William Winford “Win” Hawkins was born June 25, 1890 in Greenville, Alabama. Originally a farmer by trade, he eventually became involved in the oil industry, moving to Lafayette, Louisiana in 1934. He belonged to several different organizations, including the Public Lands Committee of Interstate Oil Compact Association, the Independent Petroleum Association of America, the American Association of Drilling Contractors, and the Louisiana Gulf Coast Oil Exposition (LAGCOE).

A renowned hunter and fisherman, Hawkins owned and/or managed camps in Cameron Parish, including the Grand Chenier Hunting Club and the Oak Grove Hunting Club. These camps were popular sites for duck hunting, attracting many famous people such as President Franklin D. Roosevelt and golfer Jack Nicklaus. It was on the Grand Chenier grounds where he commanded the “Swamp Angels”, a World War II unit tasked with stopping the infiltration of enemies through the coastal marshes and rescuing downed American pilots. Thanks to their efforts, the unit saved 35 Air Force flyers. Hawkins died September 21, 1987 and is interred at Greenlawn Memorial Garden and Mausoleum Cemetery in Lafayette.