Herbert Elmer DAWKINS

August 25, 1882 - 1929

Dawkins, Herbert Elmer, attorney at Farmerville, son of James Monroe Dawkins,
was born Aug. 25, 1882, in Union Parish, La. The father was born July 3,
1854, in Union country, Ark.; son of Duncan D. Dawkins. The last-named, a
native of Newberne, N. C., was the son of Samuel Dawkins, a Methodist
Episcopal minister, who moved from Virginia into North Carolina. It is
supposed that the Dawkins family in America originated with 2 brothers who
came from England shortly after the Revolutionary war, settling first in
Virginia, whence one moved to Maryland and the other to North Carolina. The
sons of Samuel Dawkins were Minor, Anguish, George and Duncan D. Minor
settled in Bienville parish, La. George and Anguish settled near Fort Worth,
Tex., and their children are scattered as far west as California. Duncan
settled in Union parish, La., and his sons were George, Robert B., John R.,
Oliver C., Edgar A., Thomas and James M. John R. Dawkins' children were
Dan and Annie, both of whom are living in Texas. Edgar A. Dawkins' children
were Edgar, Ben C., Joseph E., Thomas C., Gertrude and Lillie. James M.
Dawkins' children were Herbert E., Emmette, Sam D., Willie, James R.,
Gordie, Emma and May. Children of Oliver C. Dawkins were Bruton T.,
Joseph B., Margaret, Lamar and Frank. Thomas Dawkins had no children.
George Dawkins and John R. Dawkins were both Confederate soldiers. George,
who started as a private and became a caplain, was with Stonewall Jackson in
Virginia. John R. was with Gen. Joseph E. Johnston and also with Gen. Bragg.
James M. Dawkins left Arkansas when about 5 years old and came with his
parents to Union parish, La., and there attended public school. His father,
Duncan D. Dawkins, had a number of slaves, and the loss of these and general
conditions caused by the Civil war, crippled him badly, but he still kept on
and accumulated considerable property after the war. J. M. Dawkins had but
little schooling. He was a farmer till 1910, at which time he became deputy
clerk of the district court. In 1902-1903 and also in 1904-05 he was a member
of the state legislature from Union parish. He was parish treasurer in 1906-
07-08-09. He is a member of the Knights of Pythias, a deacon in the
Missionary Baptist church, a democrat and active in politics. In 1881 he
married Caroline Smith. Herbert Elmer Dawkins lived on a farm until 18 years
old. He taught school 1 year, after which he entered as a student in the
Louisiana industrial institute at Ruston, La., where he graduated in 1905,
receiving the degree of bachelor of industry. He was class orator at
graduation. In 1904 he represented the Agatheridan literary society in a
debate with the Lomax literary society and won a medal. He was literary
editor of a school annual called Langanappe. After finishing school at
Ruston, Mr. Dawkins taught 1 year and in the fall of 1906 entered the
Louisiana State university, where, in 1909, he graduated in both literary and
law courses, receiving at the same time the degrees B. A. and LL. B. The last
year of the course in L. S. U. he was editor of the college annual called
Gumbo. In June, 1909 Mr Dawkins was admitted to the bar by the supreme court
of Louisiana, and in August he formed a partnership with H. G. Fields, under
the name of Fields & Dawkins. This partnership lasted 1 year and he then
became a member of the firm of Everett, Elder, Hodge & Dawkins. This
continued until 1911, when the partnership was dissolved and since that date
Mr. Dawkins has practiced law alone at Farmerville. He was married May 10,
1910, to Miss Ruth Webb, daughter of A. M. and Alice Webb of Union Parish, and
they are members of the Missionary Baptist church.


Louisiana: Comprising Sketches of Parishes, Towns, Events, Institutions, and
Persons, Arranged in Cyclopedic Form (volume 3), pp. 509-510. Edited by Alcie
Fortier, Lit.D. Published in 1914, by Century Historical Association.

Contributed on 5/18/14 by debbraszymanski
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Record #: 54338

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