Griffin Theobald Hawkins, St. Landry Parish, Louisiana
Submitted by Mike Miller

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Griffin Theobald Hawkins. One of the most forceful citizens of Lake
Charles, Griffin Theobald Hawkins has always used his fine legal talents in
the furtherance of what he has conceived to be for the best interests of
the city, merging the two characters of citizen and lawyer into a high
personal combination, which has been generally recognized as an example
worthy of emulation, and which has resulted in his election to the office
of district attorney of the Fifteenth Judicial District of Louisiana.

Griffin Theobald Hawkins was born at Waxia, Saint Landry Parish, Louisiana,
in February, 1896, a son of Griffin Theobald Hawkins, born June 7, 1850, a
civil engineer by profession, who was graduated from the Louisiana State
University, in 1872, with the degree of Bachelor of Science, following
which he was engaged in the practice of his profession and in operating his
plantation in Saint Landry Parish until his retirement in 1908, when he
came to Lake Charles, and here his death occurred, January 28, 1923.  He
married Miss Rosa Tessier, who was born in East Baton Rouge, Louisiana,
August 27, 1854, and who survives him and makes her home at Lake Charles.
They had seven children, of whom the Mr. Hawkins of this review was the
fifth in order of birth.

Reared on his father's plantation, Griffin Theobald Hawkins attended the
public schools of his native parish, Lake Charles High School, and the
University of Louisiana, from which he was graduated in 1917, with the
degree of Bachelor of Laws, and as a member of Kappa Sigma and Tau Kappa
Alpha, the latter a national honorary debating fraternity.  He was
president of the Louisiana University chapter of Tan Kappa Alpha, and
national vice president of this fraternity.  Upon four different occasions
he represented the university in intercollegiate debates against the
universities of Texas, Alabama and Southern Methodist University, and has
the distinction of being the only graduate of this institution to represent
it as a freshman, sophomore, junior and senior.  His eloquence and command
of English which during his collegiate days commanded such attention still
are valuable adjuncts to him in his life work.

Following his graduation Mr. Hawkins began Practicing at Lake Charles, and
his abilities soon received appropriate recognition in his appointment by
Governor Pleasant as assistant district attorney for two years, and in 1920
he was elected district attorney, his district comprising Cameron,
Calcasieu, Allen, Beauregard and Jefferson Davis parishes.  Upon the
expiration of his term of office, December 31, 1924, he will resume his
private practice.  During his occupancy of this important office he has
been fearless in his prosecution of lawbreakers, and has permitted no
outside influence to change his attitude.  In him the district has had a
most efficient and conscientious official, and one who has been able to a
vast amount of good in awakening a realization at the law must be enforced
and respected.

Mr. Hawkins has always been very active in local democratic politics, and
in 1924 was a delegate to the national convention of his party held at New
York City.  He belongs to the Louisiana Bar Association.  Very active in
the Knights of Columbus, he belongs to Calcasieu Council No. 1207 of that
order, has served it as lecturer, has been district deputy of 287 the
Fourth District, and to the Grand Council of held at Atlantic City.  Mr.
Hawkins has also served as consul commander of Woodmen of the World.

On June 10, 1918, Mr. Hawkins was married to Miss Nancie Moore, of
Columbus, Mississippi, a graduate of the Mississippi College for Women.
Since her marriage Mrs. Hawkins has been very active in the clubs of Lake
Charles, and is a lady of unusual social training, and she and Mr. Hawkins
have made their home a center for their many friends.  Two children have
been born to them, namely:  Griffin Theobald III, and  Richard Moore.

A History of Louisiana, (vol. 2), p. 287, by Henry E. Chambers.  Published
by The American Historical Society, Inc., Chicago and New York, 1925.