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Family Files: Joseph Hankins, the younger

Sun, 01/04/2009 - 3:07pm — Ruth Hoggatt


JOSEPH HANKINS, the younger

By Robert W. Scott
© 1998

Joseph Hankins, ca 1815-1862, was one of the study Baptist preachers who ministered to many churches in Jefferson, Switzerland and Ripley Counties during the 1840s and 1850s. He was the grandson of Joseph Hankins Sr. 1760/70-1833/1836, who was also a Baptist minister. Both men preached at the former Milton Baptist Church on the East Fork of the Indian-Kentuck Creek in Milton Township. This church operated 1829-1836 and again from 1840 to about 1883.

The younger Joseph was son of William Hankins and his wife Elizabeth McCarty. Joseph married on 29 Nov. 1832 in Jefferson Co., Nancy Cain 1812/13 16 Nov. 1867 (age 64), who is buried in the Milton Baptist Church Cemetery. He lived briefly in Graham Township, where he entered land in 1838. Joseph sold his 40 acres there on 26 March 1839. He was apparently one of the founders of the Bethany Baptist Church while living there.

The family returned to Milton Twp. where Joseph and Nancy became members of the Milton church in April 1844. Joseph preached at the church before his ordination there in January 1845. Joseph and Nancy received letters of dismission from Milton in March 1848. However, he returned to his home church to preach in 1850. Joseph and Nancy lived in Switzerland Co. in 1850 but soon moved to the Jefferson Co. side of the border.

As was common among rural ministers, Joseph preached at several churches, usually at a different church each Saturday in an era in which worship services were held on Saturday. Churches at which he preached included Fredonia, Mount Zion, Spring Branch and Union Baptist in Switzerland Co., Macedonia and Milton in Jefferson and New Marion in Ripley Co. He traveled 347 miles and preached 91 semons under the Long Run Association's Home Missionary Fund in a year ending in 1853 (and that didn't include churches in other associations.)

The family moved to Jasper Co., Ill., around 26 Sept. 1857 when Joseph and Nancy sold land John Banta in Milton Township near the Switzerland Co., border. He returned to Milton to preach at least twice (November 1858 and November 1860.)

The couple is listed the 1860 census in Jasper Co., Ill. Joseph became minister at Liberty Baptist Church, Wakefield, Ill. on 18 Sept. 1861, a church in which uncle Moses Hankins was also a founder. Joseph disappears from church records in 1862 when he presumably died. Nancy and family moved back to Indiana where she and son Walton joined the Milton Church on the 2nd Saturday in June 1864.

Children of Joseph Hankins and Nancy Cain.

1. William Hankins 1833 1908. He married on 22 Jan. 1858 in Jefferson Co., Eliza Vernon 1829 1907, both buried in the Vernon family cem. (often called the Hankins Cem.) on the East Fork, Indian-Kentuck Creek. Eliza was an aunt of William Wilkins who m. her husband's aunt, Sarah Hankins. The family lived briefly in Richland Co., Ill., before returning to Milton Twp.
2. John Hankins b. 1833/34 died by 1867. His mother's estate settlement refers to the heirs of John Hankins. He may have married a Louisa ? who married second John Thomas Quinn in Jefferson Co.
3. Jacob Hankins b. 1839/40 before 1883 He m. April 1857 in Jefferson Co., Sarah Thrasher. They lived Spencer Co., Ind., from at least March 1866 on. She was on the 1883 military pension list from Spencer co.
4. Archibald Hankins 1842 1868, born in Indiana, he was murdered in Wayne Co., Ill. He m. Hester Richards, probably in Illinois. She m. 2nd George Huffman.
5. Walton C. Hankins b. 1848/49 He returned with his mother to Milton Township and joined the Milton Baptist Church. He lived in Jefferson Co. until at least 1873.

Primary Sources: Minutes of the Milton Baptist Church. Jefferson Co. Deeds, probate records. Secondary Sources: Long Run Baptist Association minutes; Madison Baptist Association minutes. Records of Luther Martin Vernon (ca. 1926)