John Hawks

Notes:

Military service of John Hawks
The Hero of Fort Mass; he went into the military service early; on the breaking out of the old French war was stationed at Fort Mass., under Capt. Ephraim Williams, where he was wounded May 9, 1746; in Aug. of 1746 he was a Sergt. in command of the fort, with a garrison of 22 men, when it was assaulted by a force of 700 French and Indians under Rigaud de Vaudreuil, a brother to the Governor of Canada; after a brave defense for 28 hours, he was forced to surrender for lack of ammunition; this was a notable event of that war; for a full account of this affair and of his adventure with the Indians, May 9; in 1748 he was sent to Canada with "Rainbout," a French officer,prisoner of war, to be exchanged for English captives; he served through the Last French war; as sergt. and Lieut. he had charge of the Colrain forts, 1754-7; commanded a company at the attack on Old Ti, 1758, under Abercrombie; was under Amherst as Major in the successful campaign of 1759, and with the army of conquest in 1760 as lieut. colonel; this closed his military career.

Deerfield — Old French War
Extracted from "History of the Connecticut Valley in Massachusetts, Volume II," by Louis H. Everts, 1879.
After a brave defense by Sergt. John Hawks, Fort Massachusetts fell into the hands of the enemy, Aug. 20, 1746. About fifty of the assailants at once came over the mountain and down the Pocomptuck in search of scalps and plunder. On Sunday, the 24th, they arrived in this vicinity, and reconnoitred to lay an ambush. Seeing some new-mown hay in Stebbins' meadow, they rightly judged the haymakers would come to take care of it the next day, so placed themselves in the woods near by. As they were stealing down the hill, intending to get between their victims and their arms, surround and capture the whole party, they met Eleazer Hawks, who was out hunting with his gun. Supposing they were discovered and about to be attacked, they shot him, and the alarm was given. Quickly discovering their mistake, the Indians rushed out after the flying settlers. Simeon Amsden was the first victim. Adonijah Gillet and John Sadler made a stand under the river-bank near the mill. Gillet fell, and Sadler escaped across the stream. Samuel Allen, bidding his three children fly for life, turned upon the pursuers, killed the foremost, and checked the rest. It was but for a moment, however, and the heroic father fell riddled with bullets and gashed with knives. Of his children, Caleb escaped, Samuel was taken, and Eunice was tomahawked and left for dead. She revived and lived to old age, but never fully recovered. Oliver Amsden was overtaken and seized. He made a gallant defense, but was cut to pieces. The guns being heard in town, the guard, under Capt. Hopkins, the Minute-Men, under Capt. Clesson and Lieut. Hoyt, hurried to the scene of blood. The enemy had fled up the river. Capt. Clesson followed their trail toward Charlemont, but could not overtake them. Along the cordon of forts the irruptions of the enemy had been frequent, and the loss of the English very serious. Frequent "'larrums" reached the town, upon which our men marched to the threatened point. Lieut. Jona. Hoyt led a party to Shattuck's Fort, March 31, 1747. May, 1748, Sergt. John Hawks led a party over to Hosack. Capt. John Catlin had command at Fort Shirley; Capt. Samuel Childs, at Fort Pelham; Lieut. Daniel Severance, at Coleraine; Elijah Williams was captain of the snow-shoe men, and commissary on the death of Col. Stoddard. Sergt. John Hawks and Elisha Nims were wounded near Fort Massachusetts. The following were some of the soldiers serving in this war:

Edward Allen, John Allen, Zebediah Allis, Daniel Arms, Thomas Arms, Adonijah Atherton, Shubel Atherton, Oliver Avery, Gideon Bardwell, John Barnard, Joseph Barnard, Samuel Bernard, Benj. Barrett, John Beaman, Samuel Belding, Josiah Burnham, Jona. Burt, Reuben Carry, Ceazer, Asa Childs, David Childs, Samuel Childs, Joseph Clessen, Mathew Clesson, Charles Coats, James Corse, Aaron Denio, Richard Ellis, David Field, Ezekiel Foster, Jacob Foster, John Foster, Joseph Gillet, Daniel Graves, Benj. Hastings, John Hawks, Joshua Hawks, Ebenezer Hinsdale, David Hoyt, Jonathan Hoyt, Ebenezer Meacham, John Munn, Daniel Nash, Phineas Nash, Azariah Nims, Thomas Nims, Abraham Parker, Abijah Prince, John Sadler, Jona. Severance, Ebenezer Smead, William Smead, Samuel Stebbins, Othniel Taylor, Samuel Taylor, Jona. Wells, Joshua Wells, Elijah Williams, Thomas Williams, Asahel Wright.

This war closed by a treaty at Aix-la-Chapelle, Oct. 7, 1748.

Lt. Col. John Hawks, of Deerfield, Mass., was one of the original proprietors of Upper Ashuelot; son of Dea. Eleazar and Judith (Smead) Hawks. He was born in 1707; married, 1730, Elizabeth, daughter of John Nims, an aunt of David Nims, who came to Upper Ashuelot; one of a committee in 1734 to layout, survey and allot the intervale lands in this township; one of another com· mittee, the same year, to "find the best place for a road from Upper to Lower Ashuelot;" a sergeant in command of Fort Massachusetts in 1746; captured after a gallant defence and taken to Canada; returned after a few months to find himself "the hero of Fort Massachusetts;" was the active agent in rescuing Nathan Blake· from captivity in 1748; was appointed a lieutenant the same year and commanded a company of scouts; was a major in Col. William Williams's regiment in Abercrombie's disastrous campaign against Ticonderoga in 1758; lieutenant colonel under Gen. Amherst in 1759 and commanded a detach· ment of several hundred men that cut a road from Crown Point over the Green mountains toward No.4. " Bold, hardy and enterprising, he' was highly esteemed and trusted with important commands."

He was the hero of Fort Massachusetts during the French and Indian War.
Husband of Elizabeth Nims Hawks, married Dec 10,1730.

Son of Eleazer Hawks and Judith Smead Hawks.

His maternal grandparents were William Smead Jr and Elizabeth Lawrence Smead.
Children: Abner Hawks, John Hawks Jr, Moses Hawks, Elizabeth Hawks Childs, Anne Hawks, Obediah Hawks, Rebecca Hawks, and Solomon Hawks.

John married Elizabeth Nims on 10 Dec 1730 in Deerfield, Franklin, Massachusetts, USA. Elizabeth (daughter of John Nims and Elizabeth Hull) was born on 1 Mar 1712 in Deerfield, Franklin, Massachusetts, USA; died on 28 Feb 1779 in Deerfield, Franklin, Massachusetts, USA; was buried in Deerfield, Franklin, Massachusetts, USA. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Abner married Mary Smead on 22 Jan 1755 in Deerfield, Franklin, Massachusetts, USA. Mary (daughter of Joseph Smead and Eunice Field) was born on 28 Mar 1737 in Deerfield, Franklin, Massachusetts, USA; died on 27 Mar 1803 in Deerfield, Franklin, Massachusetts, USA. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Other Events and Attributes:

• Name: Rebecca Stebbins

Rebecca married Eliakim Stebbins on 4 Aug 1785 in Deerfield, Franklin, Massachusetts, USA. Eliakim (son of Joseph Stebbins and Thankful Belding) was born on 17 Nov 1753 in Vernon, Windham, Vermont, USA; died on 28 Jul 1836 in Vernon, Windham, Vermont, USA; was buried in Vernon, Windham, Vermont, USA. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]