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Simon
Peter Hawkins, Pioneer Simon Peter Hawkins, one of the early pioneers of Wichita County, was a man of whom Edna Ferber's description of Frank Yancy might be applied: "Men like him make the world fit to live in, then we come along and live in it." Born in Crockett County, Tennessee January 4, 1849, he grew up there in Western Tennessee while the War Between the States eddied and swirled around them. On the 27th of April, 1869, when he was twenty years old, he married Sara A. Hardin, sister of John G. Hardin with whom he was to be associated all the remainder of his lifetime. (Sara A. Hardin was born 25 December 1852.) To this union were born eight living children, who survived their father on his death February 8, 1930. In 1875 Hawkins with his family joined J. G. Hardin, his brother-in-law in moving from Tennessee to Johnson County, Texas. For whatever reason, the two men decided to prospect for better land (?) or cheaper land, and so rode horseback westward. It is said that they followed a creek, later named Gilbert Creek, to its mouth at the Red River in August and saw there peach trees at the onetime site of Mabel Gilbert's home, pioneer outpost of the first white settler in the county who died in 1870. They liked what they saw and reported that grass grew belly-high to their horses and the creek water was palatable. Consequently, they returned to Johnson County and prepared to move to Wichita County. (Hardin in the meantime had married.) They came by wagon in the fall of 1879 and settled on the north side of Gilbert Creek in the Redman Survey. There was a small store nearby owned by George Darby who sold the store to Hardin. This was patronized by Indians and cowboys from the Burnett and Waggoner ranches; the cowboys called the embryo settlement "Nesterville" and the name stuck until the post office officials in Washington said there were other Nestervilles, so gave it the name of Gilbert. The post office was established September 6, 1882 with Hardin as postmaster. S. P. Hawkins was named mail carrier, making two weekly trips to Wichita Falls. There were nine gates to open going from Nesterville to Wichita Falls, and for this he received $2.50 for each trip. At the time the Hawkins and Hardin families moved to this area, the closest rail station was Fort Worth, 140 miles away. It required two weeks to make the round trip for supplies. A year or so later, the railroad came to Gainesville which shortened the distance somewhat. As was the custom in that time and place, the first homes were dug-outs. This was the home of the Hawkins family until misfortune struck. Cinders from the family washpot fire blew on the roof of the dug-out and burned the roof and contents. Undaunted, Hawkins bought a larger farm southwest of what is now Burkburnett and constructed a larger dug-out there. It was there that he initiated activities that were to result in the formation of the first Baptist Church in the area, the first Masonic Lodge, and the first school. He constructed a dug-out for the school and his family supplied room and board to the first teacher, Miss Carrie Gregg. A Miss McNinch was the second teacher. (Another pioneer, Monroe Dodson was persuaded by Hawkins to move from his dug-out on the Red River closer to the Hawkins place so that his children could also attend the school.) In 1881 or early in 1882 S. P. Hawkins signed the petition presented to the Clay County Commissioners petitioning for the establishment of Wichita County which prior to that time was attached to Clay for judicial and political purposes. He also voted in the first county election. Of Mr. Hawkins, Jonnie Morgan in her "History of Wichita Falls," wrote: "Mr. and Mrs. Hawkins were two of the five Christians living in the vicinity (Nesterville or Gilbert, later Burkburnett). They blazed the trail for those who have come after them. Before the dug-out burned, it served as the spot in which the first Baptist Church was organized in the county. Later this small nucleus extended to Wichita Falls, Charley (sic), Clara and Burkburnett." Further, "Mr. Hawkins served on the first grand jury of Wichita County. He was one of the signers of the petition filed in Henrietta for the organization of the county. Honesty and faith in God and mankind were characteristics that have made his name synonymous with manhood. In those days, much of the soil was uncultivated, no highways had been built, and the population was scarce. The trip to Wichita Falls involved a whole day." Mr. and Mrs. Hawkins were parents of eight children. They managed to give them every available educational advantage and to send four of them off to school. They tilled the virgin soil and became successful farmers. Their thriftiness is revealed in their being able to give each of them a start of five hundred dollars, along with cattle and furniture. Upon the death of Mr. Hawkins in February, 1930, there was a difference of two months and sixty years of married life. When the boom days brought on unnatural conditions, the couple moved to Mineral Wells, where they established a permanent home. Eight Children were born to bless and glorify their lives. Coinciding with the proposed sale of town lots in the new railroad town of Burkburnett on June 6, 1907, a bank was organized, named the First National Bank of Burkburnett, and opened for business June 1, 1907. According to Editor Clendenin, "Among the depositors the first day was S. P. Hawkins, $100." To Clendenin and his 1917 edition of the Burkburnett Star, one may turn for his description of Mr. Hawkins: "Mr. Hawkins retains the genial hospitality common among the early settlers of this country, and his home is ever open to entertain relatives and friends of other days. He makes occasional trips to his old home in Tennessee, and has a very warm regard for the old State. Mr. Hawkins is a staunch member of the Baptist Church, of the Masonic fraternity and is a faithful attendant upon the meetings of both organizations." The above was written when Mr. Hawkins was 68 years old. When death came to him in Mineral Wells on February 8, 1930, the Wichita Falls Times headlined the news on its front page the following day. A photostatic copy of the obituary is attached to this manuscript. Mr. Hawkins was buried in the old Gilbert portion of the Burkburnett Cemetery. His wife died September 27, 1937 and is buried beside him. Simon Peter Hawkins was a good man, held in high esteem by all who knew him. In his quiet way without regard to rewards or citations, he was a community builder. In addition to being one of the first settlers in Wichita County, he was first in organizing a school, a church and a Masonic Lodge in Burkburnett; he was a signer of the petition to organize the county; he voted in the first election; he carried the first mail from Gilbert to Wichita Falls and return; he was on the first grand jury called for the new county; he served for many years on the school board of trustees; he was a first depositor in the First National Bank of Burkburnett on its opening day; and when he died at the age of 81, he was affectionately know to all as "Uncle Pete." The author of this manuscript regards him as the outstanding pioneer of this area.
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