John Houston Hankins

John Houston Hankins was named for his grandfathers, John Emerson Goodloe and Houston G. Hankins.¹“Kentucky, U.S., Death Records, 1852–1965,” digital image, Ancestry (https://www.ancestry.com/search/collections/1222 : accessed 4 Sep 2013), death certificate no. 26054 (1938), John Hankins; from microfilm 7016130–7041803, KY Dept. for Libraries and Archives, Frankfort; parents Albert Hankins and Jannie Goodloe. 1850 U.S. census, Hopkins Co., KY, population schedule, District #1, p. 57, dwelling 123, family 123, Houston Hankins; digital images, Ancestry (https://www.ancestry.com/search/collections/8054 : accessed 2 Sep 2013); from NARA microfilm M432, roll 205; Albert living with parents. 1850 U.S. census, Hopkins Co., KY, population schedule, District #1, p. 110B, dwelling 871, family 871, John E. Goodloe; digital images, Ancestry (https://www.ancestry.com/search/collections/8054 : accessed 2 Sep 2013); from NARA microfilm M432, roll 205; Isabella J. living with father. He was born in Hopkins County, Kentucky, on 24 August, probably in 1856, the first of Albert Elvie Hankins and Isabella Jane Goodloe’s four children.²“Kentucky, U.S., Death Records, 1852–1965, death certificate no. 26054 (1938), John Hankins; birth date given by his wife as 24 August 1853, based on census records, that is likely incorrect. 1860 U.S. census, Hopkins Co., KY, pop. sch., p. 196, dwell. 1190, fam. 1190, Albert Hankins; John, age 3, oldest of two children listed. 1870 U.S. census, Hopkins Co., KY, population schedule, Precinct #2, p. 20A, dwelling 19, family 19, Jane Hankins; digital image, Ancestry (https://www.ancestry.com/search/collections/7163 : accessed 14 Feb 2010); from NARA microfilm M593, roll 471; John age 13. Based on the two census records when he was living with his parents, 1856 is most likely his birth year. Albert died when John and his siblings were children.³Family story, passed down through the family from Albert’s granddaughter, Aggie Ann Hankins (daughter of James W. Hankins).

John married Martha Elizabeth “Mattie” Clements on 20 November 1879 in Hopkins County.⁴FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/search/film/0007720812 : accessed 31 Aug 2021), digital film 007720812, image 245 Hopkins Co., KY, Marriage Bonds 1877-1880, Hankins-Clements, 20 Nov 1879. 1870 U.S. census, Davidson Co., TN, population schedule, 3rd Dist., p. 12, dwelling 95, family 93, James Clemens; digital image, Ancestry (https://www.ancestry.com/search/collections/7163 : accessed 10 Nov 2021); from NARA microfilm M593, roll 1521; Mattie listed as Elizabeth. Mattie, daughter of James A. Clements and Mary Jane Christian, was born in April 1859 in Tennessee.⁵1860 U.S. census, Davidson Co., TN, population schedule, District #16, p. 36, dwelling 403, family 403, James Clemmons; digital images, Ancestry (https://www.ancestry.com/search/collections/7667 : accessed 10 Nov 2021); from NARA microfilm M653; living with parents James & Mary and brother [James] Thomas. “Kentucky, U.S., Death Records, 1852–1965,” digital image, Ancestry (https://www.ancestry.com/search/collections/1222 : accessed 15 Nov 2021), death certificate no. 14117 (1917), James Thomas Clements; from microfilm 7016130–7041803, KY Dept. for Libraries and Archives, Frankfort; Mattie’s brother’s death certificate lists his parents as James Clements and Mary Jane Christian. Her nephew, Henry Thomas Clements, married John’s sister, Mollie.⁶“Kentucky, U.S., Death Records, 1852–1965,” digital image, Ancestry (https://www.ancestry.com/search/collections/1222 : accessed 6 Sep 2021), death certificate no. 28591 (1941), Henry Thomas Clements; from microfilm 7016130–7041803, KY Dept. for Libraries and Archives, Frankfort; father Thomas Clements.

In 1880, John and Mattie lived in the Fisherspring District in Hopkins County. Mattie’s mother lived with them.⁷1880 U.S. census, Hopkins Co., KY, population schedule, Fisher Springs, enumeration district (ED) 196, p. 387C [stamped], dwelling 92, family 92, John Hankins; digital image, Ancestry (https://www.ancestry.com/search/collections/6742 : accessed 20 Oct 2021); from NARA microfilm T9, roll 420.

John and Mattie had three sons and two daughters. Thomas was born in October 1880, probably in Hopkins County.⁸1900 U.S. census, Hopkins Co., KY, population schedule, Kitchen, enumeration district (ED) 74, sheet 16A, dwelling 324, family 340, John H. Hankins; digital image, Ancestry (https://www.ancestry.com/search/collections/7602 : accessed 17 Feb 2010); from NARA microfilm T623, roll 528, Thomas born Oct 1880. Julia, who went by Jackie, was born on 3 May 1882 in Providence in Webster County, Kentucky.⁹“Obituaries, Merkle,” Longview (WA) Daily News, 7 Oct 1969, p. 13, col. 1; digital image, Newspapers.com (https://www.newspapers.com : accessed 7 Nov 2021); first name Julia, birth date, incorrectly identifies birth place as Providence, KS, should be KY. Hustler was born about 1891 and died on 28 February 1897 of measles and whooping cough.¹⁰“Died Sunday,” Hustler (Madisonville, KY), 2 Mar 1897, p. 3, col. 1; digital image, Newspapers.com (https://www.newspapers.com : accessed 7 Nov 2021). Georgia was born on 16 February 1893.¹¹Indiana, U.S., Select Marriages Index, 1748-1993, database, Ancestry (https://www.ancestry.com/search/collections/60281 : accessed 1 Nov 2021); William T. Hayes-George Hankins, 26 Jul 1915, Vanderburg Co.; from Indiana Marriages, FamilySearch, 2013; bride’s parents John Hankins and Mattie Clements, groom William T. Hayes. Indiana, U.S., Marriage Index, 1800-1941, database, Ancestry (https://www.ancestry.com/search/collections/5059 : accessed 1 Nov 2021); William T. Hayes-George Hankins, 26 Jul 1915; from Jordan Dood, Liahona Research, microfilm at Family History Library, Salt Lake City, Utah; bride’s dob 16 Feb 1893. Goldie was born in August 1895.¹²1900 U.S. census, Hopkins Co., KY, pop. sch., Kitchen, ED 74, sheet 16A, dwell. 324, fam. 340, John H. Hankins; Goldie born Aug 1895. The three youngest children were born in either Hopkins or Webster County.

