Matilda Jane Hawkins 1863-1933 (1101)

Licking River

Matilda Jane Hawkins was the daughter of Hansford Hawkins and Rhoda Ann Fletcher. She was born 5 January 1863 in Adair County, Missouri (we know from Census records that her parents were living in Clay Township then, post office Wilmothville). Her marriage license confirms her maiden name. Her son, James Travis Hyatt's Social Security Application as well as his death record also confirm her maiden name was Hawkins. Her birthdate is confirmed by her death certificate.

Matilda was born during her parents temporary residence in Missouri. They had moved there with extended Hawkins family, to take advantage of the lower rates for land. Within a few years of their arrival there, the coming Civil War began to cause outbreaks of violence in Missouri. It must have been a difficult time for the family. Matilda's father relocated the family back to Kentucky to be near family.

The Hawkins family moved from Clay Township, Adair, Missouri back to
Popular Plains Precinct, Fleming, Kentucky about 1863

Though the war years devastated many families, Matilda's family came through without a great deal of loss or hardship. This was probably due to the fact that the mountainous region in which they lived was spared any battles or depravations from enemy troops. Matilda appeared in the 1870 Census (Poplar Plains Precinct, Fleming County, KY) with her parents (Hansford Hawkins and Rhoda Ann Fletcher).

1870 Federal Census

Bath & Fleming Counties share
a border along the Licking River.
The Hawkins family lived on
land adjacent to this river.

Matilda was married in the family home on the 28th of August in 1879, to Jonathan Edgar Hyatt in Bath County Kentucky. The license reads, "State of Kentucky, Bath County. It is hereby certified, that under and by virtue of the within License, I did, on the 28th day of August 1879, at the house of Hansford Hawkins in said county, celebrate the rites of Matrimony between the within named J. E. Hiatt and Matilda Hawkins and that Charlie Wallingford, W. N. Hiatt were present and witnessed the celebration. Given under my hand, this 28th day of August 1879. J. H. Wallingford, Minister, C. A. Baptist Church"

Marriage License of Matilda Jane Hawkins

She appears in the 1880 Census in her in-laws home with her husband (where she is listed as daughter-in-law to the head of household).

1880 United States Federal Census

Name:	Edgar Hiatt [Edgar Hyatt]
Age:	27
Birth Year:	abt 1853
Birthplace:	Kentucky
Home in 1880:	Bethel, Bath, Kentucky
Race:	White
Gender:	Male
Relation to Head of House:	Son
Marital Status:	Married
Spouse's Name:	Matilda Hiatt
Father's Name:	William Hiatt
Father's Birthplace:	Kentucky
Mother's name:	Lavina Hiatt
Mother's Birthplace:	Kentucky
Occupation:	Laborer
Household Members:	Name Age William Hiatt 59 Lavina Hiatt 58 Richard Hiatt 22 Robert A. Hiatt 20 Jennie Hiatt 18 Edgar Hiatt 27 Matilda Hiatt 17 William W. Hiatt 31 Rosa Hiatt 26 Lavina Hiatt 8 Ella Hiatt 1 William Hiatt 5 Robert Hiatt 4 William Campbell 6

Jonathan and Matilda Hyatt had the following children:

1) Lavina Hyatt b. Feb 1881 Bath, KY

2) George William Hyatt b. 22 May 1884 Bath, KY

3) Robert Hyatt b. 13 Jul 1887 Bath, KY; m. Mary Thompson

4) Rhoda Hyatt b. Sep 1890 Bath, KY; m. John Frank Igo

5) Edgar Hansford Hyatt b. 29 Jul 1893 Bath, KY

6) Jefferson Evert Hyatt b. 16 Nov 1896 Bath, KY; d. Feb 1969 Douglas, Cochese, AZ; m. Iva M. Hyatt

7) James Travis Hyatt b. 16 Jul 1899 Bath, KY; d. 25 Jun 1969 Morgantown, Monongalia, WV; m. Letha Victoria Fortney

The 1900 Census says they had been married 22 years. They lived in Owingsville, Bath County, Kentucky.

After Jonathan Edgar Hyatt died, Matilda married again. She shows up in the 1920 Census living with Frank and Rhoda Igo (her daughter), and named Matilda Brooks. She was already widowed again.

In 1930 she is still living them (Frank and Rhoda Odo) in Cass Township, Monongalia, WV and still Matilda Brooks. Her death record (which gives her name as Matilda Hawkins Brooks) gives her birth and death dates, as well as her mother's maiden name (though her father's name is wrong).

One of Matilda's granddaughters said that her grandmother was full of superstitious beliefs about many things. The granddaughter was sympathetic about her beliefs in some things, particularly in that Matilda would often tell stories about people who had premonitions about things to come. One story she remembered in particular was of a woman who heard a sound like a load of coal being delivered to her doorstep that woke her in the night. As she came to her door to see what had happened, she heard the alarm sound at the mine where her husband worked. She knew at that moment that he had been killed in a mining accident, and he had.

James Travis Hyatt, Matilda's son, was always skeptical of his mother's stories. He would shrug them off as part of her ignorance. But on the day that Matilda died, he came to believe. He heard a knock on the door, and told his daughter to answer it. The doorway was at the end of a narrow passage that led past their front window, and they had not seen anyone pass by. The daughter went to answer the door, but no one was there. When she returned to tell him that, he got a peculiar expression on his face as if he were frightened. That night they learned that Matilda had passed away about the time of the knock on the door.

Her granddaughter also said that the spirit of her grandmother, Matilda, came to visit her shortly after Matilda's death. The granddaughter dreamt that the wall of her room moved aside like a curtain, and her grandmother came through it with two beings dressed in white. Matilda would not let her granddaughter approach her, but told her she had a message for her. She insisted that her granddaughter never lose her faith in God. When the granddaughter awoke the next day, she turned to her sister to tell her about the vivid dream that she'd experienced. As she described it, her sister looked at her with a surprised expression, and said that she had the same dream that night.

Matilda's death date comes from her death certificate which gives her death date as 21 Jun 1933 in Monongalia WV. Her death certificate also says that she is buried in Monongalia County Cemetery. I have not yet obtained a photograph of her grave marker.

Note: There is a Kentucky Death Record listed that is NOT her. Do not be fooled by it. If you look at the actual record it says that she is colored, her husband's name is Ruben Hyatt, and her father's last name is Bonner, not Hawkins. Name: Matilda (Hawkins) Hyatt  Death Date: 26 Oct 1927  Death Place: Jefferson  (KY) Age: 069   Volume: 47   Certificate: 23190.