Benjamin Hawkins

Benjamin Hawkins

Benjamin Hawkins (born August 15, 1754 in what is now Warren County , North Carolina , † June 6, 1816 in Crawford County , Georgia ) was an American politician . Between 1789 and 1795 he represented the state of North Carolina in the US Senate .

Career

Benjamin Hawkins grew up during the British colonial era. He was born into the planting elite of his homeland and in later years was active in this field in addition to his political activities. He attended public schools in his home country and then was a student at the College of New Jersey , now Princeton University . In doing so, he learned at least the basics of the French language. In the 1770s he joined the American Revolution. Because of his knowledge of French, he was appointed by George Washington as an interpreter on his staff in the early stages of the American Revolutionary War . He stayed there until the end of 1777 when he was replaced by the Marquis de La Fayette .

After serving on General Washington's staff, Hawkins returned to his homeland, where he sat in the State House of Representatives in 1778 and 1779, and again in 1784 . In 1780 he was entrusted with the logistical defense of the state of North Carolina through the procurement of weapons and ammunition. Between 1781 and 1783 and in 1787 he was a member of the Continental Congress . In 1785 he was a negotiator in negotiations with the Creek and Cherokee Indians. He later served on the congregation that ratified the United States Constitution for his state.

In the first congressional elections held in North Carolina in 1789, Benjamin Hawkins was elected as the candidate of the supporters of the policy of the now presidential elected George Washington in the US Senate, where he took office on December 8, 1789 (pro-administration). From around 1793 he switched to the opposing camp (anti-administration). Hawkins remained in the Senate until the end of his term on March 3, 1795. In 1796, President Washington made him the federal government's Indian agent for all areas south of the Ohio River . He held this office until his death. He lived in Crawford County, Georgia. There he also ran a plantation with the help of slaves . He was also active in stockbreeding. With a clever policy he managed to secure peace with the Indians for a long time. It was only in connection with the British-American War of 1812 that the so-called Creek War came about , which ended in August 1814 after the victory of General Andrew Jackson with the Treaty of Fort Jackson . As long as the war against the British continued, Hawkins Creek tried to win Indians as allies against the British. He died on June 6, 1816 in Crawford County, Georgia.

Benjamin Hawkins was the uncle of Congressman Micajah Thomas Hawkins (1790-1858).

Web links

• Benjamin Hawkins in the Biographical Directory of the United States Congress (English)