A Collection in the Library of Virginia
Accession Number 40620
Library of Virginia
The Library of Virginia 800 East Broad Street Richmond, Virginia 23219-8000 USA Phone: (804) 692-3888 (Archives Reference) Fax: (804) 692-3556 (Archives Reference) Email: archdesk@lva.virginia.gov(Archives) URL: http://www.lva.virginia.gov/
James P. Hawkins was born in Albemarle County, Virginia on 14 January 1845. He lived in Danville, Virginia during the Civil
War, where he was an agent for the Southern Express Company. Following the war, Hawkins also became involved in the tobacco
industry, becoming a partner in the Roanoke Tobacco Works and Hawkins and Jones. During this time, he also served on the Danville
City Council. Hawkins married Philippina Behn McDowell of Charleston, South Carolina on 19 December 1870 in Staunton, Virginia.
They had two sons, Richard Montgomery Hawkins (1871-1913) and James P. Hawkins, Jr. (b. 1873). In 1880, Hawkins dissolved
his partnership in Hawkins and Jones, and he and his wife moved to Millboro Springs in Bath County, and also had a daughter,
Palma Hampton Hawkins (1881-1974). She married James Berlin Dill (1884-1974). James P. Hawkins died on 27 January 1931. Philippina
B. Hawkins died on 12 February 1902. They, and their daughter Palma, are buried in the Windy Cove Presbyterian Church cemetery
in Millboro Springs.
Papers, 1862-1928, of the Hawkins family of Bath County, and Danville and Staunton, Virginia, namely James P. Hawkins (1845-1931)
and his wife, Philippina Behn (McDowell) Hawkins (1846-1902), and their daughter Palma Hampton Hawkins (1881-1974). The collection
contains account books, accounts and receipts, cash book, correspondence, day book, diaries (mainly business matters and farming
activities), lumber sales book, memorandum books, photographs, poetry, school exercises, Southern Express tally books, tax
tickets and receipts, and tobacco sales records.
The correspondence covering the years 1867-1880 is mainly between James and Philippina while he was living in Danville, Virginia
and working as an agent for the Southern Express Company, and she was living in Staunton with his parents, siblings, and their
two sons, Richard Montgomery Hawkins (1871-1913) and James P. Hawkins, Jr. (b. 1873). James was also co-partner in the Roanoke
Tobacco Works, and later Hawkins and Jones, tobacco dealers and brokers in Danville and Richmond, Virginia. Subjects include
business matters, finances, loneliness and separation, health, social events, management and boarding at various hotels, deaths
of area residents and fellow boarders, mail deliveries, family news, Philippina's trip to Charleston, South Carolina, and
his business travel around the country. The post-1890 letters are mainly from Philippina to her daughter Palma while the latter
was attending school at Belmont Seminary in Bedford, Virginia, and later Valley Female Seminary in Waynesboro, and includes
advice and inquiries concerning studies, friends, manners, and dress.