| Notes |
- "He occupied his grandfather's house, build before his grandfather came to Moriches."
Died at home
ohn's obituary is in:
The County Review
Riverhead, New York
November 6, 1914, Page 12
John Hawkins
Moriches-John Hawkins, a highly respected and life-long resident of Moriches, after a long and painful illness died at his home near Forge River last Thursday morning aged nearly eighty-nine years.
Funeral services were held from the Methodist Episvopal Church at 2 p. m. on Saturday under the direction of Rev. Arthur J. Pennell, pastor, who in his remarks paid a glowing tribute to the noble christian life and character of the deceased. A very large congregation assembled to pay the last token of respect and affection to their departed friend and neighbor. Interment was in Mt. Pleasant Cemetery.
John Hawkins was the son of Jonathan Hawkins, of Moriches, and Eliza Soden, of Virginia, a sister of Rev. Mr. Soden, the first Methodist Episcopal minister or pastor in Moriches. It is related that Miss Soden traveled the entire distance from Virginia to her brother's home in Moriches on a pony.
They had a family of three sons and two daughters, all of whom settled in the Moriches. John Hawkins, one of the sons was the last surviving member of the family. He inherited the rugged frame and sturdy worth of his father and the gentle sunshiny character of his Virginia mother and displayed their characteristics throughout his long and earnest life. He was from his ealy boyhood deeply religious and untied, when the time came for a choice, with the M. E. Church, of which he was for the rest of his life a quiet, faithful, but very spiritual member. He was in turn a Sabbath school teacher, a class leader and a steward; ever ready to respond to the extent of his ability to the needs of the church. He was always an interested Bible student and enjoyed the reading and study of the Word of God. For some years he was superintendent of the Union Sunday school held in the local school house previous to the erection of the present M. P. Church, and he is loved and remembered by many of his pupils of twenty years ago.
By occupation Mr. Hawkins was an extensive farmer and "grandfather's" farm on Hawkins Creek was the subject of a delightful little volume written by his son-in-law, Stephen Mershon, himself a nephew of the great preacher, T. DeWitt Talmage.
Mr. Hawkins, although a great sufferer for a long time, exhibited a wonderful patience and a sublime courage. Mr. Hawkins was twice married, his first wife being Miss Hannah Bishop. Three children were born to them, John F., J. Ezra and a daughter Mrs. Stephen Mershon, of Montclair, N. J. His second wife, who was Sarah Chichester, survives him.
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1827 - 1914 (87 years)