52 Ancestors - Week 12 - Popular?

Confession:  I'm finding writing something relevant to the prompts for this series to be sometimes challenging.  Reading blog posts from others is helpful.  Maybe with all the coronavirus news going on it's just a bit difficult to stay on any task. The "stay at home" or "shelter in place" orders should be making it easier, right?

This week the prompt is "popular." My first thought was just how would I know someone was popular? I never knew most of them.  Even my grandparents died long before I was born.  After reading the Needles in a Haystack blog, I started thinking about the one uncle I find intriguing because of his smile.  Meet Charles Edward Hawk and wife Amelia Idella Sterner of Letcher, Dakota.

Charlie and Mattie Hawk, Davison County, South Dakota

I love this photo of my Uncle Charlie because of his eyes. The smile is nice too, but it seems happiness radiates from his eyes. Sadly I never met him.  Anyone who smiled so easily must have been likeable, or popular. Some people just seem to radiate happiness.

Here's another photo from when they were young and either newly married or engaged. It's easy to understand the "happy" on his face. She is always reserved. I think most people were reserved in their photos back then, especially when posing for photos. They were married in September 1921.

I'm wondering about the little girl in the background. She could be a neighbor, or one of his brother John's daughters. One of those daughters, Edythe Helen Hawk, would have been six or seven years old.  She sure looks happy! John also lived in South Dakota, both in Letcher, and Wall, before settling in the southwest corner of Minnesota. Sadly, Charlie and Mattie had no children of their own.

For some reason, I tend to link his smiles with a sense of place, in this case South Dakota. Does "place" make a difference? Books have been written about this. Charlie had been in the first World War. He had lost his brother who was shot in France during that war. And yet his coutenance in the few photos I've been able to gather always show someone comfortable with his lot in life.

I should probably explain that family photos were in several trunks lost in a fire when I was growing up on the home place in Texas.  I did love looking at those pictures as a little girl, and sure wish I had them now!

A lot of stories I remember from childhood were about the depression, the dust bowl, the many deaths, tuberculosis, cancer. Not so much happy. This doesn't mean they didn't laugh, just that the family stories from the past I heard were mostly about sad times. Or maybe that's just what I remember. Possibly that's why I'm so intrigrued with this man's smiles. I think I would have liked this uncle.

Oh Those Hawks! 52 Ancestors - Week 6

John Hawk vs. Johnny Green Hawk and their sons:

George Washington Hawk vs. George Washington Hawk

Duplication of names is one thing, but this then leads to misattribution of families. This particular group I found quite upsetting for awhile.  I could understand people taking my John Hawk genealogy and using it. After all, I listed my tree online around 1996 for that very reason.  At that point I had been working on it for about 15 years and had even visited the home counties in West Virginia, Indiana, and Illinois.  But more recently I started finding genealogical information for my John Hawk on records for a Johnny Green Hawk.  I hadn't run across a middle name for my John.

To make matters worse, both men had sons named George Washington, both sons born in the 1820’s, and both ended up in Missouri. I think that’s where the trouble started!  The father John G. Hawk also patented land in Missouri – more problems, but I’ve not found a Missouri record that linked to my  John Hawk of Illinois. George Washington was a popular given name in those days, as many were named after the first POTUS.  So finding many with that name wasn't upsetting.  But when researchers started giving my great grandfather George W. Hawk two wives and two sets of children in two different counties at the same time, well, this was quite upsetting. 

One day I stopped and questioned just what he (my G.W.) might have thought about all this.  I didn’t know him, but something tells me he might find it amusing that anyone thought he had two families.  It's helpful to think he might find it funny, but I can’t say I do! Then again, polygamy was an issue in those days so he might not appreciate it. He would probably be happy (and surprised) to know that he's remembered at all over 100 years after his death. I can't even imagine that.

More distressing, according to one researcher on ancestry, my great grandfather (my G.W.) even died in two different places many years apart. He first died in Missouri, and then apparently rose from the dead, and died later to be buried in Texas! That would really be something to brag about – if it had happened. I do understand how easy it is to grab that info from other trees, especially when we are new to ancestry.

