Lavenia Ora Hawkins

Lavinia Downs Hawkins- Wife of U.S. Senator, Benjamin Hawkins, Revolutionary Soldier

MEMORIAL ID 48034373

https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/48034373/lavinia-hawkins

Notes; said by some to be of Ocmulgee Creek descent (though there is evidence she claimed she was white)

There is evidence in the Moravian Diaries that Lavinia indicated she was white (See her father's record). Suspicion that she was Creek has been voiced since shortly after her death, including comments such as "there is no truth to the rumor that she was an Indian."

However: " ... confirmation that Lavina Downs was Creek came from the Chehaws who showed Janice [Woods Windle] that the marriage of Hawkins and Downs is recorded in the official Marriages of the Muskogee." Lavinia Downs is thought by many family members to be of the Ocmulgee Creek Nation, and they insist she was first the wife of Chief Long Side of Tuckabatchie (Tookautchee). He was killed in a raid, and she was widowed with a young son, Silas.

Her son Silas is said to have been born in 1792 which conflicts with Lavinia's reported birthdate of 10 May 1781. The birthdate of her presumed son Silas Downs, however, would have come at age 10 or 11, if both birthdates are reported correctly.

If Lavinia was Creek, that fact was kept secret throughout the part of the family that remained in Water Valley, Mississippi after 1850. The part of the family that moved to San Marcos kept alive this secret. Her suspected Creek heritage is commemorated by the book "True Women" by Janice Woods Windle, which has been made into a mini-series (and slightly fictionalized by screen-writers). (Freeman)

http://freepages.rootsweb.com/~markfreeman/genealogy/hawkinva.html?...

Col. Benjamin10 Hawkins (Philemon9, Philemon8, <Unknown>7, <Unknown>6, John Sidney5, Richard4, John3, William2, John1) was born 15 Aug 1754 in Bute Co. (now Vance Co.), NC, and died 06 Jun 1816 in Creek Agency near Roberta, Crawford, GA. He married Lavinia Downs 09 Jan 1812 in Ft. Hawkins, Jones, GA, daughter of Isaac Downs and <Unknown>. She was born 10 May 1781 in MD, and died 22 Mar 1828 in Crawford Co., GA.

Notes for Col. Benjamin Hawkins:

Indian Agent for all Tribes south of the Ohio River. Senator from North Carolina. Well published, well-traveled, and many encyclopedia articles. Married when he thought he was on his deathbed, in order to make his children "legitimate." Then he survived for a couple of more years, and had another daughter.

The wife of a William McIntosh was Eliza Grierson (b c 1799, of Carroll Co., GA) who was said to have been raised by the family of Benjamin Hawkins. Several references exist in family histories of the "half-breed children of Benjamin Hawkins," with names other than those recorded in his will.

From: Biographical Directory of the United States Congress 1999: http://bioguide.congress.gov

a Delegate and a Senator from North Carolina; born in what was then [once] Granville, later Bute, and now Warren County, N.C., August 15, 1754; attended the county schools; student at the College of New Jersey (now Princeton University) when the Revolutionary War began; acquired a knowledge of French, and, at the request of General George Washington, left school and was appointed to the General’s staff as his interpreter; member, State house of commons 1778-1779, 1784; chosen by the North Carolina legislature in 1780 to procure arms and munitions of war to defend the State; Member of the Continental Congress 1781-1783 and 1787; appointed by Congress to negotiate treaties with the Creek and Cherokee Indians in 1785; delegate to the State constitutional convention which ratified the Federal Constitution in November 1789; elected to the United States Senate and served from November 27, 1789, to March 3, 1795; appointed Indian agent for all the tribes south of the Ohio River by President Washington in 1796 and held the office until his death in Crawford County, Ga., on June 6, 1818; interment on a plantation near Roberta, Crawford County, overlooking the Flint River.

Benjamin Hawkins' will dated Jan. 9, 1812, and probated Sept. 2, 1816 names his wife Lavinia Downs and a son Madison, daughters Georgia, Muskogee, Cherokee, Carolina, Virginia and a nephew William Hawkins of N. C. as beneficiaries. The will was witnessed by: Christian Lumbough, Thomas M. Ellis, and John Jameson.

Will of Benjamin Hawkins

"By this my last will and testament, I give all my lands and Negroes and property of every description to my wife, Lavinia Hawkins and our daughters, Georgia, Muscogee, Cherokee, Carolina and Virginia, and our son Madison, and William Hawkins, my nephew of North Carolina to be divided in eight equal parts to their heirs forever. If my wife finds or chooses to stay here, she can do so with the property, or if she should move into Georgia or any State to settle, she has full power to do so, to purchase a settlement for her convenience and accommodation for her children as her judgment may direct. I appoint my wife Lavinia Hawkins executrix and my nephew William Hawkins Executor of this my last will and testament given under my hand at the Creek Agency {Spring} this ninth day of January, one thousand eight hundred and twelve.

