The Thomasville Chapter National Society Daughters of the American Revolution (DAR) held a DAR grave marker dedication commemorating the service of Revolutionary War Soldier William Hawthorne on May 21 at Tired Creek Primitive Baptist Church and Cemetery in Grady County, Georgia. Thomasville Chapter DAR Regent Charlotte Brown led the dedication ceremony. The invocation was given by Shelba Sellers, past regent of the Thomasville Chapter DAR. The colors were posted by Chuck Gibson, president, Joel Early Chapter, Sons of the American Revolution (SAR) and Matt Mathews, president, Florida Society, SAR. Distinguished guests bringing greetings included Helen Powell, state second vice regent, Georgia State Society, NSDAR, Steve Peace, vice president SW, Georgia Society, SAR, and Matt Mathews, president, Florida Society, SAR. 

The Pledge of Allegiance to the Flag of the United States of America was led by Thomasville Chapter Vice Regent Mary Tomlinson. Chapter Regent Charlotte Brown recognized DAR members from the John Benning Chapter, General James Jackson Chapter, Hightower Trail Chapter and Thomasville Chapter. She also welcomed members from the Cherokee Chapter, Joel Early Chapter and Valdosta Chapter, Sons of the American Revolution, John Lee of Nansemond Chapter, Colonial Dames XVII Century and the Mitchell County Genealogical Society. Regent Charlotte Brown recognized Armed Forces Day, which is May 21 and asked those in attendance to honor and support the men and women who serve in each branch of the U.S. military. The dedication of the DAR Patriot Marker Ritual was led by Thomasville Chapter Regent Charlotte Brown and Past Regent Shelba Sellers.

The biography of William Hawthorne was provided by Thomasville Chapter DAR Historian Mary Margaret Quiggle. Hawthorne was born about 1762 in Bladen County, North Carolina. Hawthorne’s father John and brother Nathaniel were also soldiers in the Revolutionary War. 

Capt. John Hawthorne served with the Bladen County Regiment and fought in the battle of Beatti’s Bridge. Hawthorne’s brother, Capt. Nathaniel Hawthorne, died in the Revolutionary War. The Revolutionary War pay vouchers indicate that William Hawthorne served in the North Carolina Militia, Wilmington District. On October 20, 1781, he received a North Carolina pay voucher for eight pounds and four shillings. His service was also proven when he received land in the 1827 Georgia Bounty Land Grant for Decatur County, Georgia. 

William Hawthorne married Meleachy Cliburn prior to 1793 in Robeson County, North Carolina. Their nine children were born between 1793 and 1814 in North Carolina and were named Martha, William, Jonathan, Elias, Timothy, Mileachy, Joshua, Jackson and Milbury. 

William Hawthorne was ordained a Baptist minister in 1798; and moved to Hartford, Georgia in 1806. He was elected and served as state senator for Pulaski County in 1819-1821. In 1822 he moved to a site in what was then Early County about five miles southwest of what is now Cairo and settled with his family on the southside of Tired Creek.  The trail he blazed through 40 miles of wilderness in the early 1800s is known as the Hawthorn Trail, named in his honor for its role in opening up southwest Georgia for settlement. 

The Hawthorn Trail was from Federal Trail, near Baconton, to Camilla and followed through Georgia 112 to Tired Creek Church, just north of Cairo and merged into the present Georgia 111 through Good Hope and Pine Hill communities to Gadsden County, Florida. The road William Hawthorne opened provided a more direct connection from the Federal Trail, which ran from middle Georgia to forts on the Flint and Apalachicola rivers to the Miccosukee Trails in Florida. 

It also accommodated the movement of whole families by covered wagons and carts, which existing Indian paths would not permit, providing access to an unsettled portion of southwest Georgia. In 1823, Hawthorne helped select a location for the county seat. A 50-acre site at Fort Hughes on the Flint River was chosen and named Bainbridge, for the new county of Decatur, which was formed out of Early County. Hawthorne later served two terms as state senator for Decatur County.

On September 2, 1826, William Hawthorne organized the constitution of Tired Creek Primitive Baptist Church. He was called to be its first pastor; and served continuously until 1838. The community near the area called itself Tired Creek. Elder William Hawthorne, a Revolutionary War soldier, died May 15, 1846 at the age of 84.

