ANDREW HAWK

The history of the prominent citizens and influential residents of Atchison county would be incomplete should the Hawk family be omitted. They have borne an important part in the development of this now flourishing county and at all times and under all circumstances have stood for good government, schools and churches, improvements of various kinds and everything constituting modern civilization.

Andrew Hawk, of Benton township, is one of the sons of the good old Buckeye state, his birth having taken place February 4, 1825, in Carroll county, Ohio. His parents, Leonard and Margaret (Ridenower) Hawk, were life-long agriculturists, upright and respected by all of their acquaintances. They were members of the German Reformed church and lived in perfect harmony with their professions. The father gave his support to the old Whig party, and favored all measures which he believed were calculated to benefit the majority of our people. His long and useful life came to an end when he was in his seventy-sixth year; and his wife, who survived him, was eighty-six years old when she received the summons to lay aside her earthly burdens. Of their ten children three -- John David, Jonathan and Abraham -- are deceased: Abraham died when fourteen years of age. Mrs. Barbara Need and Samuel are residents of Ohio, Daniel W., of this township, is mentioned elsewhere in this work. William, now of Ohio, was a brave soldier who wore the blue during the war of the Rebellion. He served as a private of Company K, Twenty-fourth Ohio Volunteer Infantry, and was severely wounded at the battle of Murfreesboro, Tennessee, January 1, 1863. Mrs. Sarah DeCamp was the wife of Samuel DeCamp, a soldier of the civil war, and their deaths took place in Oregon.

In his boyhood Andrew Hawk attended the common schools, in company with his brothers and sisters, and early learned lessons of industry and perseverance which proved the basis of his later success. Some twelve years ago he came to Atchison county and took up his residence in Benton township. Briefly summing up the results of the years of persistent effort and labor on his part since that time, it may be said that he now owns about five hundred acres of valuable farm land, most of which is under constant cultivation, producing abundant harvests. His home is a beautiful one, surrounded with modern conveniences and many of the so-called luxuries of life. Large barns and farm buildings stand on the homestead and everything about the place is kept in a thrifty, painstaking style.

As a husband and father Mr. Hawk's record is above reproach, and his children cannot but feel that he has ever been to them a kind, considerate parent. He was first married, in Ohio, soon after attaining his majority, to Mary J. Walters, who was a native of Guernsey county and daughter of George N. and Mary (Thompson) Walters. She died in 1863, leaving four children, namely: Mrs. Mary Mizer and Mrs. Margaret Zinchorn, of Ohio; Mrs. Rachel McFarland, of this county; and Mrs. Talitha Draper, also of Ohio. In 1865 Mr. Hawk married Lavina Landers, also of Ohio, and eight children blessed their union. William S., the eldest, and Charles, the fifth of the family, are residents of Effingham, the latter being the deputy postmaster there. Howard Allen and Edward live in this township. Arvilla is the wife of Herbert Harris, of Horton, Kansas. Rutherford Hayes, Celina and John are at home. All have received, or are receiving, a good education and proper training for the serious duties and responsibilities of life.