The Jeffersonian. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1907-1917, 1913-07-03
Plea For Monument For Grave of
Colonel Benjamin Hawkins

OLA JSd10 Ill tL1S WOIlu . 1SuSSC 1SS-
islative forum, this scholar in poll
tics, while still at the height of fame,
accepted from President Washing
ton an unsolicited appointment as
resident agent among the Creek In
dams. Despite the earnest protests
of his large and influential family
connection, Col. Hawkins felt con-
strained from motives of patriotism
to obey what he considered a call of
duty, especially at a time when the
Nations peace was graveIy i'm
periled, and for sixteen years-until
summoned to his final recompense-
he buried himself among savage
tribes in the deep heart of the Geor-
gia wilderness. Two separate locali-
ties in this State are fragrant with
the associations of this great man.
The first of these is Fort Hawkins,
on the heights overlooking the Oc-
mulgee river, opposite the present
city of Macon. But the period of his
residence at this place was COMPARE
lively short, and he next located at
the old Indian Agency on the Flint,
where his permanent Headquarters
were established. Included in the
latter reservation, which belonged to
the Federal government until 1926,
there were ten thousand acres Of
land, divided into two nearly equal
parts by the Flint river. The official
residence of Col Hawkins was on
the east side of the stream. Here
important conferences were held
with the Indians, treaties negotiated
and signed, and various matters of
business transacted. It was also in
the nature of an educational farm,
where he instructed the Indians in
the agricultural art
Subsequent to the treaty of In
dian Springs, in 1925, where the
Creeks finally coded to the State
lands which still remained to them
in Georgia, the old Indian Agency
government and a part east of the
Flint added to Crawford county; and
afterwards, in 1852, when Taylor
was elected, the section lying west
of the Flint was made a part of Tay-
lor. Thus the old Indian Agency
passed by absorption to above
named, between which it was divided
into almost equal portions. Near the
site of the old home of Col. Haw-
kins is the Flint river ferry, at which
T.
old Federal wire road, for years the
principal highway of travel between
Macon and Columbus, and still used
extensively by vehicles"
In the next paragraph Mr.. Knight
goes on to tell of my discovery of
Col. Hawkins grave.
Still further details Mr.. knight
tells Of General Washington eSti-
mate of Col. Hawkins character and
fitness for the place was such that
he made him general superintendent
of all the tribes south of the Ohio.
He tells of his large nature, being a
man of wealth, making many sacri-
fees in order to fulfil what be con-
Sidered his duty, he beng sent re-
reatedly to the Continental Congress
by his home State, North Carolina,
and being chosen the first United
States Senator from that State, serv-
ing from 1889 to 1896; of his being
detailed as one of the commission
ers plenipotentiary from the Cont
mental Congress tC open friendly re-
lations with four great southern
tribes, the Greeks, the Cherokees,
the Choctaws and the Chickasaws.
With the last three tribes the COM
missiOners succeeded in negotiating
satisfactory treaties, whereby they
laced themselves under the protec-
ton of the United States after the
new government was organized and
gave to Congress the sole power of
regulating trade with them The at