William Hawkins | |
|---|---|
 | |
| 17th Governor of North Carolina | |
| In office December 11, 1811 – November 29, 1814 | |
| Preceded by | Benjamin Smith |
| Succeeded by | William Miller |
| Member of theNorth Carolina House of Commons | |
| In office 1804–1811 | |
| Personal details | |
| Born | (1777-10-10)October 10, 1777 Pleasant Hill (present-dayVance County, North Carolina) |
| Died | May 17, 1819(1819-05-17) (aged 41) |
| Nationality | American |
| Party | Democratic-Republican |
| Spouse | Anne Swepson Boyd (m.1803) |
| Children | 6 |
| Profession | Lawyer |
William Hawkins (October 10, 1777 – May 17, 1819) was the 17thgovernor of North Carolina from 1811 to 1814.[1]
William Hawkins was born at his family plantation, calledPleasant Hill, in what is todayVance County, North Carolina; he was one of twelve children born by his mother Lucy Davis Hawkins. His father, Philemon Hawkins III, was a planter and member of theNorth Carolina General Assembly. As a young man, Hawkins studied law in North Carolina underJudge John Williams and atPrinceton University.[2]
Hawkins worked for two years in Georgia with the Creek people as anIndian agent under his uncle,Benjamin Hawkins, U.S. Supervisor of Southeast Indian tribes. After that, he returned to North Carolina to practice law. In 1801, he was assigned by Gov.James Turner to settle a dispute and arrange a settlement with thoseTuscarora Indians remaining inBertie County, North Carolina. (The great majority of the tribe had migrated to New York state by 1722, where they settled with theOneida people of theIroquois Confederacy.)
In 1804, Hawkins was elected to theNorth Carolina House of Commons fromWarren County and served a single term. In 1809, he was elected as a representative fromGranville County; he served until 1811. From 1810 to 1811, he wasSpeaker of the House.
In December 1811, Hawkins was elected asGovernor of North Carolina by the General Assembly. He served the constitutional limit of three terms, which coincided with the duration of theWar of 1812 through 1814. During the war, he supported the military efforts of the federal government and assisted in raising a volunteer militia of 7,000 troops.
Hawkins retired from politics after the end of his term as governor, except for one term in the House of Commons in 1817. He died in 1819 and is buried inSparta, Georgia.
Hawkins in 1803 married Anne Swepson Boyd ofMecklenburg County, Virginia. They had six children together.
| Political offices | ||
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| Preceded by | Governor of North Carolina 1811–1814 | Succeeded by |
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| National | |
