Benjamin Hawkins and Sarah Willis. He married Ann Bourne, the daughter of Andrew Bourne, in 1764 in Fauquier County, Virginia. In 1789, Benjamin Hawkins together with his brother, James Hawkins, departed Virginia and came to Kentucky after they sold their Orange County, Virginia property to the husband of the widow of their brother, Captain Moses Hawkins (killed at Germantown, Pennsylvania in 1777). Thomas Coleman, who bought the land in Orange County, had married Capt. Hawkins’ widow, Susan (Strother) Hawkins in 1783. Later, Moses Hawkins’ widow moved with her second husband from Virginia to Woodford County, Kentucky and then to Franklin County, and there are numerous descendants of Moses Hawkins living today in that area. Benjamin and James Hawkins witnessed the will of Moses Hawkins.
In 1790, Benjamin and James Hawkins both appeared in Fayette County, but sometime before 1800, James moved to Jessamine County while Benjamin settled in Mercer County. Benjamin Hawkins died in Mercer County about 1806, and although he left no will, there is an inventory of his personal estate recorded in May 1807 on file at the Mercer County courthouse in Harrodsburg, Kentucky. The Hawkins farm was situated on the waters of the Kentucky River in the northeastern corner of the county very near the Anderson County line. The village of Salvisa was located a few miles away, named after the nearby Salt and Levisa rivers. (The name of the Levisa River was later changed to the Kentucky River.)
After Benjamin Hawkins’ death, his oldest son, Andrew, purchased the property from his siblings in 1811, but it was Andrew’s brother, Francis Hawkins, who eventually bought the farm and lived there. He and his wife, Permelia, reared all ten of their children including Ann Hawkins, who became the wife of John S. McGee. Francis Hawkins died on June 14, 1869, and one of his sons, “A. L.” Hawkins, bought out his brothers’ interests and continued to reside on the farm raising another generation of the Hawkins family on the home place.
The old home place was eventually sold to Robert Stratton in the 1920’s, and his descendants still own the farm today. The original Hawkins farmhouse is still standing, although no longer used as a dwelling. According to one of the present owners, the house was originally built as a two-story log structure in the shape of a “T,” but later in its history, the logs were covered with clapboard siding and the rear extension was torn down.. There are two stone chimneys, one at each end of the house, and the family cemetery is situated on a little knoll approximately 200 yards away. The cemetery is outlined by a dry-stack stone wall, now partially collapsed, and contains several graves, only three of which are marked with inscribed headstones. The marked graves are those of Francis Hawkins, his wife, Permelia, and their son, William. It is believed that both Benjamin Hawkins and his wife, Nancy Ann Bourne, are buried there. The house and cemetery are located on Short Road just a few miles north of Salvisa.
The following excerpt was taken from a personal letter dated December 26, 1968 and written by David Hawkins of Shreveport, La. addressed to Wyatt Shelly of Lawrenceburg, Ky. and on file at the Anderson Co., Ky. public library.
"...a descendant of the Benjamin Hawkins who was a brother to my ancestor (Capt.) James. Benjamin came to Ky. with James in 1789 after the two sold out their Orange County, Va. property to the husband of the widow of Captain Moses Hawkins (killed at Germantown in 1777). Thomas Coleman bought the land in Orange and had married Moses' widow Susanna (Strother) Hawkins in 1783. From other sources (undocumented) I am informed that Benjamin was born in 1738. He married Ann Bourne (dau. of Andrew Bourne, d. 1788) in Fauquier County, Va. in 1764. He was in the 1790 census of Fayette with James and didn't show up in Jessamine (where James then lived) in 1800. Recently I have discovered that he died in Mercer in 1807. There is an inventory there in the May court of that year and his children are listed as Sarah (married Reuben Boston in Orange 1783) and other daughters whose names I don't have together with sons Andrew, Francis, Benjamin, Abraham, and John. You will find these in the Mercer censuses except for Andrew who shows in 1830, 1840 and 1850 censuses for Anderson. He was 78 in 1850.
"The disappointment, if such it is, is that Benjamin, so far as I know, wasn't in the Revolution. He was around 40 during the war. "My reason for the digression about Capt. Moses Hawkins early in this letter is that I believe that he was related to Capt. James and Benjamin. James and Benjamin witnessed his will, and , as noted above, my ancestor very definitely sold land to his widow's husband. Moses' widow moved with her second husband to Woodford County and the family was later in Franklin. There are doubtless numerous descendants in that area. The reason that I am going to such length is that Moses Hawkins name is well known in genealogical circles. The DAR book of Patriots lists him as born in Culpeper County, Va. 1748. Very likely his ancestry has been run down by descendants - and it may well be the key to mine.
