# Miss Martha Hawkins — The Hoosier Schoolmaster character guide

> Miss Martha Hawkins in The Hoosier Schoolmaster by Edward Eggleston.

**Role:** supporting

**Also known as:** Miss Hawkins, Miss Martha, Martha Hawkins, O Miss Hawkins, Martha

**First appearance:** 0013-xi-miss-martha-hawkins

## Snapshot

Squire Hawkins's high-minded niece, whose love for the awkward Bud Means collides with her uncle's terror for his new red barn.

## Who they are

Martha would sacrifice anything rather than forsake the poor, and she loves Bud tenderly—partly because he reminds her of no one she knew back East. When the Squire, fearing for his haystacks and his galloping Indian vane, hints that his life is threatened, she believes her refusal of Bud is the price of her uncle's safety. Her husky 'No, I thank you' at the spelling-school breaks Bud's heart and sets the story's central misunderstanding in motion.

## Relationships

### [Bud Means](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_hoosier_schoolmaster_se/characters/bud_means)

_romantic_

Bud is smitten with Martha, and their interactions show a playful, earnest courtship despite social differences.

### [Ralph Hartsook](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_hoosier_schoolmaster_se/characters/ralph_hartsook)

_social_

Martha and Ralph are acquaintances through the community, with Martha's family holding social standing.

### [Bud Means](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_hoosier_schoolmaster_se/characters/bud_means)

_romantic_

Bud is smitten with Martha, and their interactions show a playful, earnest courtship despite social differences.

### [Ralph Hartsook](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_hoosier_schoolmaster_se/characters/ralph_hartsook)

_social_

Martha and Ralph are acquaintances through the community, with Martha's family holding social standing.

### [Ralph Hartsook](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_hoosier_schoolmaster_se/characters/ralph_hartsook)

_social_

Martha and Ralph are acquaintances through the community, with Martha's family holding social standing.

### [Bud Means](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_hoosier_schoolmaster_se/characters/bud_means)

_romantic_

Bud is smitten with Martha, and their interactions show a playful, earnest courtship despite social differences.

## In the story

### [XI: Miss Martha Hawkins](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_hoosier_schoolmaster_se/chapters/xi-miss-martha-hawkins)

Squire Hawkins's niece from Massachusetts, who frequently mentions her visit to Boston and shows kindness by visiting the Pearsons.

### [The Hardshell Preacher](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_hoosier_schoolmaster_se/chapters/xii-the-hardshell-preacher)

Rides behind Ralph to church and repeatedly compares the local customs and sights to her experiences 'at the East' in Boston.

### [XV: The Church of the Best Licks](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_hoosier_schoolmaster_se/chapters/xv-the-church-of-the-best-licks)

Mentioned as having informed Shocky about the mob planning to tar and feather Mr. Pearson.

### [XVI: The Church Militant](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_hoosier_schoolmaster_se/chapters/xvi-the-church-militant)

Her support for the basket-maker influences Bud's championship.

### [A Council of War](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_hoosier_schoolmaster_se/chapters/xvii-a-council-of-war)

Present at the council, anxious and looking to Bud for help.

### [Odds and Ends](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_hoosier_schoolmaster_se/chapters/xviii-odds-and-ends)

Stays with Shocky and offers Bud a kind word that greatly encourages him.

### [XX: God Remembers Shocky](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_hoosier_schoolmaster_se/chapters/xx-god-remembers-shocky)

Has Shocky ready for the journey, having bundled him in shawls. She is moved by Shocky's faith and joins the conspiracy to help him escape.

### [Bud Wooing](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_hoosier_schoolmaster_se/chapters/xxv-bud-wooing)

Receives Bud graciously, tries to engage him in conversation.

### [A Letter and Its Consequences](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_hoosier_schoolmaster_se/chapters/xxvi-a-letter-and-its-consequences)

Distinguishes herself at the spelling school but, believing her uncle's life is in danger, refuses Bud's escort, sacrificing her own happiness.

### [How It Came Out](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_hoosier_schoolmaster_se/chapters/xxxiv-how-it-came-out)

Accepts Bud's proposal and agrees to help him run the poorhouse.

### [Endnotes](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_hoosier_schoolmaster_se/chapters/endnotes)

Mentioned as a character drawn from a real person, with a speech pattern noted as a literal transcript from a Massachusetts-born woman.

## Links

- HTML: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_hoosier_schoolmaster_se/characters/miss_martha_hawkins
- Book: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_hoosier_schoolmaster_se
- All characters: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_hoosier_schoolmaster_se/characters