William Alexander Hawthorne was a pioneer lumberman and rancher in Nevada who was the namesake for the town of Hawthorne. He moved to the region from Pennsylvania in 1878, located a mine on Mt. Grant and established a ranch on Cat Creek. The town of Hawthorne was eventually named after him when the Carson & Colorado Railroad established it as a division point in the early 1880s , solidifying his connection to the area’s early development. He was considered a Prosperous, middle-aged well to do Nevada William Alexander Hawthorne was a pioneer lumberman and rancher in Nevada who was the namesake businessman , who spend his time in the desert hills prospecting for gold and silver.  He owned 980 acres near Walker Lake. He was active in encouraging  the railroad to consider a townsite on the edge of Walker Lake. The railroad had a different location for the townsite than Hawthorne (which it is where it is today). Out of respect for Mr. Hawthorne, they named the new town in his honor. At the time William Hawthorne was Justice of the Peace in Carson City. The 1875 city directory spells his name without the “e”, making one question of the proper spelling of the town of Hawthorne. William Hawthorne never actually lived in Hawthorne. He had his cattle ranch and mining interests here as well as many other places. He resided in Carson City. Hawthorne was killed outside of the Grand Hotel in San Francisco by a falling scaffold placed by a contractor. Hawthorne was 81 years old at the time of his death. He is buried in an unmarked grave in Lone Mountain Cemetery in Carson City, next to his wife Sarah Jane who passed away before him. They had three children together.

    There is a story that he found and lost a mine out near Luning. He was out prospecting and found what he thought was a rich vein. It was getting dark and he decided to call it a night, leaving his pick and shovel and some other tools in the hole, hoping to return the next day. He did not make it back there, for various reasons, until later. Then he could not find the hole he had dug. Some cattlemen were herding cattle in the area some years later and found a hole with an axe and shovel in it and thought that may have been his original discovery. That mine turned out to be profitable for the cattlemen. There are many mines dug in that area and it is thought to be in the Bell Mining District.

References:

Wilipedia

Find a grave

 Pioneer Nevada by Harold’s Club