BiographyBirth and Childhood

Adam Hawkes was born about January 1605 in Hingham, Norfolk, England as he was baptized on 26 January 1605 in Hingham, Norfolk, England.

Father: John Hawkes (c. 1575-1672)
Mother: Mary Cowper (1586-1672) Baptism date 23 December 1586 St. Giles, Cripplegate, London, City of London, England with parent John. In the Parish Register.[1] Burial 3 July 1672 Holy Trinity Minories Parish in London, City of London, Parish Register.[2]
Marriage of Parents: 27 January 1612 Hingham, Norfolk, England
Siblings
  1. John Hawkes was born about 1590 in England. He died on 30 June 1662 in Hadley, Hampshire, Massachusetts. He was one of the founders of Hadley, Massachusetts.
  2. Matthew Hawkes was born about 1610 in England. He died on 11 December 1684 in Hingham, Massachusetts. He emigrated from London on the "Diligent" of Ipswich on 10 August 1638 with his wife Margaret and a servant man named John Fearing. He married Margaret Nelson (c. 1610 in England- 18 March 1684 in Hingham, Massachusetts) in England before 1638.
Immigration

Arrived in 1630 with the Winthrop Fleet.

Marriage and Family

First he married Ann nee Browne Hutchinson (1615-1669), widow of Thomas Hutchinson in 1631 in Charlestown, Suffolk, Massachusetts. Second he married Sarah Hooper on 2 June 1670.

Children of the Hawkes-Browne Marriage

[1]

  1. John 1 (1631-1633) died as infant
  2. Susanna, twin (1633-1696) m. William Cogswell, Sr. (1619-1700) William Cogswell in 1650.
  3. John, twin (1633-1694)
m.1 Rebecca Maverick
m.2 Sarah Cushman
Child of the Hawkes-Hooper Marriage
  1. Sarah (1671-1716)
Occupation

When he lived in Charlestown, Massachusetts, before 1635, he was a husbandman and held the offices of Cow Commissioner and Surveyor.

After moving to Lynn and acquiring property, he farmed.

Later Life and Community Involvement

He and his family were the first known white settlers in the wilderness then called Lynn and now known as Saugas, Massachusetts. The log cabin that he first built was called "Close Hill". In the land distribution of 1638 he was granted 100 acres of land in Lynn, Massachusetts. This land was where iron ore was found and where the Saugus Iron Works was eventually established in 1643.[15][2] There was considerable trouble between the Iron Works and the Hawkes family because the flooding caused by the iron production ruined a lot of his land.[16}[3]Adam sued an agent for the Iron Company in June 1660 because the dam built by the iron works overflowed his land again. There is recorded testimony from both sides. The company denied keeping the water high, but neighbors and others said that the water was kept so high that even bridges between the dam and Mr. Hawkes land were broken and damaged. The court ordered damages to Adam Hawkes. This difficulty between the Iron Works and the Hawkes family continued into the time of Adam's son, John. Eventually John arranged for the destruction of the dam in 1683.

Death and Burial

Adam died on 2 June 1670 in Lynn, Massachusetts at the age of 67. He left a 47 year old widow and children. The inventory of his estate was taken on 18 March 1672 by Thomas Newhall and Jeremiah Sweyen. The final division of the property was approved by the Ipswich Court on 26 March 1672.

Famous Descendants

1) John Adams, the 2nd President of the United States of America was his 3rd great grandson.

Sources
  1. London Metropolitan Archives, St Giles Cripplegate, Composite register, 1561 - 1606/7, P69/GIS/A/002/MS06419, Item 001. For Mary Cowper Baptism.
  2. London Metropolitan Archives, Holy Trinity Minories, Composite register: baptisms 1563 - 1717, marriages 1579 - 1644 and burials 1566 - 1714,P69/TRI2/A/001/MS09238. For Mary Hawkes Burial.
  3. Parish records of St. Andrews Church in Hingham, Norfolk, England. [4]
  4. Massachusetts, Town and Vital Records, 1620-1988.
  5. New England, The Great Migration and the Great Migration Begins, 1620-1635.
  6. The New England Historical & Genealogical Register, 1847-2011.
  7. US and Canada, Passenger and Immigration Lists Index.
  8. US and International Marriage REcords, 1560-1900.
  9. US New England Marriages Prior to 1700.
  10. Smith, Ethel Farrington, M.S. for The Adam Hawkes Family Assn., Inc., Adam Hawkes of Saugus, Mass. 1605-1672: The First Six Generations in America, (The Gateway Press, Inc., Baltimore: 1980), 28. This book is out of print and only references to it and the pages are found on several websites. It may be available in genealogical libraries. It is also available in the Library of Congress, but not on-line other than excerpts.
  11. Adam Hawkes Family Association, Inc. free pages.family.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~ahfa/adam.htm
  12. Patterson, Bradley Hawkes. Adam Hawkes, 1608-1672: his life and times. Leesburg, VA: Loudoun Times, 1957, p.2.
  13. Torrey, Charles. New England Marriages Prior to 1700. Boston, MA: New England Historic and Genealogical Society, Unk.
  14. Lynn, Essex, Massachusetts Vital Records. 11:497 court records.
  15. Lewis, Alonzo. The History of Lynn, Including Nahant. Boston, MA: Samuel N. Dickinson (2nd edition), 1844, page 65.
  16. Anderson, Robert Charles, Sanborn, George F., Jr. and Sanborn, Melinda Lutz. The Great Migration: Immigrants to New England, 1634-1635. Unk: New England Historic Genealogical Society, Unk. Record II:139.
  17. Probate records of Essex County, Massachusetts. Vol. II:254-255.
  18. Jameson, Ephriam Orcutt. The Cogswells in America: 1635-1884. Boston, MA: A. Mudge and Son, 1884. p.9 Cogswell.

