Hawkins-Davison Houses, Frederica, St. Simons Island, Georgia — John Shaqi
Hawkins-Davison Houses, Frederica, St. Simons Island, GeorgiaCate, Margaret Davis
History
Hawkins-Davison Houses, Frederica, St. Simons Island, Georgia
Cate, Margaret Davis
Dwellings -- Georgia -- Saint Simons Island; Fort Frederica National Monument (Ga.); Saint Simons Island (Ga. : Island) -- History
Dr. Hawkins was one of the important personages in the community. Not
only was he the surgeon in Oglethorpe’s Regiment and the medical doctor
for Frederica and the other settlements nearby, but he kept the
apothecary shop, and was First Bailiff. His house on Broad Street was
his residence as well as headquarters for his work. Here he saw patients
and dispensed drugs from his apothecary shop. He claimed his
improvements were “superior to any other.”[15]
In addition to his pay as surgeon in the Regiment, Hawkins received a
salary of thirty pounds a year as First Bailiff and was allowed twelve
pounds, three shillings, four pence, for clothing and maintaining a
servant, together with an allowance of four pounds for the expense of
“public rejoicings, Anniversary Days, etc.” Also, he had an allowance of
ten pounds for acting as correspondent with William Stephens of
Savannah.[16]
The Trustees sent him quantities of drugs, sugar, and tallow, to use in
his work. To enable him to go to Darien and other parts of the Colony to
visit the sick, he was allowed twenty-five pounds a year for the upkeep
of his boat, as well as the services of two of the Trustees’ servants.
Hawkins made charges for equipment for this boat, such as blocks and
rope, which the Trustees refused to pay. Likewise they refused to pay
the charge of one shilling for sharpening two surgeon’s saws, and
fifteen shillings for cleaning and grinding his surgical instruments. In
fact, he never seemed able to put through an expense account![17]
When he was not paid the sums he claimed, he wrote: “I continue the care
of the sick, widows, servants and Indians and objects of charity as well
as the bailiffship but cannot get regular payment....” He further
claimed “my constitution [is] ruined by fatigue; character hurted by
Malicious Aspersions, My Dues kept from me.”[18]
There were those, however, who did not think he had earned all he
claimed. Thomas Jones wrote that “he had not administered one dose of
physic to any poor person but refused, unless paid for which has been
done by contributions from the inhabitants....”[19]
Oglethorpe defended Hawkins and wrote the Trustees: “I do well know that
he has attended the Sick very carefully and that he constantly went up
to Darien when I was here, and I suppose he did so when I was not, It is
no little thing to go in open Boats in all Weathers near Twenty Miles &
no small Expence to hire Men and Boats ... for tho he is very capable of
Doing his Duty as a Surgeon he is very ignorant in Accounts.”[20]
Perkins, Moore, Calwell and Allen were among the Frederica settlers who
had altercations with Hawkins and two of his neighbors wrote that “if it
were not for debts and demands made on Hawkins there would be little use
for Court at Frederica.” In 1742 he was removed from office as First
Bailiff.[21]
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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