Johnny Green Hawk might be more interesting study than my John Hawk, who was the farmer known in Christian County, Illinois as "the old Virginian." I found these entries from different researchers on rootsweb which helps to explain the Johnny Green Hawk and son G. W. genealogy:  

• Hello. Thanks for the reply. I just spoke to my father and he told me (actually a whole lot of information!) that Green Hawk was a Geechie (sp.?) and came somewhere from the Carolinas. He also had 21 children from 2 marriages! My relation is through Ardless Benjamin Hawk Sr. Also, A.B's mother's name was LIA VONIA. My father was not too sure about the spelling of the last name, but that is what he gave me.
•  I have a Johnny Green Hawk in my ancestry. I do not have birth or death dates or places. He had a son, George Washington Hawk, Sr. I do not know if G.W. had siblings. Geo. W. was born in 1820 in North Carolina and died bef. 1858 in Miller County, MO. He married Clarinda Boyd who was born in 1824 in Greenup County, KY. and died bef 1870 in Miller County, MO. They had children James D. Hawk, Robert Hawk, John R. Hawk, George W. Hawk, Jr. and my ancestor Mary Rahab Hawk. Mary was born Sep 6, 1844 in Miller County, MO. and died on Oct 1, 1909. Mary married John Grosvenor and their daughter Caroline was my great grandmother. Caroline married Renault C. Clark and their daughter Stella was my grandmother. Any of this sound familiar?

Well, at least that answered some questions about the mysterious Johnny Green Hawk.

 So, should we talk about the several Jacob Hawks in Missouri?  No? Okay, that can wait, although there’s a story there too!

The following is for anyone connecting with these families.

Additional Notes:

Mine:  John Hawk, born Virginia 1824.  This is my 2^nd great grandfather.  He married Margaret (Peggy) Groves in Hardy County. They left Hardy (now Grant) County, Virginia (now West Virginia) about 1838 and went to Tippecanoe County, Indiana. They lived in the southern part near the Montgomery County line.  Before 1860 they moved to Christian County, Illinois, where Peggy died in 1858.  Their oldest son was named George Washington Hawk. John then married Nancy Buskirk Kenneman, and they had one child, Dolly, born in 1861. 

The other:  John G. Hawk, aka Johnny Green Hawk:  This may be the John G. Hawk who patented land in 1860 in Barry County, Missouri.  Other than finding the rootsweb notes above I haven’t been able to find a lot about him, except he had also lived in Tennessee. 

My George Washington Hawk: Born 1824 in Hardy County, Virginia.  Moved with family to Tippecanoe County, Indiana where he married Salana Hudson, daughter of Josiah Hudson and Sarah Ann Cross of Montgomery County, Indiana.  They, George and Salana, moved to Christian County, Illinois, near his father, and later to Nodaway County, Missouri.  At various times four of  George's brothers also lived there (Peter, Solomon, Jesse and Jacob). (My G.W. to the left.)

The other: George Washington Hawk, born either Tennessee or the Carolinas, was on the 1850 census in Osage County, Missouri.  He married Clarinda Boyd in Miller County, Missouri and died before 1860.  Clarinda was living in Miller County in 1860.  I lose her after that.

So there it is for the record.  If I do find proof that my great grandfather died twice I’ll be sure to let you know. 

