Representative James Hawthorn View All Years
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James Hawthorn
Story County
"Major Hawthorn", as he was always called, was born in County Down, Ireland, May 14, 1814, was left fatherless when one year old, and as one of a family of eight children who were brought by the widowed mother to this country three years later. The voyage was a long one by means of sailing vessel and it ended at Georgetown. Thence the family removed to Hagerstown, Maryland, where the boy grew to manhood with many privations and few advantages. His schooling was brief, and he was early put to work as bobbin boy in a factory. Later he was a carpenter's apprentice, and when his apprenticeship ended at his coming to his majority, he worked one month for ten dollars and with the money in his pocket and his other belongings in a bundle that he flung with a stick over his shoulder; he started on foot for the west to find his fortune. He tramped to Columbus, Ohio, where his money having been spent, he got a job carpentering. At Oxford in the same state he was married to Rachael Hoover and two or three years later removed with his little family to Brookville, Indiana, which proved to be the home of his young manhood. He prospered here, held various offices, including that of sheriff, and was made major of a militia regiment, thus attaining to a title which ever after adhered to him. All was not happiness here, however, for his wife died. He was married again at Brookfield to Mary Jones, and with her and his growing family came in 1855 from Indiana to Story County. Their first winter was spent amid primitive surroundings near Johnson's Grove; but the next year they removed to Nevada where ever after remained the family home. His second wife also died young; and he was married here in 1875 to Elizabeth Davis, a widow, who survived until March, 1893, when she died, and some years later he married Mrs. Jennie Duff. Mr. Hawthorn was elected to represent Story County in the Twelfth Iowa General Assembly, 1868. He was an enthusiastic Mason and Odd Fellow. He had belonged to the Masonic order for more than sixty years, and had been an Odd Fellow in Indiana before the lodge was organized in the latter '50's. He was a member of the Presbyterian Church.
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