Joseph Bryant Hawkes

 LIFE SKETCH OF JOSEPH BRYANT HAWKES (HAWKS)

Joseph Bryant Hawkes was born 24 May 1799 at Buxton, York, Maine the son of Joshua Hawkes and Lucy Bryant. At the age of 18 he left his father's house and went west to make a home for himself. He first settled in Lockport, New York, where he took up a farm, clearing off heavy timber. At age 21 he married Sophronia Alvord. They lived here in Lockport, New York for several years then sold out and went to Michigan.

Here again in Pontiac, near Detroit, he took up a farm, clearing heavy timber from it. Here three children were born to them. In January 1833 they accepted the Gospel, stayed there until 1836 in the spring, sold out and moved to Missouri, settling at Far West, Caldwell County. In April 1837 his wife Saphronia died. Later he married Ann Northrop, a widow. In the fall of 1838, after suffering much from persecusions and privations, they were driven out of Missouri with the Saints. It was a case of having to leave the state or go to prison. 

They moved to Quincy, Illinois, and from there to Nauvoo by counsel of the Prophet Joseph Smith. He was called to labor on the Temple, which he did until it's completion. They suffered much from sickness and poverty during, their seven years there. They were in Nauvoo when the Prophet Joseph and his brother Hyrum were assassinated in the summer of 1846, when the Saints had to flee into the wilderness from their enemies. He and his wife were both sick with chills and fever. Their eldest daughter, Lucy, had married and gone west with the body of Saints early in the spring before. His eldest son died with consumption in Nauvoo as did both both of the children who were born there by his wife Ann. Another son, Levi, was drowned in the Mississippi River and one girl died in Missouri about two years of age. 

It was in October 1846, after a hard battle of the Saints that were left in Nauvoo, that they were driven out of the city across the Mississippi River into the wilderness. A few things of a simple nature and a three year old heifer were all they could take along. They fled to Montrose with two of their sons. They were very ill and as a result all they had for support, except charity from friends, the Norton family, was from the milk obtained from the heifer. 

The boys, Joshua and Amos, would sell the milk to steamboaters who put in at Garden City Crave, about 150 miles west in Iowa, and Joseph Bryant, who with his family returned to Garden Grove with this company of saints. Here they found their oldest daughter Lucy and her husband. Joseph Bryant's health was a little better but he decided to return to his home state(Maine) and see if it would help his health, also if his folks would help in such a time of need. It was in the fall of 1847 when he left. 

A few weeks later Lucy and her husband moved on west with the Saints leaving only the two boys and their mother. Shortly thereafter his wife became very ill and was cared for by the ward until he returned in the spring. The two boys lived with other families. Lucy and her husband returned the spring of 1848, shortly after Joseph Bryant returned from Maine. 

Later that fall the entire family moved to Kanesville with Ann feeling no better. At Kanesville he built a log house in which they lived that winter. The next spring Lucy and her husband started for Salt Lake City. Joseph Bryant and Ann remained in Kanesville where Ann, who continued to fail in health, died in the fall of 1850. 

The following winter he married a Mrs. Bowen and the next spring they sold their property and started for Salt Lake City. After they reached Ogden they separated and the spring of 1853 he married a widow, Jubina Murrey, a sister of his first wife, Saphronia Alvord. 

In April they moved to Spanish Fork, settling at Palmira a small town laid out the fall before. He took 40 acres of land in the Big Field and farmed it. That summer the Indian War, known as the Walker War broke out. His son Joshua joined with 25 others to the relief of Payson. They were called to build a fort and in the fall, along with other settlers, they built a house in the fort. 

In November 1853 his wife Albina died and again he was left alone, making a home and caring for himself as best he could until 1855 when he married Catherine Cole. From this union two children were born- Elizabeth Catherine and Saphronia Jane. Joseph Bryant died 2 December l862 at Spanish Fork, Utah at the age of 63 years. Elizabeth Catherine married Clinton Mecham 10 Jan 1876. They were Leo Mecham' s parents