"Some Where In Time" Presents—


THE ANCESTORS & DESCENDANTS OF
DORIS TORRANCE COLEMAN

HODGKINS FAMILY TREE

Generation No. 1

JAMES M. HODGKINS was born 1797 in Bullitt County,Kentucky, and died September 10, 1860 in Daviess County, KY. He married MARY ELIZABETH P. EMERSON, daughter of HENSON EMERSON and SUSAN?. She was born 1798 in Maryland?, and died Aft. 1870 in Daviess County, KY.

Notes for James M. Hodgkins: This surname was often spelled Hoskins, except it was changed to Hodgkins in the 1860 Daviess County Census. There is some controversy about this. Hoskins has been the uniform transcription, for the most part in both the Bullitt and Daviess Censuses up until 1860. If that is the true name, though, what brought about the change to Hodgkins? More to the point, what brought about the family acceptance of the spelling?
Connie Martin says, "The reason I'm so specific about what I would consider proof that the family itself had used the Hodgkins spelling: my dad's mother's maiden name was Ruth. On old documents, her grandparents often recorded as 'Root'. Some family members could remember it being pronounced 'Root' though spelled Ruth 120+ yrs. Her grandmother's gravestone, which proclaims that her brother, Wm. Stanton erected it, says 'Mary Root'. Seemed conclusive that they'd once been Roots. Got her grandfather's (husband of said Mary) homestead papers, naturalization papers, & will. Officials frequently put 'Root' in places provided. He always signed 'Ruth'. Brother didn't know how to spell her name, or else didn't write it out for the stonecutter, & so had to take what he got.
Until quite recently, no one ever gave you a form to fill out; they asked the questions and put down what they thought you said, spelled however they thought they should spell what they thought you said. Also learned in seminars that although people (who could read & write) had a certain spelling of their names, there was not considered to be a 'correct' way to spell proper names, so was no need to make sure documents had any certain spelling, or that signatures matched documents, or that documents matched each other. Further, names are frequently written several ways in a single document, because the clerks were demonstrating how educated they were by showing how many ways they could think of to spell the names. I kid you not.
So it would take a lot to convince me that our family actually changed from the more common & more easily spelled Hoskins to the less common & more difficult to spell Hodgkins. I've seen Glasscock to Glassco, Byrne to Burns, Meagher to Maher, Dominiczak to Dominic - never seen the reverse. Like I said - not impossible but I'll be hard to convince."

MARY CAMBRON lived with the family at least from 1850 to 1870. Her relationship is not known.
James moved to Daviess County about 1832, living in the upper part of Daviess County, where he farmed, but later removed to the lower part of Daviess County. James died either in 1860 or 1862. The administrator of his estate was JOHN R. HODGKINS, James' son.

Notes for MARY ELIZABETH P. EMERSON: Elizabeth Emerson was an aunt to THOMAS BIGGER HEAD. Thomas' mother and Elizabeth's sister was SUSANNAH EMERSON HEAD. When Elizabeth died in 1870, she was living with her daughter, LOUISA. Children of James Hodgkins and Mary Emerson are:

i. SUSAN E. HODGKINS, born October 14, 1819.

ii.JOSEPH HENSON HODGKINS, born April 15, 1821 in Nelson County, KY; died April 02, 1897 in Daviess County, KY.

iii. JOHN RANDALL HODGKINS, born August 16, 1824 in Daviess County, KY; died 1878 in Daviess County, KY.

iv. MARY ANNE HODGKINS, born August 15, 1827 in Daviess County, KY; died Aft. 1870 in Daviess County, KY.

v. JAMES E. HODGKINS, born 1830 in Daviess County, KY; died Aft. 1860 in Daviess County, KY.

vi. FRANCES RUTH HODGKINS, born June 14, 1834 in Daviess County, KY; died April 03, 1877 in Daviess County, KY.

vii. WILLIAM JAMES HODGKINS, born July 1834 in Marion County, KY; died March 15, 1925 in Owensboro, KY.

viii. LOUISA ANN HODGKINS, born 1838 in Daviess County, KY.

ix. ELIZABETH ELLEN HODGKINS, born September 03, 1842.
Notes for ELIZABETH ELLEN HODGKINS: Unconfirmed daughter
More About ELIZABETH ELLEN HODGKINS: Baptism: October 30, 1842, St. Lawrence Catholic Church, Daviess Co..

Generation No. 2

SUSAN E. HODGKINS was born October 14, 1819. She married SAMUEL STALLINGS. He was born 1817.
Notes for SUSAN E. HODGKINS: She and her husband resided next to her father, her brothers; two of her sons bear names common to the James M. Hodgkins family—Henson and Martin. We know that a child was born before Joseph, and assume Susan was that child. Finally, James and his wife transferred 100 acres of land to her husband Samuel in December 1850. Susan's birth date was given as 1829, but this doesn't work. She would have been 10 at the birth of her first child! If she was born before Joseph, 1819 is a more reasonable date. She is listed in the 1850 census as 29, which fits that date.

