In August, Elaine Falconer and her husband, Robert, drove from South Portland, Maine to Templeton to make a special donation of artifacts belonging to her third great grandfather, Gen. George Perkins Hawkes, to the Narragansett Historical Society.
Hawkes, whom Falconer said she always heard referred to as “the General,” was born in Templeton on March 7, 1824 to Benjamin and Mary “Polly” Ballard. George had three wives, his first, Esther, dying a year after they were married from “dropsy in the chest,” his second, Adeline, who died in childbirth, and his third, Lizzie, who outlived him. One of George and Lizzie’s children was Arthur Lee Hawkes, from whom Falconer is descended.
In the 1860 census, George Hawkes was listed in Templeton as a furniture manufacturer, eventually founding the George P. Hawkes Pine Furniture Co., which is where he was employed when the Civil War began.
In the Spring of 1861, Hawkes and several other townspeople formed a company of volunteers and enlisted in the Massachusetts Volunteer Militia, where he was elected Captain of Company A, 21st regiment Volunteers on May 3 1861, Falconer said. After receiving training in Worcester, Hawkes enlisted for three years, serving in Annapolis, Maryland, until Jan. 9, 1862, when he left to serve with Gen. Burnside’s expedition.
Hawkes kept a Civil War journal during his military service in 1862. In that year he commanded his unit in the Battle of Roanoke on Feb. 8, 1862 and participated in the battle of Newbern on March 14, writing in his journal, “Three of my men were killed, and eight wounded but I escaped injury.” On July 9 of that year, he also wrote “a salute of 21 big guns fired as President Abraham Lincoln came down the James River.” After being promoted to major, he served in the Second Battle Of Bull Run, according to Falconer.
On Sept. 3, 1862, he was captured by the Confederate Army at Chantilly and thus was not with his regiment at Antietam. He was paroled the same day but obliged to spend the next three months in parole camp at Annapolis enduring “hellish” conditions, she stated. In 1862, he was exchanged, promoted to Lieutenant Colonel, assuming command of the 21st regiment, which he joined in Fredricksburg, Maryland. He and his regiment were at the 18-day siege of Knoxville. “He took part in Wilderness, Spotsylvania, when he commanded a brigade, Cold Harbor and Petersburg. He was discharged for disabilities on June 16th, 1864.” It is unclear what the disabilities were or when he received them. “For gallant service he was made Brevet Brigadier General by President Lincoln,” Falconer continued.
Even after the war, Hawkes continued to serve his community, representing Templeton in the state legislature in 1867, and serving the town as an assessor and tax collector. He served many years as auditor of the Templeton Savings Bank, Notary Public and Justice of the Peace.
He served three years as Grand Worthy Secretary of the I.O.G.T. (Templers) of Massachusetts and head of the Massachusetts order from 1873-1875. The General also took a prominent part in formation of the Adam Hawkes Family Association, delivering one of the first major addresses at the first family reunion in Saugus in 1880. “He was serving as Commander of the local post of the Grand Army of the Republic when he died Sept. 21, 1903 at the age of 79,” Falconer said.
Falconer’s grandfather, Arthur Hamilton Hawkes, was born in Templeton and was very interested in his family history, according to Falconer. Arthur, a Civil War buff who read many books on the conflict, became particularly interested in his great grandfather, Gen. George Perkins Hawkes.
Arthur Hawkes acquired the general’s items while visiting an aunt in Templeton, where he was born. While at his aunt’s home, he found himself in the attic and noticed the General’s memorabilia. He asked the aunt if he could have them. The aunt said he could have what he wanted and he brought the items home with him.
“He used to have them displayed occasionally on a white tablecloth on his dining room table and invite friends over and tell them the history of the greatgrandfather he was so proud of, Falconer continued. “I am not a family genealogist, but just took an interest in our family history from what I had learned in the past from my grandfather, Arthur H. Hawkes,” she continued.
Falconer acquired the Civil War items upon her mother’s death (Sharon Lee (Hawkes) Quincannon) in February of 2022, who had inherited them from her father. “She was very proud of her family history as well. I am trying to honor their pride in family,” Falconer said.
“It was her intention that they not be sold, but donated to the historical society in the town from which he was born and died,” Falconer stated. “I had seen these artifacts from a very early age and it always bothered me that they were not someplace where they could be preserved and seen by many,” she continued.
“Although I am very proud to have the General as my ancestor, I am so happy that his items are now back ‘home.’ It was of great importance to me that they were given to the society in a timely manner,” Falconer said.
“Donations of this sort are most important to the continued growth of the Historical Society Collection. The knowledge we gain is shared with so many visitors,” said Brian Tanguay, president and curator of the Narragansett Historical Society.
“I know my mother and grandfather would be well pleased,” she said. “I actually miss the items a bit, but I know they are where they are meant to be and they are in very good hands — that I do not doubt!” Falconer continued.
Included in the donated collection are Gen. Hawkes’ 1862 diary, letters written from George to his third wife, Lizzie, during the Civil War, a Savage firearm owned by Gen. Hawkes, and a signed picture of Abraham Lincoln received by Gen. Hawkes. “The signature is barely visible, but you can see some of it,” Faulkner said.
The society has digitized the photos in the new Gen. Hawkes collection and will be going through the remainder of the collection in the future. The society currently holds Gen. Hawkes’ saddle and bunk bed in its Civil War collection, which includes items from many men who served from Templeton. “Several of Gen. Hawkes’ items have been on display for years,” according to Tanguay. “Others will be set up in the Grange Hall once it is completed.”
It is hoped Grange Hall will be opened to the public sometime in 2023 or 2024.
Carla Charter is a freelance writer from Phillipston. Contact her at cjfreelancewriter@earthlink.net.