A Detested Ancestor - Philemon Benjamin Hawkins

I'm writing this post because I posted a newspaper obituary for one of my HAWKINS ancestors in one of my Facebook groups, this evening, and I mentioned that I was doing so, despite my disdain for this person. Of course, that led to a reader asking me to explain why I felt that way, so rather than give a long answer on FB, I decided to write this post.

When I began to research my GREEN line, many years ago, I heard about my 2x great-grandmother, Anna Green, for the first time. Most of what I initially learned of her came by way of interviews with my older cousins, Florine Green Edgerton and the late Harold Bruce Green, who were first cousins and had been told a few tidbits about Anna by their (shared) grandmother, Mary Helen "Pidgie" Green.  There weren't many stories, but the one they both insisted upon, which was corroborated by another cousin, Dr. Virginia Green Edwards, was that Anna, a woman of mixed blood, had been in a long term relationship with a white man, whose name they thought was HAWKINS (it was), and that this man "loved" and took care of Anna and their 6 children, putting them up in nice home on his property. However, they also relayed to me that, when the Hawkins man died, "his father came and put Anna and the children off of the property", leaving them with nothing.

Well, my early research led me to discover that the father of Anna's children was Nathaniel Hawkins (my 2x great-grandfather), and that he died in 1879, the same year that the last of Anna's children was born. What I also discovered, though, was that Nathaniel's father, Philemon, had actually died in 1856, twenty-three years before Nathaniel's death. So, that meant there was no way he could have put Anna and the children off of the property. I informed my older cousins of this truth, and though they were disappointed to learn that the story they thought they'd been told couldn't have possibly been true, they accepted this as fact.

As most of us know, there is almost always at least a grain of truth to every instance of family lore, so I tucked this story away in my mind, but never completely forgot it. My research continued, and as the years went on I uncovered more and more details about the lives of my ancestral Hawkins family, as well as the descendants of Nathaniel and Anna, who all carried the surname, "Green" (since Anna and Nathaniel could not marry).

Eventually, my work led me to the estate records for Nathaniel, who'd died intestate. The Administrator for his estate was his first cousin, Philemon Benjamin Hawkins, a prominent attorney and legislative representative, who was married to his first cousin (Nathaniel's sister), Fannie Martin Hawkins. During years of researching the Hawkins family, I'd read several newspaper accounts about this scoundrel Philemon B., some of which revealed him to be of less than admirable character. (To be fair, there were a few that were more positive, too.) From these articles, I developed a sense that he vehemently disliked blacks, but would use them, in a heartbeat, if it were advantageous to him in some way. Here's an example of one such article:

                      Click on article to enlarge.

                         

As I read through the many pages of Nathaniel's estate files, and saw the rogue way he seemed to be handling some of the affairs, it suddenly hit me, one day. THIS is probably the man who put Anna and the children out of their home! It had to be Philemon B.! So, the family story was true, there'd just been a mix-up of the relationship (cousin/brother-in-law, not father) and which Philemon it was, given that Administrator of Nathaniel's estate, had the same name as his father! It all made total sense, now!

This is said to be a photo of Philemon B. Hawkins.
(1823-1891)

So, as far as I'm concerned, this is the face of the man who stripped my great-great grandmother and her children of their home and security. I am still seeking documentary evidence of my suppositions, but, given that Philemon B. was in control of Nathaniel's assets, and that (of course) there is no mention of Anna and/or his children, anywhere, it only makes sense that he used his position on the estate, along with his power in the county to get rid of any evidence of their existence in Nathaniel's life, which is probably a contributing factor to why I am able to find so little about them, now. Furthermore, it appears that when Nathaniel's mother, Jacobina Sherrod Hawkins, died a few years later, Philemon (with the support of his wife, Fanny) did some dirt on her estate, also. But, that's another story....

This is not the clipping I posted on FB. 
(Click to enlarge.)

Philemon and his cousin/wife had two children, Bettie Lane and William J. William also died in 1891, shortly after his father. Bettie, married Walter Blair Boyd, and lived in Warren County, NC. It doesn't appear that the couple had any children; therefore, Bettie's death in 1926 brought to an end the lineage of Philemon Benjamin Hawkins.

