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Miller
Hawkins was born Jacob Miller Hawkins was born in July of 1849 in
Philadelphia to William
H. Hawkins and his wife, the former Adelaide
Wonderly. His obituary indicates that he was born in 1852,
however, it is in error, as he appears in the August 1850 Federal
Census. Shortly afterwards, William
and Adelaide Hawkins moved to Camden, New Jersey. William
H. Hawkins became active as a volunteer fireman, serving at
different times with the Fairmount and Independence fire
companies. When the Census was taken in 1860 the Hawkins family
was living in Camden's Middle Ward. Miller
Hawkins, athough quite young, did serve his country during the
Civil War.He enlisted as a Private on June 9, 1864. He was assigned to Company
A, 37th Infantry Regiment New Jersey on June 23, 1864. The
Thirty-seventh Infantry was commanded by Colonel E. Burd Grubb. On
May 16, 1864, New Jersey Governor Parker issued a
proclamation calling, "by desire of the president,"
the militia of the state into active service for the period
of 100 days, to date from muster into the United States service,
to be armed, equipped, and paid as other United States
volunteers, "to serve in fortifications or wherever their services may be required, within or without
the state." No bounty was to be given, nor were even
their services to be credited upon any draft. These troops
were to be infantry exclusively, and the governor urged that
at least five regiments might be raised and forwarded with
all convenient speed. In accordance with this
proclamation, recruiting began without delay, and the
nuclei of two regiments were speedily established- one in the
southern part of the state to be called the 37th, to be
commanded by E. Burd Grubb, of Burlington, a gallant and
dashing soldier. It was thought advisable that the different
militia and rifle corps regiments should, if possible,
embrace this opportunity to go into the movement in a body,
thus preserving their regimental organizations and preventing
the many delays incident to and consequent upon the
organization and officering of new regiments. This expectation, however, was not
realized. Recruiting becoming languid, local bounties were
offered by different cities, but notwithstanding that, and
every other inducement offered, it began to be apparent that
neither of the two regiments would be enabled to fill its
ranks, and consolidation must be effected. This was
accordingly done at Camp Delaware, Trenton, and on June 23 the
consolidated regiment, under the name of the 37th N. J.
volunteers, was mustered into the service of the United
States. It left Trenton on June 28, 700 strong, direct for
Baltimore, where steamer was taken for City Point. It
furnished detachments for fatigue duty of various kinds such
as unloading vessels, working on fortifications, etc., being
assigned to Berry's Brigade, 3rd Division, 10th Army Corps,
and brigaded with other 100-days regiments from Ohio. The
regiment took an active part in the operations before
Petersburg from August 28 to September 26, and was mustered
out October 1, 1864. Private
Hawkins soon returned to the Army. On February 5, 1865 Miller
Hawkins reenlisted. He was sent as a sergeant to Company K, New
Jersey 40th Infantry Regiment on March 2, 1865.
This regiment was organized under the immediate
superintendence of Colonel Stephen R. Gilkyson, under General
Orders No. 243 of the war department, and was forwarded to
the field by companies, the last company being mustered in on
March 10, 1865. Upon reaching the field the companies were
attached to the 1st brigade, the regiment proving courageous
and efficient in all the engagements in which it
participated. In the last fight before Richmond it displayed
conspicuous gallantry, the men fighting with the steadiness
of veterans. It was mustered out at Hall's Hill, Virginia,
July 13, 1865. The total strength of the regiment was 1,409,
and it lost during its term of service by resignation 2, by
discharge 23, by promotion 17, by transfer 151, by death 19,
by desertion 399, by dismissal 1, not accounted for 33,
mustered out 767. When
the Census was taken in 1870 Miller Hawkins was back in Camden,
living with his parents and working as a bookbinder, a trade he
would follow throughout his life. His father, William
H. Hawkins, worked for a time as
a constable in Camden during the late 1860s and early 1870s, and
as a policeman in the late 1870s. As
stated above Miller Hawkins was appointed to the Camden Fire Department on
May 7, 1875 as an extra
man with the Engine
Company 2 and served until April of 1876. Miller Hawkins was
living on or near the northwest corner of Broadway and Mickle
Street, with his parents. The
Hawkins family moved around quit often in the 1870s, 1880s, and
into the 1890s. City Directories from the years between 1878 and
1897 record no less than nine different addresses. In 1878 the
family was at 35 Broadway, in 1879 and 1880 they were at 22
Haddon
Avenue, in 1881 the address was 726 Federal
Street, 833 Bridge
Avenue in 1883. The 1884 Directory shows the Hawkins family at 218
Amber Street, and at 208 Point Street in 1885. By 1888 the family
had gone to 218 Royden
Street, and 1890 saw them at 136 Mount
Vernon Street. By July of 1890 they had again relocated, this time
to 1024 South 2nd
Street. By the latter half of 1892 the Hawkins
family was living at 814 Market
Street. J.
Miller Hawkins died on October 3, 1897 and was buried at Harleigh
Cemetery. His parents remained at 814 Market Street into
1898, then moved to 411 Arch Street the following year.
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