 

 

  1. ↑ Some sources say that there were other children named Adam, Moses, Benjamin and Thomas but they have now been disproven and thought to be grandchildren. Only 3 are proven to be those of Adam and Ann.
  2. ↑ Lewis Hist of Lynn pp 120-121
  3. ↑ Lewis Hist of Lynn p. 138
  4. ↑ Mentioned in the Smith book.

 

= SourcesNotes
Note N1487Facts about this person:
Hawkes, Adam came to New England in Winthrop's fleet, and landed in June 1639, at

Salem.

He was admitted as freeman at Charlestown 1634, and married 1st Anne ( ) Hutchinson, widow, who was admitted to the 1st church at Charlestown Nov 21, 1634. She died Dec. 4, 1669, in Lynn, and he married 2nd in June 1670, Sarah Hooper.
Before 1638 Adam Hawkes removed to Lynn, where he received one hundred acres as a grant on the banks of the Saugus River where he built his home.
He died April 13 1671-2, in Lynn, aged 64, leaving a widow, Sarah. His son, John was appointed executor of the estate. Adam Hawkes also brought up the Hutchinson children.
SOURCE: Mayflower Planters, Cape Code Series Vol. II, Five Sister Ships of the Mayflower, 1620. Pg.182
Mar. 20, 1658, Thomas Hutchinson deposed that" his father-in-law Adam Hawkes gave his son, John Hawkes, a colt and he put it to ISAAC HART to keep." Depositions were recorded by Adam Hawkes, age about 50, Elizabeth Hart, age about 35 (who deposed she had known the colt since it was a fortnight old)

 

  1. ↑ Some sources say that there were other children named Adam, Moses, Benjamin and Thomas but they have now been disproven and thought to be grandchildren. Only 3 are proven to be those of Adam and Ann.
  2. ↑ Lewis Hist of Lynn pp 120-121
  3. ↑ Lewis Hist of Lynn p. 138
  4. ↑ Mentioned in the Smith book.

 

