Rush C. (Rush Christopher) Hawkins

Born in Pomfret, Vermont, in 1831, Rush Christopher Hawkins enlisted while still a teenager for service in the Mexican-American War, later studied law, and built a career in New York. During the American Civil War he became a Union colonel, commanding the 9th New York Volunteer Infantry, and remained a public figure afterward through military, legal, and civic work.

Beyond his military career, Hawkins became known as a serious book collector and art patron. He assembled notable collections of early printed books and Civil War materials, and his gifts helped place important resources in public institutions, including the University of Vermont.

After the death of his wife, Annmary Brown Hawkins, he created the Annmary Brown Memorial at Brown University as both a memorial and a home for art, books, and manuscripts. That project reflects the part of his life most likely to interest modern readers: not just a man of action, but someone deeply committed to preserving history, literature, and culture.