by Anius Price

Junius Hawkins was an African American veteran born in Henderson, North Carolina, around 1887. He was the son of James Hawkins, with both his parents also hailing from North Carolina. Before the war he lived at 921 Cleveland Street in Norfolk and worked as a tucker on the wharf for the D. D. Steamship Company.

Before joining the military, Hawkins was a committed member of the First Baptist Church in Norfolk. His induction into the National Army occurred on July 30, 1917, at Camp Meade, Maryland, where he entered as a private for a four-year term. His military service during World War I left him with back troubles, as documented in his reflections on the mental and physical effects of camp experiences in the United States.

In 1920, Hawkins resided in Norfolk, Virginia, at 709 Burruss Street, alongside his wife, Lavenia (Lula) Hawkins, whom he married in the same year. At the time of their marriage, Hawkins was approximately 33 years old, while Lavenia was 24. The couple had no children.

Hawkins passed away on September 13. 1822 of an organic heart defect. He is buried in Calvary Cemetery in Norfolk, Virginia.

Sources:

Draft Registrations, 1917-1918. “Norfolk, Virginia, United States records,” images, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:33SQ-GYT2-9DM8?view=index : Dec 18, 2024), image 3842 of 5853; United States. National Archives and Records Administration,United States. National Archives and Records Administration. Atlanta Branch.

Virginia Death Certificates “Virginia, United States records,” images, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3QS7-99GL-RBMZ?view=index : Dec 18, 2024), image 222 of 535; Ancestry.com.

FamilySearch Census Records FamilySearch.org

“Hawkins, Junius.” World War I History Commission Questionnaires. Library of Virginia. Image 1

Anius Price is a 2024 graduate of Norfolk State University.