The DAR marker was unveiled by Thomasville Chapter DAR Regent Charlotte Brown at the gravesite of William Hawthorne in the Tired Creek Primitive Baptist Church Cemetery. Past Regent Shelba Sellers announced the wreath presentations. In honor and in memory of William Hawthorne, wreaths were presented by Regent Charlotte Brown, Thomasville Chapter, NSDAR, Honorary Regent Pam Dover, Hightower Trail Chapter, NSDAR, Regent Nancy Coleman, John Benning Chapter, NSDAR, Regent Floye Luke, General James Jackson Chapter, NSDAR, Past President Jinanne Parrish, John Lee of Nansemond Chapter, Colonial Dames XVII Century, Chaplain Robert H. Parrish Jr., Valdosta Chapter, Sons of the American Revolution (SAR), President Chuck Gibson, Joel Early Chapter, SAR and President Matt Mathews, Florida Society, SAR. The dedication ceremony ended with the singing of Amazing Grace by those in attendance. The benediction was given by Shelba Sellers. 

Chapter Regent Charlotte Brown thanked everyone for attending the dedication. Attendees also received a card honoring Revolutionary War Soldier William Hawthorne and a U.S. Flag lapel pin. After the dedication ceremony, Thomasville Chapter DAR members and guests attended a luncheon at the Plaza Restaurant in Thomasville.  

The National Society Daughters of the American Revolution was founded in 1890 to promote historic preservation, education, and patriotism. Its members are descended from the patriots who won American independence during the Revolutionary War. With more than 190,000 members in approximately 3,000 chapters worldwide, DAR is one of the world’s largest and most active service organizations. More than one million women have joined the DAR since it was founded. To learn more about the work of today’s DAR, visit www.DAR.org.

For more information about the Thomasville Chapter DAR, visit thomasville.georgiastatedar.org or the Chapter’s Facebook page at facebook.com/ThomasvilleChapterNSDAR.

Photo credit: Dwight Dover

Photo Captions:

DAR Photo 1: The Thomasville Chapter, NSDAR, held a DAR Grave Marker Dedication Ceremony for Revolutionary War Soldier William Hawthorne at Tired Creek Primitive Baptist Church and Cemetery in Grady County, GA. From left to right are Thomasville Chapter DAR members Linda Solana, Mary Margaret Quiggle, Mary Tomlinson, Shelba Sellers, Vicky Johnson, Chapter Regent Charlotte Brown, Whitney White, Sue White, Della Spence and Jinanne Parrish. SAR Color Guard members are left, Chuck Gibson, President, Joel Early Chapter, SAR and right, Matt Mathews, President, Florida Society, SAR.

DAR Photo 2: The Thomasville Chapter, NSDAR, held a DAR Grave Marker Dedication Ceremony for Revolutionary War Soldier William Hawthorne at Tired Creek Primitive Baptist Church and Cemetery in Grady County, GA. From left to right are Mary Margaret Quiggle, Historian, Thomasville Chapter DAR, Chuck Gibson, President, Joel Early Chapter SAR, Helen Powell, State Second Vice Regent, Georgia State Society DAR, Charlotte Brown, Regent, Thomasville Chapter DAR, Steve Peace, Vice President SW, Georgia Society SAR, Shelba Sellers, Past Regent, Thomasville Chapter DAR and Matt Mathews, President, Florida Society SAR.

DAR Photo 3: The Thomasville Chapter, NSDAR, dedicated a DAR Grave Marker for Revolutionary War Soldier William Hawthorne at Tired Creek Primitive Baptist Church Cemetery in Grady County, GA. 

DAR Photo 4: The Thomasville Chapter, NSDAR, held a DAR Grave Marker Dedication Ceremony for Revolutionary War Soldier William Hawthorne at Tired Creek Primitive Baptist Church and Cemetery in Grady County, GA. During the dedication, wreaths were placed at the gravesite of William Hawthorne.  From left to right are Regent Nancy Coleman, John Benning Chapter, NSDAR, President Chuck Gibson, Joel Early Chapter, SAR, President Mary Margaret Quiggle and Past President Jinanne Parrish, John Lee of Nansemond Chapter, Colonial Dames XVII Century, Regent Floye Luke, General James Jackson Chapter, NSDAR, Regent Charlotte Brown, Thomasville Chapter, NSDAR, President Matt Mathews, Florida Society, SAR, Chaplain Robert H. Parrish, Jr., Valdosta Chapter, SAR, and Honorary Regent Pam Dover, Hightower Trail Chapter, NSDAR.

DAR Photo 5: The Thomasville Chapter, NSDAR, held a DAR Grave Marker Dedication Ceremony for Revolutionary War Soldier William Hawthorne at Tired Creek Primitive Baptist Church and Cemetery in Grady County, GA. From left to right are Helen Powell, State Second Vice Regent, Georgia State Society, NSDAR, and Charlotte Brown, Regent, Thomasville Chapter, NSDAR.