Mary E. Petty

Mary E. Petty, called Mollie, was born in 1865 in Georgia, probably Whitfield County.¹Friendship Cemetery (Forsyth Co., GA), Mollie E. Hawkins marker, photographed by Linda McCauley, 10 Nov 2011. “Kentucky, U.S., Death Records, 1852–1965,” digital image, Ancestry (https://www.ancestry.com/search/collections/1222 : accessed 4 Sep 2013), death certificate no. 1387 (1944), Samantha Angeline Hankins; from microfilm 7016130–7041803, KY Dept. for Libraries and Archives, Frankfort; family lived in Whitfield Co., GA when Samantha was born in 1861. She was the fourth child born to John R. Petty and Margaret E. Thomas.²1870 U.S. census, Logan Co., KY, population schedule, Keysburg Dist., p. 33, dwelling 185, family 185, John R. Petty; digital image, Ancestry (https://www.ancestry.com/search/collections/7163 : accessed 5 Nov 2009); from NARA microfilm M593, roll 483. Mollie was one of the children who went to live in Forsyth County, Georgia, after Margaret died in 1876. She lived with her aunt Mary Thomas Echols and her husband.³1880 U.S. census, Forsyth Co., GA, population schedule, Coal Mountain, enumeration district (ED) 78, p. 24, dwelling 240, family 240, J. M. Echols; digital image, Ancestry (https://www.ancestry.com/search/collections/6742 : accessed 5 Nov 2009); from NARA microfilm T9, roll 147.

Mollie married Benjamin Hill Hawkins on 4 December 1881 in Forsyth County.⁴“Marriage Records from Microfilm,” digital image, Georgia Archives Virtual Vault ((https://www.vault.georgiaarchives.org/digital/collection/countyfilm : accessed 13 Nov 2012); Forsyth Co., E:253, Hawkins-Petty, 4 Dec 1881; from Georgia County marriage records on microfilm, Georgia Archives, Morrow. They had five children, all likely born in Forsyth County. Robert Lee was born in 1882 and died in 1884,⁵Friendship Cemetery (Forsyth Co., GA), Robert Lee Hawkins marker, photographed by Linda McCauley, 10 Nov 2011. Henry Grady was born on 1 April 1884.⁶1900 U.S. census, Forsyth Co., GA, population schedule, Cumming District, enumeration district (ED) 36, sheet 2B, dwelling 31, family 34, Benjamin H. Hawkins; digital images, Ancestry (https://www.ancestry.com/search/collections/7602 : accessed 6 Mar 2016); citing NARA microfilm T623, roll 228; son Henry G. Find A Grave, (https://www.findagrave.com : viewed 8 Sep 2021), memorial 62113808, for Henry Grady Hawkins, (Marietta City Cemetery, Marietta, Cobb Co., GA), digital image, 24 Nov 2010, by Chet Wallace; birthdate. Bertha Belle was born in January 1886.⁷1900 U.S. census, Forsyth Co., GA, pop. sch., Cumming District, enumeration district (ED) 36, sheet 2B, dwelling 31, family 34, Benjamin H. Hawkins; daughter Bertha Belle, born Jan 1886., Velvie Estell was born on 29 February 1888.⁸1900 U.S. census, Forsyth Co., GA, pop. sch., Cumming District, enumeration district (ED) 36, sheet 2B, dwelling 31, family 34, Benjamin H. Hawkins; daughter Velva Estell. “Georgia, U.S., Death Index, 1919-1998,” database, Ancestry (https://www.ancestry.com/search/collections/5426 : accessed 8 Sep 2021), death certificate no. 25187 (1961), Velva H. Bramblett; from Indexes of Vital Records for Georgia: Deaths, 1919-1998, Georgia Health Department, Office of Vital Records, Atlanta. Annie Lorena was born in July 1890. ⁹1900 U.S. census, Forsyth Co., GA, pop. sch., Cumming District, enumeration district (ED) 36, sheet 2B, dwelling 31, family 34, Benjamin H. Hawkins; daughter Annie L, born Jul 1890.

Mollie died in 1891, less than ten years after she married Benjamin and while her children were young. She was buried in Friendship Cemetery in Forsyth County.¹⁰Friendship Cemetery (Forsyth Co., GA), Mollie E. Hawkins marker. Benjamin died on 20 December 1938 in Atlanta, Fulton County, Georgia and was buried beside Mollie.¹¹Friendship Cemetery (Forsyth Co., GA), Benjamin H. Hawkins marker, photographed by Linda McCauley, 10 Nov 2011.