Plentywood herald. [volume] (Plentywood, Mont.) 1908-current, 1931-11-26
HAWKINS IS
STATE PIONEER
WAS WOUNDED BY ROWING BAND
OF INDIANS; MANY INTER-
ESTING EXPERIENCES

James B. "Jack" Hawkins, a Mon
tana pioneer, was born at Utica,
N. Y, July 10, 1848, the son Of Mar
tin and Henriette Hawkins. When a
young man his family moved TO Kane
county, Illinois. At Utica he attended
school and "just went In the winter
in Illinois. Reaching his majority.
young Hawkins went to Texas, where
from 1871 to 1874 he wa a cowboy
on the Dick johnson ranch, located
on the Perdenales at the mouth OF
Williamson creek. May Is, 1874, he
was sworn in as a charter member OF
company d, Frontier battalion, Texas
Rangers, at Blanco City. He was hon
orably discharged Nov. 2, 1876.
Coming north over the old Chisholm
trail. Mr.. Hawkins camped on the
Keogh flat in eastern Montana terri
tory July 4, 1875. He came directly from
Menardville, Texas, by way Of the
Black hills. His first employment was
with Tom Burns, who conducted q res
taurant in the cantonment and who
grubstaked him and three others to cut
hay on the flat above Keogh. The quar-
tet cut 125 tons on the site now occu-
pied by the Garberson fish cultural
pond.
Mr.. Hawkins, now living at Dillon
with q son,'was married TO Miss Mamie
Watson In october, 1887. Three chill
dren are living, Maize E. MRS. l.. W.
Orr), William w. and Mamie S. MRS
X. N. King.
He is a member Of the Knights OF
Pythias and a Mason. He affiliates with
the Presbyterian church and his poht-
ical preference is the old Bull Moose
(Roosevelt) party.
Mr.. Hawkins was elected sheriff OF
Custer county in January, 1893, and
continued for four years. He was In
charge of the Montana state industrial
school from 1902 to 1907, following
which he continued In various capac-
tiles for nine years. During his earlier
residence at Miles City he was also
constable.
Previous TO his election as sheriff.
Mr.. Hawkins, from 1886 to 1889, was
deputy sheriff and jailer under Tom
Irvine. In 1889 he went TO Cook City,
Park county, remaining until 1893.
From 1879 to 1882 Mr.. Hawkins hunt
ed buffalo. 1t was in March, 1880, that
he was wounded, being shot In the leg
In a brush with a rowing party Of In
dams. Gen. Hunter Liggett, then Just
graduated from an eastern military
school, was a member OF the party.
Liggett, who gained fame in the World
war, was receiving his first experience
In a military way from contacts at Fort
iKeogh, then under command Of Gen
Nelson A. Miles. Mr.. Hawkins rode Cap
tain Ewer's horse and va with Lieu
tenant Miller in the fight. Captain
! Baldwin came up and overlook the
party and subsequently accompanied
Hawkins, in his wounded condition, 10
the Simpson ranch in the Yellowstone
valley, where a telegraph station was
located and q communication was sent
to General Miles at Fort Keogh-
| Up to the time OF his moving TO Du-
Ion. where he is living with his son,
William, he was identified in a minor
capacity with the city hall at Miles
City. Mrs. Hawkins is living.
1t was during the early nineties,
when Coxey's army was marching to
Washington, that Mr.. Hawkins exper-
ltIlCtU OilC Va Vic iHOot otiIAiuoOo bAi.S
Of his official career. The group OF
Coxey sympathizers passing through
Butte was scheduled to stop at Miles
! City. 1t was Mr.. Hawkins duty to pre-
vent any pause in the itinerary, which,
after considerable persuasion and some
show of a deputized force, he succeed
ed in doing.
Soon after his arrival in Montana,
Mr.. Hawkins unwittingly gave a name
to a creek that empties into the Yell
lowstone river near where the town OF
Hathaway is located. He came into
Fort Keogh after cutting hay west OF
that military center. His hay cutting
operations were conducted within sight
Of a hundred or more Indian graves,
hung up in trees that grew in the creek
bottom. AS the graves gave evidence
Of having been in existence for many
years, the theory was advanced at the
time that the Indians then camped in
the valley we're victims Of a ravaging
disease and were buried there in &C.
cordance with Indian custom. Asked by
a friend at the fort whence he had
come that day, Mr.. Hawkins replied:
"Oh, from over the graveyard"