Children of Susan Hodgkins and Samuel Stallings are:
i. Mary Elizabeth Stallings, born January 12, 1839.
ii. Martha Susannah Stallings, born January 02, 1841.
iii. John Henson Stallings, born February 01, 1846.
iv. William Martin Stallings, born February 08, 1849.
v. Matilda Catherine Stallings, born November 26, 1861.

JOSEPH HENSON HODGKINS was born April 15, 1821 in Nelson County, KY, and died April 02, 1897 in Daviess County, KY. He married MARGARET ANN ADAMS July 02, 1843 in St Mary's of The Woods Catholic Church, Whitesville, KY. She was born 1822, and died 1869 in Daviess County, KY.
Notes for JOSEPH HENSON HODGKINS: Served as constable, 1863, Justice of the Peace, 1875 and 1881, ran for State legislature 1867.
Joseph's children were all baptized at St. Lawrence Catholic Church in Daviess County. Reports are that they had 17 children, 7 of whom were still living in 1883.
Joseph's granddaughter EMMA JONES was living with him at the 1880 census.—Doris Coleman
According to the History of Daviess County, Joseph was the second of seven children. After farming with his father and for himself, he engaged in the mercantile business near Knottsville. Oral family history has it that Joseph was cheated out of his business by his partner.—Constance Martin and Benjamin Hodgkins, Jr.
Married by the same priest who married his daughter, MARY ANNE—W. S. Coomes

Children of JOSEPH HODGKINS and MARGARET ANN ADAMS are:
i. JAMES A. HODGKINS, born August 31, 1844 in Daviess County, KY.
ii. JOHN THOMAS HODGKINS, born February 14, 1847 in Daviess County, KY; died November 04, 1918 in Evansville, IN.
iii. MISSOURI ESTEL HODGKINS, born October 24, 1848.
Notes for MISSOURI ESTEL HODGKINS: Twin of Normanda. Resided 1850 with family of B. H. DAVIS. History of Daviess County states "Hoskins child burned to death (February 3, 1856). This may be Missouri, since she is not seen in later census records.
More About MISSOURI ESTEL HODGKINS: Baptism: June 17, 1849
iv. NORMANDA ADEL HODGKINS, born October 24, 1848; died 1884.
Notes for NORMANDA ADEL HODGKINS: Never married.
More About NORMANDA ADEL HODGKINS: Baptism: June 17, 1849
v. MARY ANNE AURELIA HODGKINS, born March 23, 1850 in Near Knottsville, Daviess County.
vi. JOSEPH HILLARY HODGKINS, born June 04, 1852 in Daviess County, KY; died July 27, 1916 in West Louisville, KY.
vii. LOUISA ISABELLE HODGKINS (LOU BELLE), born June 22, 1856.
viii. BENJAMIN HODGKINS, born 1861; died Bef. 1884.
Notes for BENJAMIN HODGKINS: twin
ix. ROSETTA HoODGKINS, born 1861.
x. MARION ALPHONSUS HODGKINS, born June 1863 in Daviess County, KY; died June 1944 in Daviess County, KY.
xi. HENRY E. HODGKINS, born July 1868 in Daviess County, KY; died 1944 in Evansville, IN.

As a matter of tremendous pride and love for JAMES & ELIZABETH P., and JOSEPH & MARGARET, I happily tell you this—
JAMES M. HODGKINS & MARY ELIZABETH P. EMERSON, were my GREAT GREAT GREAT GRANDPARENTS
~AND~
JOSEPH HENSON HODGKINS & MARGARET ANN ADAMS were my GREAT GREAT GRANDPARENTS.
Their daughter LOU BELLE and JAMES HIRAM TORRANCE, were my GREAT GRANDPARENTS.
There is more information on the HODGKINS Family and LOU BELLE on the TORRANCE FAMILY TREE, Generation #4.
Since PHIL HODGKINS and I share the same GREAT GREAT GRANDPARENTS, he surprised and delighted me with the typing of the HODGKINS FAMILY TREE.
Thank you so much, PHIL.

I have no picture of Lou Belle, unfortunately. The above is a picture taken ca 1936 of Henry Hodgkins & family. Henry was the youngest brother of Lou Belle. Bottom, L-R: Henry Hodgkins, Ben Hodgkins, Jr, Margie Hodgkins, Maxine Hodgkins, Alice Hodgkins Arrigo (holding son Charles), Dorcas Hays Hodgkins, Unknown?.
Back, L-R: Melvin Hodgkins (holding Donald Arrigo), Unknown?, Tony Arrigo, Ben Hodgkins, Sr.

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Doris Torrance Coleman
February 10, 2002

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