Buena Vista County, IA
USGenWeb Project

Nathan Hawk, a well known and prosperous agriculturist residing in Marathon, was born in Brown county, Ohio, March 7, 1829, his parents being William and Nancy (Austin) Hawk, also natives of the Buckeye state.  The year 1850 witnessed their removal to Champaign county, Illinois, where they spent the remainder of their lives, the father passing away in 1856 when fifty-three years of age, while the mother was called to her final rest in 1854.  Their family numbered twelve children, namely:  John; Jacob; Nathan, of this review; Elizabeth; Benjamin; Silas; Jane; Susan; William; George; and twins who died in infancy.  All of these children are deceased with the exception of Nathan and George.

When twenty-two years of age Mr. Hawk started out in business life on his own account as an agriculturist and successfully followed that pursuit for thirty-three years.  The year 1883 witnessed his arrival in Buena Vista county, Iowa, and here he has since been a well known representative of farming interests.  His farm at one time comprised five hundred and sixty acres of rich and productive land but he has disposed of all except one hundred and sixty acres on section 17, Poland township, and forty-eight acres in Marathon, where he is living at the present time.  For nine years during his early manhood he worked at the carpenter's trade.  When he first arrived in this county he had to contend with many of the hardships and privations incident to pioneer life but has lived to witness the wonderful transformation that has been wrought as the conditions of frontier existence have given way before an advancing civilization.

On October 9, 1851, Mr. Hawk was united in marriage to Miss Elizabeth Dodge, a daughter of Alexander Dodge and a native of Virginia, who came to Ohio and passed away in that state.  Unto our subject and his wife have been born five children, as follows:  Emily Jane, deceased; John B., a resident of Oregon; Dr. Nathan F. Hawk, who wedded Miss Margaret Hare; Laura Ellen, the wife of D. S. Wycoff, of Story county, Iowa; and Sarah Elizabeth, whose demise occurred when she was twelve years of age.

In his political views Mr. Hawk is a .stanch [sic] republican and while living in Illinois served as township treasurer.  His life has ever been upright and honorable and he now receives the veneration and respect which should always be accorded one who has traveled thus far on life's journey and whose actions have been above reproach.