Hawks, Francis Lister

(June 10, 1798-Sept. 27, 1866). Early historian of the Episcopal Church, and a popular preacher. He was born in New Bern, North Carolina. Hawks graduated from the University of North Carolina in 1815, and then studied law. After practicing law for a while, he studied under William Mercer Green. Hawks was ordained deacon on Nov. 18, 1827, and priest on Jan. 25, 1828. In 1829 he served as an assistant at Trinity Church, New Haven, and in 1830 he was an assistant at St. James' Church in Philadelphia. For a while he was professor of divinity at Washington College, Hartford, Connecticut. From 1831 until 1843, he was rector of St. Stephen's Church and then St. Thomas Church, both in New York City. From 1833 until 1835, Hawks was professor of ecclesiastical history at the General Theological Seminary. In 1844 he was rector of Christ Church, New Orleans, and from 1844 until 1849, he was president of the University of Louisiana. In 1853 he helped to establish the Church Journal in New York City. From around 1851 until his death, Hawks was the historiographer of the Episcopal Church. His major publications were Contributions to the Ecclesiastical History of the United States, 2 vols. (1836 and 1839), and (with William Stevens Perry) Documentary History of the Protestant Episcopal Church in the United States of America, 2 vols. (1863 and 1864). He died in New York City.