Thanks for reading. 

Renate

Permalink: https://justthinking130.blogspot.com/2017/11/im-writing-this-post-because-i-posted.html

H is for HAWKINS - #AtoZChallenge

I have fallen behind on the April A to Z Blogging Challenge, but I'm going to stick with it until I get it done. At this point, and will all I have on my plate right now, that will probably be sometime in May but I will get through the alphabet!

H is for HAWKINS

In my 20+ years of doing genealogy research I've discovered many family lines of which I had no prior knowledge. One of those - and perhaps the most surprising - was my European HAWKINS line, which began with the uniting of my 2x great grandparents, Anna Green and Nathaniel Hawkins. Here follows a research timeline of the life of my great-great grandfather, Nathaniel.

Timeline for Nathaniel Macon Hawkins

Created by Renate Sanders (gg-granddaughter)

1830  - Nathaniel is born to parents Philemon and Jacobina (Sherrod) Hawkins in Louisburg, Franklin County, NC.

1840 - Age 9 - At home with parents in Franklin County.

1850 - Age 20 - Nathaniel lives at home with his parents and 6 siblings; Arch (22), Madison (21), Lucy (19), Fanny (17), Mary (12), Benjamin (10). Nathaniel’s father, Philemon, is enumerated as “Hotel Keeper”. Nathaniel is a “farmer”. (None of his siblings are noted to have jobs, which is interesting. Also, I wonder where the farm was?) Others listed are most likely boarding in the hotel, and at least some of them appears to work there. They are:

Sidney Jeffries (Clerk), Samuel Perry (physician), Edward Lawrence (Surgeon Dentist), Lanu?z Wynn (17), Edward Ratley (table servant)

1856 - July 2nd - Nathaniel’s father, Philemon, dies.

1860 - Nathaniel lives in Louisburg with his now-widowed mother and 3 siblings, Fanny, Mary, and Benjamin. His occupation is given as “Negro Trader”. His mother, Jacobine, is now the Hotel Keeper.

Nathaniel owns real estate valued at$625, but has a personal estate valued at $8140. Jacobine’s property is valued at $12,050, and personal estate at $4000. Nathaniel’s brother, Madison (a farmer), and his wife, Truxilla, live on the next property.

The 1860 Slave Schedule shows Nathaniel as owning only one slave - a 15 year old female. (I presume this to be Anna Green who will become the mother of Nathaniel’s children.) The young woman is enumerated in Franklinton, and appears to reside on some type of property with slaves of other owners. (Perhaps a work-farm of some type?)

1863 - Emancipation Proclamation

1864 - John Wesley Green is born to Anna and Nathaniel. This is my great-grandfather.

1865 - Emancipation of Slaves

1868 - Elizabeth “Bettie” Green is born to Anna and Nathaniel

1870 - Nathaniel (enumerated as “Nat”), remains single and lives alone in a neighborhood surrounded by blacks. (Anna and the children are listed in a different household, several pages away.) His occupation is now listed as, “trader”. His real estate is now valued at $4850, and his personal estate at $1200. (Family lore says that Nathaniel “put Anna and the children up” in a nice two-story home, which his family kicked her out of after his death, so perhaps that house is a part of that real estate which is being accounted for here.)

1871 - Annie B Green is born to Anna and Nathaniel.

1873 - William Adam Green is born to Anna and Nathaniel.

*Confusion - Nov. 5, 1873 Bastardy bond implicates JJ Murphy as the father of Anna’s child. Nathaniel signs the document (presumably as a witness). On the same date, in the exact same language and handwriting, another bond implies that Nathaniel has fathered a child with Alpharetta Dent, and is signed also by JJ Murphy. Alpharetta Dent and her children live on the same land as JJ Murphy, who is single, and all of her children are mulatto, just as Anna’s are. (This researcher believes that the names were just inadvertently switched by the clerk who was filling out the paperwork. William Green named Nathaniel as his father on several documents, and all of Alpharetta Dent’s children named James Jasper Murphy as their father on marriage and death certificates.)l

1876 - Mary Helen “Pidgy” Green is born to Anna and Nathaniel

1879 - Esther Green is born to Anna and Nathaniel (Family says that Esther may not have been Nathaniel’s, because she was darker-skinned, but until proven otherwise, I will count her as his.)