"The Bourne papers in the Kentucky Historical Society in Frankfort are supposed to contain a list of names of Hawkins who were related to Capt. Moses' son, William Strother Hawkins, who was born around 1771-2. He made the list in his lifetime and it passed through various hands before ending, I am told, in the records at Frankfort. I have written the Society but so far haven't received an answer as to the availability of "the list." It dealt only with Hawkins kin to William S. Hawkins who were then living in Kentucky - before 1858, the time of his death."
Events
| Birth | 16 Jun 1738 | Fauquier, Virginia, British America |  |  | |
| Marriage | 29 Oct 1768 | Fauquier, Virginia, British America - Nancy Ann Bourne | | | |
| Death | 30 Nov 1806 | Mercer, Kentucky, United States | | ||
| Probate | May 1807 | Harrodsburg, Mercer, Kentucky, United States | |
Families
| Spouse | Nancy Ann Bourne (1749 - 1832) |
| Child | Sarah Hawkins (1769 - 1825) |
| Child | Andrew Hawkins (1771 - 1858) |
| Child | Jane Ann Hawkins (1773 - ) |
| Child | Abraham Hawkins (1776 - 1837) |
| Child | Frances Hawkins (1778 - ) |
| Child | Elizabeth "Betsy" Hawkins (1780 - 1854) |
| Child | Francis "Frank" Hawkins (1785 - 1869) |
| Child | John Carlston Hawkins (1787 - 1860) |
| Child | Lucy Hawkins (1790 - ) |
| Father | Benjamin Hawkins Sr. (1708 - 1782) |
| Mother | Sarah Willis (1716 - 1782) |
| Sibling | Mildred Hawkins (1734 - 1815) |
| Sibling | Rachel Hawkins (1740 - ) |
| Sibling | Lucy Hawkins (1742 - ) |
| Sibling | Jane / Jenny Hawkins (1748 - ) |
| Sibling | William Hawkins (1749 - 1818) |
| Sibling | Capt. James Hawkins (1750 - 1819) |
| Sibling | Capt. Moses Hawkins (1750 - 1777) |
| Sibling | Elizabeth Hawkins ( - ) |
| Sibling | Sarah Hawkins ( - 1826) |
Notes
Birth
or 1736Marriage
Thomas has Oct 6, 1764 on pg 91 and Her father's will names her as Elizabeth Hawkins.Benjamin Hawkins and Ann Bourn. Bride's mother: Jane Bourn (Virginia Marriages, 1785-1940)
Probate
Inventory of the personal property of Benjamin Hawkins as reported by the commissionersappointed by the Mercer County, Kentucky court ,May session, 1807. Benjamin's son, Andrew
Hawkins, was Administrator.
Three beds and furniture, one chest, one table, one desk, one cupboard, one table and table furniture, eight chairs, smoothing iron and shovel, one handsaw, three foils, two chisels, shears, old books, two plows, two adzs, crosscut saw, whipsaw, log chain, double trees, one wagon and gear, one old sorrel mare, one old gray horse, sorrel mare and colt, sorrel horse, bay horse, twenty three hogs, eleven more hogs, one spotted cow and yearling, two steer yearlings, two heiffers, one black cow and calf, one white-faced red cow and calf, one red white Barker cow and calf, one yearling heiffer, twenty eight sheep, one two year old bay filly, one two year old sorrel horse, large kettle, one small kettle and pot, one bake oven, pot hooks, one pot rack, pails, piggins and sifter, one loom, one grindstone, and saddle bags.
Total value was appraised at 190 Pounds, 10 Shillings, and 6 Pence.
Endnotes
1. Hill, Don, "Descendants of John Hawkins," e-mail message from
2. Thomas, Helen Gilmore Smith, Gillmore-Carter and allied families (Unknown: Unknown, 1962, 168 pgs.), p. 91.
3. Wulfeck, Dorothy Ford, Hawkins of Virginia, the Carolinas and Kentucky : court records, queries, brief lineages, genealogical notes. (Naugatuck, Conn.: D.F. Wulfeck, 1962?, 87 pgs.), p. 31.
4. , History and Families, Anderson County, Kentucky (Paducah, Kentucky: Turner Publishing Co, 1991), 116; digital images, Google Books (http://books.google.com/books : accessed 22 February 2014; Nancy Ann Boin (1749-1832).
5. Wulfeck, Dorothy Ford, Hawkins of Virginia, the Carolinas and Kentucky : court records, queries, brief lineages, genealogical notes. (Naugatuck, Conn.: D.F. Wulfeck, 1962?, 87 pgs.), p. 31.