John served as a deputy during part of R. B. Tapp’s term as Hopkins County Sheriff, which ran from January 1891 to January 1895. Prior to that, John was the constable for the Dalton district for several years.¹³“John Hankins,” Hustler (Madisonville, KY), 5 Feb 1897, p. 2, col. 2; digital image, Newspapers.com (https://www.newspapers.com : accessed 8 Nov 2021). Sheriff Will Thompson named John his chief deputy when he took office in January 1895 and John served in that position for Thompson’s three-year term.¹⁴“The Deputies,” Hustler (Madisonville, KY), 11 Jan 1895, p. 5, col. 3; digital image, Newspapers.com (https://www.newspapers.com : accessed 8 Nov 2021); John named chief deputy by Sheriff Thompson. “John Hankins,” Hustler (Madisonville, KY), 5 Feb 1897, p. 2, col. 2; John still serving as Thompson’s deputy.

In early February 1897, John announced his candidacy for sheriff in that year’s election. An article in The Hustler described him as well and favorably known to most of the county voters and well qualified to discharge the duties of the office.¹⁵“John Hankins,” Hustler (Madisonville, KY), 5 Feb 1897, p. 2, col. 2. John won the Democratic primary in August, defeating seven other candidates. He received 787 votes and his nearest competitor received 654.¹⁶“The Primary Election,” Hustler (Madisonville, KY), 6 Aug 1897, p. 4, col. 1; digital image, Newspapers.com (https://www.newspapers.com : accessed 8 Nov 2021). John faced the Republican candidate, George R. Lynn, in the 2 November general election and won by a vote count of 2683 to 1938.¹⁷“Official Vote of Hopkins County, November 2, 1897,” Hustler (Madisonville, KY), 9 Nov 1897, p. 1, col. 5; digital image, Newspapers.com (https://www.newspapers.com : accessed 8 Nov 2021).

The family lived in the Kitchen District in Hopkins County in 1900. John was still sheriff at that time, but later bought Phoenix Mills in Providence and moved there.¹⁸1900 U.S. census, Hopkins Co., KY, pop. sch., Kitchen, ED 74, sheet 16A, dwell. 324, fam. 340, John H. Hankins. “John Hankins,” Messenger (Madisonville, KY), 17 Jun 1938, p. 6, col. 3; digital image, Newspapers.com (https://www.newspapers.com : accessed 8 Nov 2021); noted that he owned the Phoenix Mills at one time. The mill manufactured high-grade flour and feed of all kinds.¹⁹“Phoenix Mills & Elevator,” (advertisement) Hustler (Madisonville, KY), 7 May 1897, p. 4, col. 3; digital image, Newspapers.com (https://www.newspapers.com : accessed 8 Nov 2021).

John died of smallpox on 10 June 1938 in Providence.²⁰“Kentucky, U.S., Death Records, 1852–1965, death certificate no. 26054 (1938), John Hankins. He had been in ill health for some time and was hospitalized in Evansville, Indiana, several weeks before contracting smallpox.²¹“John Hankins,” Messenger (Madisonville, KY), 17 Jun 1938. He was buried in Odd Fellows Cemetery in Madisonville in Hopkins County.²²“Kentucky, U.S., Death Records, 1852–1965, death certificate no. 26054 (1938), John Hankins.

Mattie also contracted smallpox in June 1938, but she survived it.²³“Mrs. John Hankins Has Smallpox In Providence,” Messenger (Madisonville, KY), 20 Jun 1938, p. 1, col. 4; digital image, Newspapers.com (https://www.newspapers.com : accessed 8 Nov 2021). Mattie married Jesse DePriest on 12 September 1939 in Webster County.²⁴FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/search/film/0007734277 : accessed 4 Nov 2021), digital film 007734277, image 248 Webster Co., KY, Marriage Book 44, DePriest-Hankins, 12 Sep 1939. He died on 5 January 1940.²⁵“Kentucky, U.S., Death Records, 1852–1965,” digital image, Ancestry (https://www.ancestry.com/search/collections/1222 : accessed 4 Sep 2013), death certificate no. 5796 (1940), Jesse R. DePriest; from microfilm 7016130–7041803, KY Dept. for Libraries and Archives, Frankfort. Mattie then married Henry Shade on 26 August 1940 in Webster County.²⁶FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/search/film/0007734277 : accessed 4 Nov 2021), digital film 007734277, image 654 Webster Co., KY, Marriage Book 44, Shade-DePriest, 26 Aug 1940. Mattie died on 26 December 1945 at her home in Providence. She was buried in Odd Fellows Cemetery in Madisonville.²⁷“Service For Mrs. Shade to Be Held Sunday,” Messenger (Madisonville, KY), 29 Dec 1945, p. 1, col. 5; digital image, Newspapers.com (https://www.newspapers.com : accessed 8 Nov 2021).