Up the hill and down the sweeping right curve leads you through farms owned by the Custenborder family as well as additional Hawker land including the Hawker-Graham House at 581 Grange Hall Road.  John Martin Hawker, Civil War veteran and grandson of Andrew Hawker, built this home in 1894 on the limestone foundation of his father, Frederick’s home which had been destroyed by fire.  John had lived in a small home at the southwest corner of Shakertown and Grange Hall Roads.  The house, barn and outbuildings are part of what was a 163 acre farm that was part of the original 3,000 acres purchased in 1803 by Jacob Coy, father-in-law of Andrew Hawker.  The original 1894 house interior remains, including the modest ballroom on the third floor.

A beautiful farmhouse at the southeast corner of Shakertown and Grange Hall Roads first appears on an 1896 map of Beavercreek and was likely a member of Valentine P. Coy’s family.

Continuing west on Dayton-Xenia you’ll note a large two story commercial building now known as Copeland Roofing.  The front section was originally the farmhouse for the Morgan Dairy.  Across Dayton-Xenia was a barn that was often used for basketball and socials.  In the 1870’s, this was the 154 acre Adam Hawker estate which included a blacksmith shop, a cane mill (sorghum molasses), general store, platform train station (Hawker Station), and the location of the original Hawker Church and cemetery. 

A hard worker of limited education, Adam and wife Hannah (Westfall) owned the first evaporator and reaper in Greene County.  Adam served as a Township Trustee for five years.  Please consider reading Faith of Our Fathers (available at the Beavercreekand Greene County libraries) by Miriam Engle Allen for a wonderful read on the formation of Hawker Church.  Adam’s father was Andrew Hawker who came to Ohio in 1801 with Jacob Coy after marrying Jacob’s daughter, Susanna in 1798 - more on them later!

• Sorghum Mill Sorghum Mill
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