Hawks, A. A. 1857 – 1938
HAWKS, GODDARD, LYON, DAVIS, SHORE
Posted By: Joy Moore (email)
Date: 3/22/2015 at 07:45:04
A. A. HAWKS.
Though a native of Maine, A. A. Hawks has spent practically his entire life in Winneshiek county, coming here when but seven years of age. He well remembers the trip from the Pine Tree state to the middle west, leaving on a Monday morning and arriving in Decorah on Saturday morning. There they hired a farmer to drive them to Burr Oak, the trip being made on a cold evening, the date being March 11, 1865, and all suffered much with the cold, especially the seven-year-old, whom the intense suffering caused to shed many a tear. There was no railroad crossing the Mississippi at that time and the women of the party were taken across the ice in a sleigh, while the men and boys crossed on foot. In the winter of 1896-7 Mr. Hawks returned to his native state, but at that time the trip was made in a comfortable railroad coach and no occasion presented itself for the shedding of tears.
Born in St. Albans, Maine, December 17, 1857, A. A. Hawks is a son of Joseph S. and Deborah W. (Goddard) Hawks, also natives of Maine. Both families were of English descent, the grandfather and great-grandfather having come from the mother country. They settled here soon after the United States government was established. Moses Hawks, the grandfather of our subject, was a millwright by trade, and the grandfather on the maternal side was a farmer. Joseph S. Hawks, the father, also followed agricultural pursuits. In the spring of 1865, A. A. Hawks with his parents came to Winneshiek county, the family locating in Hesper township. They resided on two different farms until the spring of 1883, when they located on the land which is now the property of our subject. Both parents died on this place, the father in November, 1902, at the age of eighty, and the mother in 1909, when eighty-seven years of age. Both were active and helpful members of the Friends church. They had two children: S. G., of Colorado Springs, Colorado; and A. A., of this review.
A. A. Hawks received his education in Winneshiek county, attending district school in Hesper township, and he early became acquainted with agricultural pursuits under the guidance of his father. He has practically resided all his life in that township and now owns one hundred and seventy-six acres on sections 15, 21 and 22 and also ten acres of timber land. He is a breeder of registered polled cattle and his farm is widely and favorably known as the Union Springs Stock Farm. The prosperity which he now enjoys is entirely due to his own efforts and there is no one who begrudges him the substantial position which he has attained in life.
On January 12, 1899, Mr. Hawks was united in marriage to Miss Mary F. Lyon, a native of Wisconsin, born September 5, 1867, and a daughter of A. A. and Carrie E. (Davis) Lyon, who were natives of New York and were married there. The father was of Irish descent and the mother's family originally came from England. They settled in Wisconsin in 1866 and died there, the mother passing away in 1895 at the age of sixty-four, and the father in January, 1911, when eighty years old. They had four children: Alice A., the wife of A. E. Shore, of Wisconsin; Mary F., the wife of our subject; Anna C, of Wisconsin; and Charles, deceased. Mr. and Mrs. Hawks have three children, Avis Ellen, Loren Raymond and Carol A.
In his politics Mr. Hawks is independent, giving his support to whatever candidates he considers best fitted for the office to which they aspire. He is a member of the Friends church, taking active and helpful interest in that organization. He has done his share and more than his share in promoting agricultural development in Winneshiek county and has attained individual success through his own efforts, always following the principle to do well whatever he found to do. He has been interested in the general growth of his district and county and has always led a busy and useful life, having done as much toward promoting the common interests as he has in furthering his own fortunes.
Source: History of Winneshiek County, Iowa Vol. II Chicago the S. J. Clark Publishing Company 1913
Hesper Public cemetery gravestone
Winneshiek Biographies maintained by Jeff Getchell.
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