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Note: PETER HAWKINS was born either in 1815 or 1818 in Greene, Co. or Lincoln Co., KY. I have a copy of the Marriage Certificate of Peter Hawkins and (Mary) Jane Ragsdale stating that the Marriage License was issued on Dec 16, 1834 and that the following Certificate was filed on Dec 18, 1834 in the office of Robert Mitchell, Bedford, Lawrence Co., IN (Book A-523). I have a copy of a Land Record (Certificate #19440) for Peter Hawkins, dated May 10, 1848, for the sale of 80 acres.
From the 1840 Federal Census of Lawrence Co., IN: ABRAHAM HAWKINS, 1 boy 10-15, 1 15-20, 2 20-30, and himself 60-70; 1 girl 0-5, 2 5-10, 1 10-15, 1 20-30. Next door is... PETER HAWKINS, 2 boys 0-5, and himself 20-30; 2 girls 0-5, and wife 20-30.
The 1850 Census states Peter's age as 32, born in KY, which would make his date of birth in 1818. Also listed on the Census is Polly J., age 31, female, born in KY. Sally, age 13, female, born in IN. Henry, age 12?, male, born in IN. John, age 10, male, born in Illinois. Elizabeth A., age 8, female, born in IN. Sabra, age 7, male, born in IN. Abraham, age 5, male, born in IN. William, age 4, male, born in IN. James, age 3, male, born in IN. Lydia, age 84, female, born in MD. The 1860 Census of Lawrence County states Peter's age as 45, which would make his date of birth to be around 1815...this is why I chose to use his birth as 1815-1818. Peter lived in Pleasant Run township, Lawrence Co., IN. His occupation was a farmer. (Suzanne Hawkins Burke). Peter Hawkins was in the same regiment as his brother William and his cousin, David and Joseph. They enlisted at Heltonville on Aug 15, 1862. Peter was 47, stood 5'9", dark complexion, dark eyes and dark hair. He was a farmer. (Source: Genforum 312 and the Hawkins Booklet). Peter Hawkins served in the Civil War, 93rd Indiana Infantry, Company F, on the Vicksburg Campaign. Rank Induction: Private, Rank Discharge: Private, Box #000540, Extraction #0032, Record #00001418. (Civil War Muster Rolls, Ancestry.com) He spent January-March of 1863 at the General Hospital in LaGrange, TN. Became sick again on April 10, 1863. Peter died of a disease on May 7th, 1863 at the US Army Hospital in Duckport, LA, at the age of 50, during the seige of Vicksburg in the Civil War.
From the letter of Dan J. Todd:
Hello Mike,
Darn, aren't we up late tonight. Thanks, everything came through okay. I have the 1850 images on CD, but didn't have the 1840 or 1920 census images. I do have transcriptions of the Lawrence County census from 1820 thru 1880 from the local historical society. I'll need to study the document, but I can tell you that Peter isn't buried at Hawkins Cemetery.
I recall reading somewhere that it was speculated that Peter joined Co. F, 93rd Indiana Infantry in order to collect the last of the bounties being offered to enlistees. A short time later the draft was instituted and the bounties were over. Of course a draftee could legally hire a replacement to serve in their stead. Given that Peter was a poor farmer, I don't think that the family would have been able to afford the expense of having his body embalmed and shipped back to Indiana for burial.
Embalming, as we know it, was a new process back during the civil war, and embalmers would literally fight over the body of a dead officer, embalm the body and then contact the family to arrange a price for the return of the body. It was generally believed that only the families of officers would be able to afford the scam. Enlisted soldiers, such as our Peter, were typically buried near where they died. In Peter's case he would have been buried outside the hospital grounds with others that suffered his fate. After Congress established the Vicksburg National Cemetery in late 1865, the union dead from that area were dug up and re-interred in the new cemetery. This honor was not afforded the confederate dead, as they remained where their comrades had buried them.
The dedication marker at Hawkins Cemetery with Peter's name on it is just that - a dedication of the cemetery to his memory. There is no other marker or headstone identifying a grave there for him. A couple of other Hawkins that served in Co. F with Peter are buried at Hawkins Cemetery with military markers, but they survived the conflict to return home. Peter's son, James K. Polk Hawkins (my ancestor), joined Co. F as a replacement private on 24 December 1863 at age 17. He served the remainder of the war and mustered out on 10 November 1865.
Cordially,
Dan J. Todd 34 Railroad St. Heltonville, IN 47436 Tel: (812)834-6782
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