Witnesses:

Christian Limbough

Thomas M. Ellis

John Jameson

                                                           Signed:  Benjamin Hawkins

Georgia, Jones County, Personally appeared in open court John Jameson one of the witnesses to the within will, who being duly sworn saith that he saw the testator, Benjamin Hawkins sign the same and saw the other witnesses, Christian Lumbough, Thomas M. Ellis signed in the presence of each other and the testator was in sound mind and memory. Sworn in open court September 2, 1816.
Test. A. Clark John Jameson

This will is recorded in Will Book B, page 1 in the Courthouse in Gray, Jones County, Georgia.

Memo: 4 generations

More About Col. Benjamin Hawkins:

Burial: Creek Agency, GA

Notes for Lavinia Downs:

Was she ... or wasn't she ...? The Queen of Tuckabatchie?

There is evidence in the Moravian Diaries that Lavinia indicated she was white (See her father's record). Suspicion that she was Creek has been voiced since shortly after her death, including comments such as "there is no truth to the rumor that she was an Indian." However: " ... confirmation that Lavina Downs was Creek came from the Chehaws who showed Janice [Woods Windle] that the marriage of Hawkins and Downs is recorded in the official Marriages of the Muskogee."

https://sites.rootsweb.com/~gajones/hawkins.htm

Lavinia Downs is thought by many family members to be of the Ocmulgee Creek Nation, and they insist she was first the wife of Chief Long Side of Tuckabatchie (Tookautchee). He was killed in a raid, and she was widowed with a young son, Silas. Her son Silas is said to have been born in 1792 which conflicts with Lavinia's reported birthdate of 10 May 1781. The birthdate of her presumed son Silas Downs, however, would have come at age 10 or 11, if both birthdates are reported correctly.

Lavinia lived at the Creek agency (in Crawford Co., GA) with her husband, Col. Benjamin Hawkins until his death. At her death, over a decade later, she was still living in Crawford County. One of her daughters was buried in Roberta, the county seat, and records from a lawsuit / complaint indicate that this daughter, Jeffersonia, lived with Lavinia. Lavinia was buried at Ft. Hawkins, and her grave is not (obviously) marked. Her obituary was carried in the Milledgeville paper, as that town was (then) a major center and the one-time state capital.

Page 60 of the Crawford County Guardian Bonds Book "A" states that Richard W. Ellis was appointed adminsitrator of her estate on March 3, 1834. Hiram Troutman and Bryan Bateman acted as security and a bond of $500 was posted. The minimal bond indicates that Pound was correct in stating that she lost most of her inheritance from Benjamin. Hiram Troutman was the father of Joanna Troutman who sewed the famous flag carried into the Texas Revolution by the Georgia volunteers.

If Lavinia was Creek, that fact was kept secret throughout the part of the family that remained in Water Valley, Mississippi after 1850. The part of the family that moved to San Marcos kept alive this secret. Her suspected Creek heritage is commemorated by the book "True Women" by Janice Woods Windle, which has been made into a mini-series (and slightly fictionalized by screen-writers).

More About Lavinia Downs:

Burial: Ft. Hawkins, Jones, GA

Children of Benjamin Hawkins and Lavinia Downs are:

       45               i.    Georgiana11 Hawkins, born 04 May 1799 in GA; died 12 Feb 1818 in Jones Co., GA.

Notes for Georgiana Hawkins:

Died at the residence of her mother, Mrs. Lavinia Hawkins, as reported 31 Mar 1818 in the Georgia Journal.

+ 46 ii. Muscogee Hawkins, born 30 Jan 1802 in GA.

+ 47 iii. Cherokee Hawkins, born 16 Mar 1805 in GA; died 26 Feb 1849 in Water Valley, Yalobusha, MS.

       48             iv.    Mary Caroline Hawkins, born 10 Jun 1807 in GA; died 12 Apr 1817.

Notes for Mary Caroline Hawkins:

The April 22, 1817, issue of the the Georgia Journals in the NGS Library indicates "Departed this life on Saturday the 12th instant, Miss CAROLINE HAWKINS, daughter of Col. Benjamin Hawkins, late Creek Agent--aged nine years."

+ 49 v. James Madison Hawkins, born 1809 in GA; died Aft. 18 Mar 1850 in Yalobusha Co., MS.

+ 50 vi. Virginia Hawkins, born 06 Mar 1811 in GA; died 03 Oct 1851 in Water Valley, Yalobusha, MS.

+ 51 vii. Jeffersonia E. Hawkins, born 12 Jul 1813 in GA; died 15 Nov 1861.

Wife of U.S. Senator, Benjamin Hawkins, Revolutionary Soldier

• Reference: Find A Grave Memorial - SmartCopy: Oct 21 2019, 9:41:01 UTC