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Below is a family biography included in The History of Washington County, Missouri published by Goodspeed Publishing Company in 1888.  These biographies are valuable for genealogy research in discovering missing ancestors or filling in the details of a family tree. Family biographies often include far more information than can be found in a census record or obituary.  Details will vary with each biography but will often include the date and place of birth, parent names including mothers' maiden name, name of wife including maiden name, her parents' names, name of children (including spouses if married), former places of residence, occupation details, military service, church and social organization affiliations, and more.  There are often ancestry details included that cannot be found in any other type of genealogical record.

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Hon. Hyrcanus Hawkins, farmer, stock-raiser and stock-dealer, is a representative of one of the oldest families of Washington County. His grandfather, Maj. John Hawkins, was a native of North Carolina, and came to Washington County previous to the present century; he was a soldier in the Revolutionary War. Austin H. Hawkins, father of Hyrcanus, was the third son and sixth child in the family of his parents’ twelve children, and he was born and reared in Washington County, following different occupations, prominent among which was mail contracting; he was also a trader and merchant, and was one of the original stockholders in the St. Louis & Iron Mountain Railroad. He married Miss Sarah Mier, a native of Baden, Germany, and of the two children born to their union, Hyrcanus is the only one living; a daughter, Mrs. Cornelia Dickinson, is deceased. Hon. Hyrcanus Hawkins was born in Washington County, Mo., October 28, 1843. He was reared on the family homestead, and has principally devoted his attention to farming and the stock industry, owning about 1,200 acres of land in Washington County, also lands in Dent County, besides property in the towns of Potosi and Mineral Point, Washington County, and De Soto, Jefferson County. In 1873-74 he was engaged in merchandising in Mineral Point, in company with Judge F. K. Boyd. He was appointed first postmaster at Sumner in March. 1882, under Postmaster-General Howe, during the administration of President Arthur, which office he resigned in January, 1887. He was also twice elected to represent the county in the Missouri State Grange. He was elected judge of the county court, First District, in 1882, and in 1886 was elected presiding judge of the same court, a flattering testimony of the esteem of the citizens of the county, as well as of his efficiency as an official.

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This family biography is one of 138 biographies included in The History of Washington County, Missouri published in 1888.  For the complete description, click here: Washington County, Missouri History, Genealogy, and Maps

To view additional Washington County, Missouri family biographies, click here

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