Notes

Note H00239Family lore has Adam emigrating with the Governor Winthrop fleet in 1630, claiming that he was a passenger on the Mary & John. However, there is no proof of this and it is now a doubtful claim. He was in Lynn,Essex co., MA and well-established by 1638, when he received a good-sized land grant for having contributed mightily to the settlement (receiving 100 acres, as opposed to the basic 10).
Lewis says: "...Adam Hawkes was a farmer, and settled on the Hawkes Farms in Saugus. He owned the land where the iron ore was found, and filled up one of the mines, on the supposition that it contained silver.Soon after his settlement, his house was burnt. The only persons in it at the time, were a servant girl and two twin infants, who escaped..."[5] Adam was granted "upland, 100" acres in the 1638 land distribution. This became known as the Hawkes Farm. The area of Adam's farm is now located in North Saugus, Essex co., MA. He owned the land where the iron ore was found which led to the founding of the Saugus Iron Works. Unfortunately, this also led to the loss of many acres of his farmas the Iron Works flooded it over the years!
The Iron Works was founded in 1643 on "land purchased of Thomas Hudson...erected on the western banks of the Saugus River..."[8] Between 1643 and 1646, the Iron Works was firmly established and expanded considerably. In 1646, the trouble between The Iron Works and the Hawkes family began when the Iron Works purchased other land and extended their pond. This flooded three acres of Adam Hawkes' land.
In 1652, "Mr. Gifford this year increased the height of the dam at the Iron Works, by which ten acres of Mr. Hawkes's [sic] land were flowed; for which he agreed to give 16 loads of hay yearly , and 200 cordsof wood. Afterward he agreed to give him ?7, 'which ends all, except that 10s. is to be given him yearly.' By this agreement the water was to be so kept 'that it may not ascend the top of the upper floodgates in the pond higher than within a foot and a halfe of the top of the great Rock that lies in the middle of the pond before the gates.'..."[10]
In June 1660, Adam sued Oliver Purchis (as agent for the Iron Company) because water from the Iron Works' dam had once again overflowed his land.
"The deposition of Joseph Jenks, senior, saith, that having conference with adam hawkes about the great dam at the Iron works at Lin, he complayned that he suffered great damage by the water flowing his ground. I answered him, I though you had satisfaction for all from the old companie, he said he had from the old company, and further saith not."
"This, I Charles Phillopes do testifie, that I, keepeing of the watter at the Irone Workes, since Mr. Porchase came there, Mr. Porchas didatt all times charges me to keepe the watter Lowe, that it might not damage Mr. Hawkes, which I did, and had much ill will of the workmen for the same."
Others testified that the lands had been much overflowed. Francis Hutchinson said, that the water had been raised so high, that the bridge before Mr. Hawkes' house had severeal times been broken up, and 'the peces of tember raised up and Made Sweme.' Joh Knight and Thomas Wellman were appointed to ascertain the damamge. They stated that the corn had been 'Much Spoilled,' and the wells 'sometimes ffloted;' that the English grass had been much damaged, and the tobacco lands much injured, 'in laying them so Coulld.' They judged the damage to be 'the ualloation of ten pounds a yeere.'..."[11] The problems between the Hawkes family & the Iron Works continued into John2's lifetime ? culminating with John2 arranging for the Works' dam destruction in 1683. See more details under John2's entry.
ESTATE Inventory of the estate of Mr. Adam Hawks taken Mar. 18, 1671/2 by Thomas Newhall and Jeremiah Sweyen:
- in wearing Aparrill, 5li. 17s.
- a bedsteed, fetherbed, 2 fether pilows, Flock bed, on blanket, sheetts, curtins, vallenc and one Imbroadered coverlid, 14li.
- bedsteed and beding belonging to it, 2li. 10s.
- one other bed and bedsteed, 3li.
- bras and pewter, 3li., 14s.
- Iron potts and kettells, one pare of Andirons, __
- pare of trambrells, tow par of pott hoks, one cast backe, on friingpan, one pare of stilliards, one spitt, 5li., 7s.
- two croscut saws, one sith, one sikell, thre Axces, to par of Hoks,one Axtre pin, on sledg and ould Iron, 1li., 11s.
- tow muskits, tow small fflowlling pes, two Rest heads, 3li., 15s.
- thre swords, one wachbill, on ould belt, one pistell and one Drum, 2li., 13s.
- one Table, six Joyn stools, 2li., 8s.
- a pare of banddilars, milk vesells, sivs, 14s.
- a peas of black cloth, 1li. 6s.
- cart wheells, plow and yoks, chayns, clevis and pin, beatell, tow weges, one forke and part of a cart Roop, 5li., 18s.
- fouer oxcen, 21li.
- seven cows with tow sucking calfs, 24li., 10s
- one tow yearling and tow yearlings, 4li., 5s.
- tow Horses and tow mares, 17li.
- sixten swyn one with another, 9li.
- sadell and pillion, 15s.
- loking glass and baskett, 7s.
- tobakow and ould caske, 18s.
- The Dwelling Hows and barne, 120li.
- about nyn Hundred of boards, a stoke of bees, 2li., 16s.
- five hundred and ffivty akers of land, 550li.
- fouer Akers of upland, 2li.
total, 817li., 11s.
credit to the Estatt, 1li., 15s.
Debts from the Esstat, 46li., 14s.
Administration on the estate of Adam Haukes of Lynn was granted to John Hauks of Lynn, and certain articles of agreement were allowed. He was to give to his mother Mrs. Sarah Hauks, nine score acres of upland in Lynn, not joining to the farm, eight acres of medow in the great meadow, and one third of all the moveables; to Sarah Hauks, her daughter, four score and ten pounds, to be paid five pounds every two years until forty pounds is paid, and the fifty pounds at age or marriage; ifshe should die before said time to be paid to the widow, Sarah Hauks,all to be paid in corn or cattle; to Moses Hauks, son of John Hauks by Rebeckah Hauks, daughter of Mr. Moses Mavericke, as a legacy from his grandfather, Mr. Adam Hauks, one half of that farm in Lynn which the said Hauks lived and died upon, only for the housing, to pay the value thereof if he pleases, at age, and if he should die before, the estate to go t his father John Hauks and his children; to Mr. William Cogswell for his wife, four score and ten pounds, to be paid ten pounds yearly, in corn, cattle or goods, to be made in two payments within two years; to Samuell Huchisson, Thomas Huchisson, Edward Huchisson andElizabeth Hart, five pounds each, within twelve months time, in corn or cattle; all the residue to John Hauks.
Signed March 27, 1672, by Sarah (her X mark) Hauks, Francis Hutchinson, Moses Mavericke, John Hauks, William Cogswell.
Approved and allowed March 26, 1672 in Ipswich Court.
[Essex Country Probate Files, Docket 12, 899.][6,7]