Hawk, Eugene Blake

Eugene Blake Hawk, son of Hiram Decatur and Sarah Emma Hawk, was born in Blountville, Tennessee on September 6, 1881. He attended Holston College at Blountville for one year. He then entered Emory and Henry College and graduated with an A. B. degree in 1903. Following graduation Hawk taught school in Damascus, Virginia and studied law. He accepted a teaching position in McAlister, Indian Territory (Oklahoma). Later, Hawk left teaching to join a law firm with the intention of becoming a lawyer.

During a visit home to Damascus, Virginia, Hawk received and accepted an invitation to become the School Superintendent. However, during this time at Damascus, he felt a call to the ministry, resigned his position, and entered Vanderbilt University in order to receive ministerial training. After graduating from Vanderbilt with a B. D. degree in 1909, Hawk accepted an appointment at Walnut Springs church in the Cleburne district of Texas.

Hawk married Dora Patterson of Waxahachie, Texas in 1912, and they had two sons, Hiram Patterson and Richard Blake. Mrs. Hawk died December 8, 1918 during an influenza epidemic. In July 1920, Hawk married Amanda B. Hawkins of Fort Worth, Texas. They had one son, Riddle Lee.

In 1933, Dr. Charles C. Selecman, president of Southern Methodist University (SMU), invited Hawk to become the Dean of the School of Theology (later Perkins School of Theology). Hawk accepted and served as Dean from 1933 until 1951. While at SMU he also served as Vice-President of the university and as Acting President during the interim period between Selecman’s and Umphrey Lee’s presidencies. Thereafter, Hawk served as Executive Vice-President of SMU until his retirement in 1952.

Soon after retirement, Hawk became the Associate Minister of University Park Methodist Church (Dallas) and remained there until 1962. After finishing that ministerial appointment, Dean Joseph Quillian invited Hawk to return to Perkins, have his old office, and become an advisor to the Dean. Thus, Hawk returned to the Perkins School of Theology. He died of a heart attack a year later on October 11, 1963.

During his life, Dr. Hawk received several honorary degrees: a D. D. from Asbury College, SMU, and Boston University; and a L. L. D. from McMurray College and Emory and Henry College. His ministerial appointments were: Walnut Springs, Grandview, Blooming Grove, Groesbeck, Polytechnic (Fort Worth), First (Temple), Presiding Elder- Waxahachie District, First (Fort Worth), Fourth Street (Louisville, Kentucky).

Eugene B. Hawk made two distinctive contributions to Methodism in the Southwest: first, the construction of the First Methodist Church facility in Fort Worth during his six-year pastorate, and second, the building of the Perkins School of Theology Quadrangle on the campus of Southern Methodist University. Hawk’s contributions to the Perkins School of Theology, in addition to the Quadrangle, include the introduction of Ministers’ Week and the initiation of the Perkins School of Theology Journal.

Sources:

W. W. Ward. Eugene Blake Hawk. 1964 Central Texas Conference being the Ninety-Ninth Annual Session. June 2-5, 1964.

From the guide to the Eugene B. Hawk papers Brid Arch 104. 02., 1924-1962, 1930-1951, (Bridwell Library, Perkins School of Theology, Southern Methodist University)