Feb. 1879 - Nathaniel dies. Cause of death, as reported in newspaper obituary, was “a very severe attack of pneumonia”.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Evidentiary documents related to Nathaniel Hawkins: (Copies in my possession)

*Davis & Roads, January 4, 1865 - Promissory note to pay $585.00 for hire of negro man, Jess for the year. Signed by NM Hawkins, M. Hawkins, and PB Hawkins (Settled as part of estate on Oct. 28, 1881. Paid in full ($11.75)

*Nov. 1872 - Promissory note: Mr. Davis Spencer to Mr. Nat Hawkins for CJ Outlaw for carrying telegram at the death of Mr. Reid.

*1873 - “I CJ Outlaw paid Nat Hawkins $2.00 in money. The said Nat Hawkins was on his way to Raleigh and promised to credit my note with the same on his return.”

*1879 - 1882 - Statement of account with O.L. Ellis, M.D: Shows Nathaniel’s care and prescriptions in July 1878, and Feb. 1879. This shows 23 months interest and full payment of $9.65 by Nathaniel’s estate in 1882. On 2/24/1879, he was charged $5.00 for a consultation with Drs. Foster and Clifton. On that same date, he was billed $1.00 for “bleeding self”. (This is the same date as the charge for the burial suit. Nathaniel died that same day.

*Yarborough & Co. - Feb. 24, 1879 - Bill for burial suit ($23.50) - See below.

* Letter of Administration - Franklin County Probate Court, March 29, 1879: This document states that Nathaniel died intestate, and names Phil B. Hawkins as administrator of his estate. (This is Nathaniel’s cousin, Philemon, who married Nathaniel’s sister, Fanny.)

*Franklin County Superior Court (no date/year given) - PB Hawkins, admin of NM Hawkins against PB Hawkins and wife, Fanny Hawkins, Mary M Hawkins, BF Hawkins, Madison Hawkins and others, and BF Hawkins guardian ad litem for the infant defendants, Henry M. Hawkins, Nathaniel Williams, Hawkins Williams, and Mary G. Willaims. (This an answer to a complaint, apparently in an ongoing court case to settle Nathaniel’s estate. As yet, I’ve not located the original complaint.)

*Receipt for payment to Yarborough & Co. from estate of NM Hawkins (for burial suit) - Sept 22, 1889.

Undated Receipt: Received of PB Hawkins, admin for NM Hawkins, $5.00 in payment offer for appearing as attorney for the guardian ad litem for the infant Cris(?) Outlaw (?) in a proceeding to (??) real estate assets. BB Massenburg


Sources:

Information for for this article was obtained by this researcher, Renate Y Sanders, using data from the 1840, 1850, 1860, and 1870 Censuses on Ancestry.com, and via personal visits to the following:

North Carolina State Archives 109 E. Jones St., Raleigh, N.C. 27601

Franklin County Register of Deeds 113 S. Main St., Louisburg, NC 27549
Franklin County Courthouse 102 S. Main St., Louisburg, NC 27549


Permalink: http://justthinking130.blogspot.com/2017/04/h-is-for-hawkins-atozchallenge.html

This is the Face of Genealogy

I'm offering this post in support of the virtual "protest" of the article that was posted in the LA Weekly, which made light of the research we do, and, to add insult, included a picture of two children who were supposed to be representative of the products of inbreeding. To follow the trail to the article, click here.

Like several others in the genealogy community have done today, I'm sharing just one of the true faces of my genealogy.  This is one of my favorite pictures of my grandmother, Anna Green Yarborough, granddaughter of a slave trader (Nathaniel HAWKINS) and a Mulatto woman (Anna P GREEN).  (Click on her name to read more about her!)

