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From the Biographical Record of the Counties of Rock, Green, Grant, Iowa and Lafayette, Wisconsin, publ. 1901- page 689-690
GEORGE HAWK, one of the solid, substantial citizens of Platteville, Grant county, a veteran of the war of the Rebellion, and a man who has few, if any, enemies, was born in Cornwall, England, in October, 1833, a son of George and Johanna HAWK, natives of England. George HAWK, Sr., started with his family to America in 1846, but the good mother died during the passage, and he landed with his children at Potosi, Wis., where he engaged in lead mining for seven years, later removing to Harrison, Ill., and dying. To himself and wife were born (all in England) the following family: Johanna, wife of William GILBERT, of Missouri; our subject; Elizabeth, wife of Philip KNAPP, of Oregon; Alice, widow of William CHESTER, of Missouri; Mary A., widow of John FORSYTHE, of Illinois; and William, a resident of Platteville.
George HAWK was reared and educated in Grant county, commencing work in the lead mines while still a boy, which occupation he followed successfully for a number of years, but later engaged in farming in Harrison township, and then removed to Platteville, where, in 1884 he was honored with appointment as road commissioner, having jurisdiction over eight townships, and still holds the office. During this time Mr. HAWK has also served one year as city commissioner of roads.
In 1856 Mr. HAWK married Miss Sarah ASHWORTH, who was born in England in 1839, a daughter of Mrs. Elizabeth ASHWORTH, whose second husband was Edmund GRINDROD, and died in Platteville. Seven living children are in the family of Mr. and Mrs. HAWK: Martha, born in 1857, wife of William R. WALLACE, a resident of Platteville, and has one son, George; Carrie, born in 1859, widow of Robert TRENARY a resident of Pocahontas, Iowa, has two children, Flossie and Earl L.; George E., born in 1862, married Mary DEAN, and resides at Pocahontas, Iowa, and has two children, Arthur and Frank; Mary I., born in 1865, wife of John MORMAN, of Iowa, has one son, Bertie; Robert E., born in 1869, married is a farmer in Charles Mix county, S. Dak., and has two children, Rufus and Basel; Lizzie A., born in 1870, educated in the Platteville school, and is now the wife of James HAYDEN, a farmer of Platteville township, has two children, Robert and Estella; Estella died in childhood; Arthur, born in 1879, was a student of the Platteville school and now is farming in South Dakota.
When the war between the States broke out, one of the first to offer his services was our subject, who entered Company F, 21st Wis. V.I., and served with the Western Army until the close of the struggle, when he was honorably discharged, having made for himself a record for bravery, of which he may well be proud. In memory of those days Mr. HAWK is an active member of Sherman Post, G.A.R., of Platteville. Politically Mr. HAWK is a consistent member of the Democratic party. Both as a private citizen and as a public official, Mr. HAWK has proven himself a worthy of the confidence of his fellow townsmen, and enjoys a widespread popularity, which is richly deserved.
This biography generously submitted by Carol Holmbeck