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Thomas Sunderland Hawkins was born 2 October 1829 in Birmingham St Martin, Warwickshire, England, United Kingdom to Job Hawkins (1792-1872) and Hephzibah Sunderland (1803-1849) and died 25 May 1903 Colonia Juarez, Casas Grandes, Chihuahua, Mexico of unspecified causes. He married Harriet Jones (1829-1892) 26 May 1850 in Birmingham, Warwickshire, England. He married Elizabeth Ann Mears (1833-1901) 28 May 1864 in Salt Lake City, Salt Lake County, Utah. He married Sarah Davis (1846-1932) 9 February 1867 in Salt Lake City, Salt Lake County, Utah.

Biography

1871 Polygamy Prosecution

Thomas Hawkins is noteworthy for being the very case of federal prosecution for polygamy in Utah Territory by Justice McKean. He was chief justice of Utah Territory from 1870-1875, appointed by President Ulysses S. Grant (1822-1885). Since there was no applicable federal law, the judge tried this case under territorial law for "lewd and licentious association" (adultery). However no adultery case could be tried without first a complaint made by the offended spouse.

It was rare for a Mormon wife to enter a complaint against her husband, but Thomas Hawkins first wife did so, outraged over his taking a second wife. (While most plural marriages required consent of the first wife, it was also allowed otherwise on occassion by the church elders for a compelling reason.) This complaint gave federal prosecutors their first clear-cut case to prosecute.

After Mrs Hawkins testified against him, Thomas was convicted by an all non-Mormon jury finding him guilty of adultery, that is having several wives through the sanction of the Church. He was fined $500 and sentenced to three years in prison. Hawkins appealed his case and bond was set at $20,000 which he could not provide.

This case set a dangerous precendent and days later Mormon Prophet, Brigham Young (1801-1877) was indicted under a similar process for similar charges. While Brigham case was underway, another case reached the US Supreme Court. There the Supreme Court unanimously ruled in the Englebright case that it was not fair for Mormons to be tried in any jury trail in Utah by an all non-Mormon jury. This ruling rendered all criminal convictions for the prior 18 months in Utah now void, with 138 prisoners held in Utah jails to be freed immediately, including Thomas.

Flight Southwards

Sometime in 1880/81 Thomas and his family had moved south to Taylor, Arizona where daughter Alice was born. Probably to escape prosecution for polygamy.

Sometime in 1886 Thomas and his family had moved south to the Mormon Colonies in Mexico where last child, Orson Davis was born.


Marriage and Family

1st Marriage: Harriet Jones

  1. Thomas Hawkins (1851-1851)
  2. Harriet Hepzibah Hawkins (1853-1922)
  3. Eliza Ann Hawkins (1855-1922)
  4. William John Hawkins (1858-1926)
  5. Mary Ann Hawkins (1860-1866)
  6. George Thomas Hawkins (1862-1929)
  7. Joseph Job Hawkins (1864-1898)
  8. Emma Levenia Hawkins (1866-1939)

2nd Marriage: Elizabeth Mears

  1. Thomas Mears Hawkins (1865-1866)
  2. Elizabeth Mears Hawkins (1867-1911) - assassinated by bandits on the doorstep of her home in the Mormon Colonies in Mexico.
  3. David Mears Hawkins (1869-1946)
  4. Alma Mears Hawkins (1872-1967)
  5. Louesa Hawkins (1876-1943)

3rd Marriage: Sarah Davis

  1. Frank Davis Hawkins (1867-1872)
  2. Alfred Davis Hawkins (1869-1961)
  3. Sarah Davis Hawkins (1872-1918)
  4. Charles Davis Hawkins (1874-1878)
  5. Emily Davis Hawkins (1876-1964)
  6. Samuel Davis Hawkins (1879-1943)
  7. Alice Davis Hawkins (1882-1922)
  8. Willard Davis Hawkins (1885-1964)
  9. Orson Davis Hawkins (1887-1966)



Children


Offspring of Thomas Sunderland Hawkins and Harriet Jones (1829-1892)
Name Birth Death Joined with
Thomas Hawkins (1851-1851)
Harriet Hepzibah Hawkins (1853-1922)
Eliza Ann Hawkins (1855-1922)
William John Hawkins (1858-1926)
Mary Ann Hawkins (1860-1866)
George Thomas Hawkins (1862-1929)
Joseph Job Hawkins (1864-1898)
Emma Levenia Hawkins (1866-1939)


Offspring of Thomas Sunderland Hawkins and Elizabeth Ann Mears (1833-1901)
Name Birth Death Joined with
Thomas Mears Hawkins (1865-1866)
Elizabeth Mears Hawkins (1867-1911) 1 March 1867 Salt Lake City, Salt Lake County, Utah, United States 22 January 1911 Colonia Guadalupe, Galeana, Chihuahua, Mexico Jens Mortensen (1852-1932)
David Mears Hawkins (1869-1946)
Alma Mears Hawkins (1872-1967)
Louesa Hawkins (1876-1943)


Offspring of Thomas Sunderland Hawkins and Sarah Davis (1846-1932)
Name Birth Death Joined with
Frank Davis Hawkins (1867-1872)
Alfred Davis Hawkins (1869-1961)
Sarah Davis Hawkins (1872-1918)
Charles Davis Hawkins (1874-1878)
Emily Davis Hawkins (1876-1964)
Samuel Davis Hawkins (1879-1943)
Alice Davis Hawkins (1882-1922)
Willard Davis Hawkins (1885-1964)
Orson Davis Hawkins (1887-1966)



Siblings


References

  • Men to Match My Mountains - Irving Stone, pg 412-413

Residences

Footnotes (including sources)

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