Anna Green Yarborough on the bridge over the Tar River in Louisburg, NC. 
(Photo property of Renate Y Sanders)

Unfortunately, I will never see the majority of the faces of my ancestors, since the majority of them were enslaved people, but through my research, I have gotten to "know" them through the remnants of their lives, and the individual reflections of the spirits they left behind.

Renate

Tombstone Tuesday - Jacobina Sherrod Hawkins

My third-great grandmother, Jacobina/Jacobine Sherrod Hawkins, wife of Philemon; mother of Archibald, Madison, Lucy, Nathaniel (my gg-gf), Fannie, Mary, and Benjamin. Her grave is located in Oakwood Cemetery, Louisburg, NC.  Photo Source: http://www.findagrave.com/ (Memorial# 41496203)

Saturday Night (well, Sunday morning) Genealogy Fun

Randy over at Genea-Musings has his Saturday night challenge up. Here are the instructions:
How old is your father now, or how old would he be if he had lived? Divide this number by 4 and round the number off to a whole number. This is your "roulette number."
Use your pedigree charts or your family tree genealogy software program to find the person with that number in your ahnentafel. Who is that person?
Tell us three facts about that person with the "roulette number."
Write about it in a blog post on your own blog, in a Facebook note or comment, or as a comment on this blog post.
If you do not have a person's name for your "roulette number" then spin the wheel again - pick your mother, or yourself, a favorite aunt or cousin, or even your children!

Here's mine:
My father was born in 1924, and would have been 85 if he were still living. Therefore, my roulette number is 21, and that lands on my great-great grandmother, Anna Green, who has been the subject of many a post on my blog! Here though, are three facts about Anna:

1. Family lore says that Anna was originally a Perkins, who ran away "because the white man wouldn't leave her alone" and ended up in Franklin County. It is unknown as to how or why she took the name, "Green".
2. Anna became involved with Nathaniel Hawkins, a slave trader. He provided her a house and fathered her six children before he died in 1879.
3. Anna was put out of the house and off of the Hawkins property after Nathaniel's death. I have not been able to locate Anna in the census after 1880, and I am unsure of when or where she died.

Another NATHANIEL siting! :)

Today I received further confirmation of Nathaniel Hawkins being my great-great grandfather. I think I have enough evidence now that I don't need to second-guess it anymore as to whether or not I have the correct name. I've received in the mail the death certificate of my great-aunt, Annie B. Green, and there on her death certificate is the given name of her father, NATHANIEL HAWKINS. So, there you have it. I now have two sources from two different locations for two different people, both of which name NATHANIEL HAWKINS as the father of Anna's children. (The first was the marriage bond for their oldest son, John W. Green, in Franklin County, NC).

Annie was the second daughter of Nathaniel Hawkins and Anna Green (although the informant on the death certificate gave the name as, Annie B. - the same as the deceased). She died in 1952 in Jacksonville, FL, where she had been living with her daughter, Jessie Patterson, and her husband, who I believe may have been a doctor. It was Jessie who served as informant on the death certificate. I've heard a few stories about Annie, all of which had one common theme -- She was MEAN! Also, according to my dear cousin, Florine, Annie looked white, and so did most of her children. I also know that several of her children did "pass" and disconnected themselves from the family back in Louisburg.

As thrilled as I am to have received this death certificate, it also raises a few questions. Annie is listed as a widow, yet I don't know of her being married, and even though it says this, there is no married name given. Also, the date of death is listed as 3-23-1952, but then the doctor says he last saw her at 3 a.m. on 3/24, so I'm not sure which is the actual date of death (although I think it's probably 3-24). The other thing is that Jessie gives her mother's date of birth as 12-20-1875, but everything I have has her born in 1871. She was 9 at the time of the 1880 Census, so I'm thinking that she was a bit older than Jessie thought she was, but I'll need to follow up on that.

Anyway, I'm more sure than ever now about Nathaniel Hawkins being my ancestor. He's still hiding from me, but I won't give up on finding out more about him, no matter how long it takes!