Surname Saturday - Joseph W. Hawk family

I see looking back where I listed the family of George Washington Hawk, my great grandfather, but not that of his son, my grandfather, Joseph Washington Hawk (b. 16 May 1858, Montgomery County, Indiana, d. 11 Oct 1935, Clemville, TX).  So here goes:*Married Martha Jane Hess, daughter of Charles and Margaret (Martin) Hess 21 Sept 1881 in Phillips County, Kansas
Children:
1. Hattie Florence, b. 25 Aug 1882, Kirwin, KS; d. 18 Feb 1967, Bay City, TX; m. Tony Showers, 17 Jan 1903 Rooks County, KS;
2. John Walter, b. 26 Aug 1885, Kirwin, KS, d. 1 Oct 1972, Lake Wilson, MN; m. (1) Lillian Brown 14 Apr 1909 Phillips County, KS, later divorced, (2) Josephine Margaret Shannon, 26 Nov 1920, in Sanborn County, South Dakota;
3. George Washington, b. 30 Oct 1887, Kirwin, KS, died in World War I on November 1, 1918.
4. Charles Edward, b. 25 Aug 1890, Kirwin, KS, d. 29 Nov 1962, Mitchell, South Dakota; m. Amelia Idella Sterner (Mattie) on 14 Sept 1921 in Kingsburg County, SD;
5. Alexander Quintas, b. 12 Feb 1893, Kirwin, KS, d. 13 Mar 1893, Kirwin, KS;
6. William Evans, born and died 13 May 1894, Kirwin, KS;
7. Salina Edythe, b. 17 Aug 1896, Kirwin, KS, d. June 1978 Texas; m. Marshall C. Alexander on 2 Mar 1916 in Matagorda County, Texas;
8. Joe Hesacar (my dad), b. 23 Nov 1899 Kirwin, KS; d. 21 Nov 1981, Palacios, Texas, m. Alma Josephine Bond Showers on September 2, 1936;
9. Rosie Clarcey, b. 30 Oct 1903, Kirwin, KS, d. 14 Jun 1949, San Antonio, TX.

Gold Star Grandmother Martha Jane Hess Hawk

This is not a group anyone wishes to join, but an admirable group has seen to it that mothers of fallen soldiers are recognized.  Gold Star Mothers Day is always the last Sunday in September.  More information is available at Gold Star Moms.
Jane Hess was born to Charles Hess and Margaret Martin in Grant County, Wisconsin in 1859.  She married Joseph Washington Hawk in Phillips County, Kansas in 1881.  Their son George Washington Hawk was born there in 1887.  In 1908 they left Kansas for south  Texas and lived in Matagorda County, Texas the rest of their lives.   Their son George was first buried in France, but was later moved to Hawley Cemetery and interred with the rest of the family, at his mother's request.  There is information on George W. Hawk, her son who was killed in France in November 1918 at this Matagorda County Sons of World War I.   

I've been searching for a photo of George W. Hawk for some time but haven't been able to find one.   Neither the Kansas nor Texas books of photographs of World War I soldiers include one, although he is listed in the Texas book.   I only have one known photo of my grandmother, included here.  If there are others out there, I'd love to see them or have copies.  

My dad's Uncle Quint's family

I only heard my dad talk about two of his uncles - his favorites - Uncle Quint and Uncle Bill.  Uncle Quint was Oliver Quintas Hawk, sometimes listed as Olliver Quintas Hawk.   Uncle Bill was William Evans Hawk, oldest son of George Washington and Salina Hudson Hawk. 

This summer I was able to visit the grave of Uncle Quint and his wife, Suda Anderson Hawk, in a tiny town in eastern New Mexico called Elida.  Elida is in Roosevelt County, southwest of Clovis.

I was curious about this part of my dad's family for several reasons. On the way to Texas, my dad's family had stopped at this uncle's house in Oklahoma on their move to Texas.  My great grandmother had remained there and is buried in Payne County, Oklahoma. But the Oklahoma family kind of disappeared from there.  I searched back in Kansas, Missouri, Illinois, Texas, even California, but wasn't able to find them until the census records became available online through Ancestry.  To my surprise, Uncle Quint and family had moved to New Mexico.  He didn't die until 1960 when he was about 87 years old.  My folks and I had traveled near there in about 1965 and I'm pretty sure my dad didn't know his Uncle Quint's family was that close. 

Uncle Quint and Aunt Suda (I'm assuming that's what she was called, although I can imagine it being Sudie) had three childlren:  Walter Hesicar, Oliver Quintas, and a daughter, Cecil M. 

Walter Hesicar (same middle name as my father, Joe Hawk) was born in 1888 in Nodaway County, Missouri.  He married Dessie McQuain in Payne County, Oklahoma.  They had one child that I know of: Homer Oliver Hawk, born in 1908.  In 1930 they were living in Payne County, OK.

