John Hawks (architect)

John Hawks (c. 1731 – October 31, 1790) was an English-American architect active in the Province of North Carolina during the late colonial period.

Expecting to soon succeed Arthur Dobbs as governor and organize building projects, he brought Hawks with him to the colony to serve as an architect.

The building would serve both as a governor's mansion and a meeting place for the North Carolina General Assembly.

[1][3] Hawks was the first professionally-trained architect to practice in North Carolina, as well as the first to reside permanently in the Thirteen Colonies.

Due to a lack of suitable construction workers in North Carolina, Hawks was dispatched to Philadelphia to hire workmen for the project.

[1] Taxes levied to fund the Tryon Palace construction were heavily opposed by the Regulators, who described it as overly extravagant.

[4] Hawks was tasked to oversee repairs to the Craven County in 1766, and designed the St. Matthews Anglican Church in Hillsborough in 1768–1769.

On Tryon's recommendation, his successor Josiah Martin appointed Hawks the clerk of the North Carolina council from 1773 to 1774.

In December 1788, he was appointed the judge of the mercantile court for the New Bern District; he resigned the following month, stating that he did not feel qualified.