My Genealogy Hound

LYCURGUS HAWES, farmer; P. O. Castine; another life resident of Darke Co., is a son of James and Margaret (Robeson) Hawes; James Hawes’ parents were pioneers of Kentucky, and were both massacred by the Indians; James, then a babe, and a sister 2 years old, being hid or overlooked by the blood-thirsty red men, were found by some neighboring settlers and cared for; James was brought up by the famous Col. Patterson, who brought him to Montgomery Co., Ohio, when he was about 9 years of age; he lived on a farm until about 18, then learned the carding and fulling trade, quite a profitable trade in those days; having formed the acquaintance of Margaret, daughter of John Robison, while the family resided in Montgomery Co., he used to make a trip occasionally to her father’s house, then in the wilderness of Butler Township; Lycurgus remembers hearing his father tell how, on one occasion, he found the father and his six daughters at work chopping on one log, the father taking the butt cut, Margaret, the oldest, next, and so on to the top; we leave the reader to imagine how slyly Margaret slipped around into the house when she saw her lover’s form coming. After their marriage, they settled in the woods, in the north part of Butler Township, in 1831, their cabin having no floor, window nor door, and their first fire being built on the top of a stump inside the cabin, which had to be burned out to allow a floor to be laid; an older son, John R., now resides on the old home stead. The subject of this sketch was born Sept. 16, 1832, and grew up on the farm while the wilderness was being cleared, and consequently had but little opportunity for book education. He was married, June 21, 1860, to Hannah H. Berger, whose parents were from Pennsylvania, and residents of Montgomery Co.; they commenced domestic life on his father’s homestead; in 1864, he leased a farm in Twin Township, where they resided three years; in 1872, he purchased and removed to the farm where they now reside. During his life, now past the meridian, Butler Township has been transformed from a dismal wilderness, with here and there an opening, to a beautiful and fertile district, in which it is a pleasure to travel or reside, and Mr. Hawes has contributed his share toward the improvement; in 1878 he built a fine two-story frame house of modern design, which with the fine barn and other improvements he has made, makes an inviting and pleasant home. Mr. and Mrs. Hawes are substantial, agreeable people; they have seven children living, four sons and three daughters.