James Hawkins 1764-After 1830 (1101000)

The Licking River in Kentucky,
near which James Hawkins raised his family.

James Hawkins was born 14 Feb 1764. His birth date comes from parish records in Harford, Maryland, where he was registered as a son of Gregory Farmer and Elizabeth Hawkins, the third of nine children. He moved with his family from Maryland to Kentucky by about 1800.

James appears in Montgomery County, Kentucky with his father Gregory Farmer Hawkins in the 1800 Census, and tax records from 1801 through 1810:

1801 James next to "Grigory" on Flat Creek, no property

1802 James near Gregory on Flat Creek, no property

1803 James next to Gregory, no property

1805 James near Gregory, no property

1806 James next to G. Farmer, 120 ac Flat Creek

1807 James near F. Gregory, 120 ac Flat Creek

1808 James not near F. Gregory, 2-- ac F. Creek

1809 James has two sons with him, 126 ac Flat Creek

1810 James next to Gregory, one son home, 120 ac Flat Creek

These Montgomery County tax records begin in 1797, but the Hawkins do not appear until 1801, the year after they first appear in the census records. It is not known if they lived in another county before moving to Montgomery County, or if they arrived there directly from Maryland. More research needs to be done.

It is not yet known who James married, but he must have been married before 1787, when his first known child was born. In the 1810 Census, James is found in Montgomery County KY with 1 m over 45, one female 10-15, one female 26-44. This is probably James, his wife and an unidentified daughter.

In 1811, the part of Montgomery County KY in which they lived became part of Bath County.

James appears in a road order in 1818:

Bath Co., KY Court Order Books; Vol. A (Cont)

1818 (Cont.)

Aug court, 1818

pp 327 - ordered that Robert Alexander, Charles Taylor, John Robertson & James Hawkins or any three of them view nearest & best way for road from John Robertson's on the Nicholas Co. line thence through said Roberton's line & through the lines of John Burton thence to little flat creek thence down the creek to the lower end of the widow Nesbits field thence to intersect the bluelick road at the mouth of Robert Alexanders land

[Pasted from <http://webspace.webring.com/people/jg/gallagher45_2000/Court.htm>]

Licking River watershed in Kentucky

Note that the road was being built near their home on Flat Creek, which is a tributary of the Licking River. There are three branches called Flat Creek. The first feeds into the east side of the Licking River, which would put it in Rowan County, Kentucky. The second feeds into the west side, and is the likely location of James’ home. The third--Little Flat Creek--is located about two  miles north of where they lived. All three branches feed into the Licking River, which flows along the east border of Bath County, Kentucky (then part of Montgomery). The mouth of Flat Creek is found about twenty miles north, and slightly west of Cave Run Lake, where James’ son John Hawkins purchased land in 1829. 

James can be found in Bath County KY for the 1820 Census, 1 male over 45 and one female over 45. 

In 1830, he was still in Bath County with 1 m under 5, 2 m 5-9, 1 m 60-69, 1 f under 5, 1 f 30-39. These young children suggest that his first wife may have died, and he remarried a younger woman, or he took in a widowed daughter and her children. More research needs to be done to determine these circumstances.

The death date (1835) comes again from Family Search, so the source still needs to be discovered. It may mean that he last appeared in the 1835 tax list, or that he showed up in a deed at that date, and is not seen in later records. These records have yet to be searched to verify this information. I know that he disappears after the 1830 Census.

Research into James Hawkins' deeds may yield much information. These may identify his wife's first name. It may also identify other family members, including in-laws, which may lead to discovery of his wife's parents. Probate records for Bath County, Kentucky have also yet to be searched.