Robert C. Hawkins Biography

	This biography appears on page 566 in "History of Minnehaha 
	County, South Dakota" by Dana R. Bailey and was scanned, OCRed 
	and edited by Joy Fisher, http://www.rootsweb.com/~archreg/vols/00001.html#0000031
.

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HAWKINS, ROBERT C., was born at Plattsburg, Clinton county, New York, July 23, 
1825; removed to Illinois in 1844, and from there to Richland Centre, Wisconsin, 
a few years after, where he engaged in farming and worked at his trade of mason. 
While there, held several local official positions, was chairman of the town 
board of supervisors, town clerk, town treasurer, chairman of the county board, 
justice of the peace and sheriff of Richland county one term.  After the 
breaking out of the war in 1861 he raised the first company from Richland county 
and went out as captain of Co. H, 5th Wisconsin and served nearly two years, 
when he was discharged, owing to disabilities contracted in the service.
Soon after the close of the war he removed to Woodstock, Wis., where he engaged 
in the mercantile business; came to Sioux Falls in September, 1872, and worked 
at his trade for two or three months His last job was at Joseph Davenport's 
place, where he was compelled to remain two or three days after his work was 
done, owing to a blizzard.  He soon after started for Wisconsin, via St. Paul, 
and was a week getting to that city.  He finally arrived in Wisconsin and on the 
23d day of December married Harriet Albertson. The following spring (1873), 
returned to Sioux Falls, where he has since resided. He took up a homestead in 
Wayne, the south half of the southeast one-fourth of section 33 and the south 
half of the southwest one-fourth of section 34, which he now owns. He worked at 
his trade for about two years, in Sioux Falls; in 1874 was elected justice of 
the peace and held that office, except one term, until elected police justice 
when the city was incorporated in 1883, and held this office until April, 1894.  
He has also held the office of probate judge of Minnehaha county eight years.  
He is well known in Masonic circles, and the prosperity of this order in Sioux 
Falls is in no small measure due to his untiring zeal in its behalf.  He is 
highly respected as a neighbor and citizen.