Oliver Q. Hawk was born 1900 in Payne County, Oklahoma and married Beatrice Cochrain in Roosevelt County, NM on Valentine's Day in 1921.  They had two children I know of: Ollie Clint Hawk, born 1926 and  Bennie Louisa Hawk, born 1929.  He died in Smith County, Texas in 1973.

Cecil M. Hawk was born in 1903 in Oklahoma and married Steve Cochrain on the same day her brother married Beatrice Cochrain.   She and Steve Cochrain had a son, Montie Cochrain. she is buried in the Elida Cemetery, as is her husband and son.  After her husband's death, she married again and her name on the tombstone is Lea.

 
I would love to know more about my Hawk and Cochrain cousins.  As usual, I was rushing down the road and didn't take time to see if there were any of the family still left in Elida.  That just means a trip back!

An Arranged Marriage

When I was a teenager, in a time long ago, a neighbor and friend of my mother, had become widowed and then remarried quickly. Of course, the community was appalled at this scandolous behavior. I was therefore surprised when Mama defended the lady, who had complained to her of being so lonely after her husband's death. It was only much later than I learned the reason for that defense: my mother had done exactly the same thing! 

Let me explain.  Mother was first married to Leonard George Showers and they lived in 1930 in Calcasieu Parish, Louisiana according to the census. Leonard was the son of Hattie Hawk Showers, eldest daughter of Joseph W. and Martha Jane (Hess) Hawk, and was therefore also my Dad's oldest sister. The elder Showers family also emigrated to Texas from Kansas with the rest of the family by covered wagon in 1908. Mama and Leonard Showers had one child, a boy also named Leonard George, born in 1931. Below is the only photo we have of Leonard.  He is shown with his son, my brother George.

Sadly, Leonard Sr. contracted tuberculosis, and after lingering for several years, died of this disease on March 1, 1936. During his illness, they had returned to his parents' home in south Texas.  As he lay dying, according to my brother and others in the family, he asked his Uncle Joe, my father, to marry and take care of his wife and son. My parents did marry, and only six months later, on September 2, 1936. Remember, this would have been in the middle of the Great Depression.  Can you imagine being suddenly a widow with a young son to raise, and in a rural farm community with no jobs?  In spite of being an "arranged marriage" it was a long and happy one, and they always seemed very devoted to one another. They were married for just short of 44 years when my mother died in June of 1980.

In my post of January 3, 2010, I covered the family lines of my parents, Joe H. Hawk and Alma Josephine Bond. See My Parents' Families

Jumping In, Feet First

Seems like with blogging, just as in life, sometimes the best way to learn something is to just jump in and hope to learn to swim. So here I go. Actually I started out helping my husband get started on his blog after taking a class at school on Wordpress. He is loving it. See his family history blog at holtdale. My motivation for writing a family history blog is at least two-fold. One, I noticed that my mother, Alma Josephine Bond, was listed on at list six genealogies online, and only one person of those six (me) actually knew her. As with so many women in genealogy, their stories are largely untold. I'd like for people to know more about her. Two, my parents died when my children were young, eight and five years old, so Ted and Amy don't really have memories of their grandparents. They'd like to know more.

I guess there is another reason too. I grew up not knowing my Hawk relatives so genealogy has been for me a process of learning about all those people I never knew. Many folks have issues with family, but there are many losses when members decide not to have contact with each other. I've been told I look a lot like my Aunt Edith. I don't know since I've never seen a photo of her.

I grew up on the family farm in South Texas, where our house burned when I was a child. It was an old farmhouse built by my Hawk grandparents after they moved from Phillips County, Kansas (1908). My mother always said the biggest loss was all those family photos. They have been largely unrecoverable. People I've met through genealogy have shared some family photos, and my close family cousins on my Bond side have shared photos. But, I remember trunks of photos upstairs in the old farmhouse attic. As a little girl I wanted to pull those trunks out and sift through all those photos. Do I ever wish I had them now!