Once upon a time

Paris Mississippi, July 1, 1888

I am 66 years old to day. I never swore an oath in my life. I never have bet on anything. I never went in a saloon and called for a drink of liquors of any kind. I never saw a still I have never sold or measured a drop of spiriteous liquors of any knd. I never had a bottle of whiskey in my pocket. I never had a pistol in my pocket nor a deck of cards. I never tried to play a game of cards. I never danced a set in my life. I never have had a fight. I never have had a case in circuit court. I never was a witness in any court. I never was at a horse race of a shooting match. I never saw a person hanged. 41 years I have belonged to the Baptist Church. 22 years I have belonged to the fraternity. There never was a charge preferred against me. 44 years I have been a leader in vocal music.

Hansel Hawkins

It was actually written one week before his 66th birthday. Maybe he didn't know the actual date of his birthday.

Anyway, one of his kids was Emmanuel "Man" Bullock Hawkins (born August 1, 1855 in Banner, Calhoun County, Mississippi, and died May 7, 1936, in Poteau, Leflore County, Oklahoma). Here is a note he wrote.

Poteau, Oklahoma

Aug. 1, 1918

I am 63 years old today.

I am the founder of whisky and stills, have made whisky most of my life. And made my start selling it on the sly. Had a case in court every term. I was known as the champeon dancer and card player. I always carry from 2 to 4 pistols in my pockets all the time. was never known to be without whisky of some kind.

I have raised 3 sons and 3 daughters. All are somewhat like their father, kind, gentle and moral, temperate in all things.

I have never belonged to any lodge except to the A. H. T. which I was ring leader.

E. B. Hawkins

He was a little different than his father. One of Man's sons was Virgil Stephens Hawkins (born December 13, 1886, in Banner, Calhoun County, Mississippi, and died February 12, 1961, in Red Oak, Latimer County, Oklahoma). One of his sons was Hansel Eaves Hawkins (born February 11, 1922, in Poteau, Leflore County, Oklahoma, and died December 20, 1983, Tulsa, Tulsa County, Oklahoma). His son was Joe Hansel Hawkins.

Now, if you follow a different line from the first Hansel Hawkins (born in 1822), He had a daughter named Nancy Susanna Hawkins who had a daughter named Minnie Lee Ragland (born June 2, 1895). Minnie Lee Ragland married Norbin Arch Lambert.

Norbin Arch Lambert, Sr. was born in Lee County, Mississippi in 1891, He came with his parents to the Oklahoma Indian Territory at a very early age. He grew up on a farm just north of Red Oak, Latimer Co.,Oklahoma. After graduating from Red Oak Highschool, he attended Oklahoma A&M at Stillwater, Okla. He was a member of the Ok. A.&M. Quartet. He became a school teacher and returned to his home town where he married Minnie Lee Ragland who had also grown up in Red Oak and became a teacher, having obtained her degree from the college in Durant, Okla. Before their second child was born, Arch and Minnie decided to go into the mercantile busness in Red Oak, then opened a store in the oil boom town of Bowlegs, Okla., and later in the oil refinery town of Allen. The family then made Allen their home and all five children attended school there for most of their school years. Arch was a 32 Degree Mason and a member of the Eastern Star. Also, he was secretary on the board of education in Allen. The family suffered a tragedy when Minnie died in 1932 in Allen, the children's ages ranged from 5 to 14 yrs.

posted by Joe Hank  # 10:53 PM