My Genealogy Hound

Robert Hawthorne, whose fine farm of 160 acres is located in section 36, Troy township, Oakland County, is one of the township’s leading and influential citizens, and an honored survivor of the Civil war. Mr. Hawthorne was born in 1844 in Ireland, and is a son of William and Martha (Piper) Hawthorne, both natives of Ireland.

William Hawthorne came to the United States with his family in 1850, and settled in Troy township, Oakland County, on the section opposite to the one now occupied by his son Robert. Although he did some farming, he pretty closely followed his trade of blacksmith through his active life. His death occurred in 1890, at the age of 78 years, being survived by his widow until 1896, when she was 90 years old. Both William Hawthorne and wife were consistent members of the Presbyterian Church. They reared a family of children, as follows: Samuel and William, of Troy township, Oakland County; John of Marine City, Michigan; Esther, deceased; Martha, wife of Charles Babcock, of Bay City, Michigan; Elizabeth, deceased; Mary Jane, wife of Martin D. Brown of Detroit; and Robert.

Mr. Hawthorne was educated in the district schools and was reared to be a farmer, an occupation he has always followed with the exception of the years he devoted to the service of his adopted country. At the age of 18 he entered Company D, 22nd Reg., Michigan Vol. Inf., as a private, and was mustered out of the service in July, 1865, at Detroit. With the Army of the West and the Army of the Cumberland, he saw much hard service and participated in many of the most serious battles of the war, — Chickamauga, Missionary Ridge and the siege and fall of Atlanta, the battle of Nashville and many others. At Chickamauga he was wounded. His brother, William Hawthorne, was a member of the 7th Michigan, and was captured at Gettysburg, but was soon paroled. He served on the plains almost a year after the close of the war. John Hawthorne, another brother, was a member of the 22nd Michigan, enlisting in 1865 and was mustered out in a few months. It may thus be seen that the Hawthorne family has not been wanting in patriotism.

In 1872 Mr. Hawthorne was married to Catherine Dunn, who was born in Macomb County in 1849, and is a daughter of Francis and Bridget Dunn, both of whom were born in Ireland and came to the United States about 1843, their marriage occurring in this country. Mr. and Mrs. Dunn settled on a farm in Macomb County, where our subject’s wife was born. Six children have been born to Mr. and Mrs. Hawthorne, namely: Herbert J., a lake engineer; Francis B., also a lake engineer; Delisle B., who is assisting in operating the home farm; and Harry E., Minnie A. and Alta M., who are still at home.

Mr. Hawthorne is a Republican in politics. Fraternally he is a Mason, an Odd Fellow and a Knight of Pythias, and a very popular member of Fairbanks Post, Grand Army of the Republic, of Detroit.

Mr. Hawthorne successfully carries on general farming, raises good stock and has some dairy interests, and continues to improve a property which is now very valuable. His standing in the community is that of an honest, upright and public spirited citizen, as ready now to support good government as he was to preserve it in the dark days of the Civil war.