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BIOGRAPHIES
Source:
History
Source:
A History of Scioto County, Ohio
together with a
PIONEER RECORD
of
SOUTHERN OHIO
by
NELSON W. EVANS, A. M.,
Life Member of The Ohio state Archaeological and Historical Society.
Member of the Virginia Historical Society, and of the
American Historical Association
---
Published
Portsmouth, Ohio
by Nelson W. Evans
1903
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GEORGE HENDERSON WATKINS
was born Oct. 17, 1858, at Piketon, Ohio. His father was
John H. Watkins, and his mother's maiden name was Sophia
Murphy, one of five brothers and two sisters. His father
kept a ferry at Piketon, Ohio, for a long time. He was a
private in the army and died in the service. He also had a
brother who died in the Civil war. When our subject was six
months old his parents moved to Zanesville, and resided there until
he was nine years old. He attended school while at Zanesville.
His father died when he was a child, his mother remarried to
Benjamin Lewis, and the family moved on a farm just north of
Waverly, and resided there four years. At thirteen years of
age, our subject went to Bear Creek, and engaged in the mercantile
business as a clerk for Lowman & Allison. He remained
with Lowman on Bear Creek until he was twenty years of age,
when he opened a store at Clifford, Ohio, for Mr. Lowman and
remained there from 1878 until 1886. In the latter eyar he
removed to Wakefield, and there a store was opened under the firm
name of Lowman & Watkins. In 1900 he bought out Mr.
Lowman, and has been carrying on the store ever since.
Aug. 1, 1901, he located his office at Columbus, in the Wyandotte
Building. He is a railroad tie contractor, purchasing ties for
several of the railroads. He maintains his residence at
Wakefield. He was appointed Superintendent of the Ohio Canal
in February, 1898, and holds the office yet.
He was married in January, 1879 to Lilly I. Glaze,
daughter of Josiah Glaze. They have three children:
Frank L., a physician at Portsmouth; Lou M., a daughter at home,
and Nelson M., a son at home.
He has always been a republican, and is a Blue Lodge
Mason. His chief characteristics are his sturdy honesty,
liberality, progressiveness and loyalty to his friends. He
despises hypocrisy and deceit in every form. During a long and
eminently successful business career his word has always been
regarded as good as his bond, and he has had the confidence and
respect of those with whom his business has brought him into
contact. While a very earnest political worker, he never
permits his political affiliations or prejudice to interfere in his
social intercourse with his friends, who are to be found in all
parties. Mr. Watkins is regarded as a public
spirited citizen. He is always identified with everything that
tends to advance or better the condition of his community.
Source: History of Scioto Co., Ohio - Publ.
1907 - Page 1176-1177 |
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MRS. JUDITH WATKINS
was born Jan. 25, 1797, in Hampshire County, Va., the daughter of
John and Elizabeth Timbrook near Romney. Her mother was a
daughter of Lieutenant Lane, a soldier of the Revolution.
Mrs. Lane was one of the ladies who stewed flowers in the
pathway of Gen. Washington. The Timbrooks family
resided in the Little Cabin Valley. When a child she was
chased by wolves, and rescued by her parents. In 1857, her
mother died in her ninety-first year. Her brothers and sisters
were as follows: William, died at Fort Wayne, Ind.,
aged 86; John, died near Portsmouth in 1840; James,
died in the suburbs of Portsmouth in 1865; Rebecca, who
married Samuel C. Briggs, died in 1840.
In the fall of 1815, Judith Timbrook married
Thomas Bates Watkins In March, 1821, she and her husband,
her mother, sister Rebecca and brother James, with a
wagon started west. The Brownsville, Pa., they purchased a
flat boat. They laid by nights and Sundays. They reached
Portsmouth in April, 1821. They were laid up at Portsmouth
with high winds. The people of Portsmouth tried to induce them
to stay, and they sold their boat, bought horses and started for
Chillicothe. The roads were so bad, that they gave up and
located on the John Orme place, north of Portsmouth, where
they raised a garden and Watkins teamed. Their flour
was $5.00 per barrell, ham 5 cents per pound, eggs 5 cents per
dozen, and all other articles in proportion.
When the Scioto was high, flat boats came down manned
by as many as twenty-four hands. Thos. B. Watkins
farmed the bottoms for years and then removed to the brick house
which formerly stood on Lincoln street north of Robinson avenue.
In 1825, just after he went into partnership with Samuel C.
Briggs, he was in the bottoms cutting wood when a large dead
limb fell on him and paralyzed him. He lay helpless for six
weeks. After recovering, he started a grocery where the Second
street school house now stands. He remained there till just
before the flood of 1852, when he went to Lucasville and kept a
tavern. Charles Mastin kept a store there, and the
residents were David Jones, father of Luke; Henry
Roush, who also kept a tavern, and Dr. Watkins. A
great many teamsters from Lancaster made Watkins' hotel their
stopping place, and sometimes there were as many as 20 wagons in
front of the hotel at night.
In 1829, they removed to Waverly and kept a tavern
there. They entertained Duncan McArthur, Robert Lucas
and other distinguished men. In 1851, they returned to
Portsmouth, and kept a tavern on Front and Massie streets where
Reitz's office now is. Mr. Watkins afterwards kept
a tavern known as the "Travelers' Home" which stood east of
Chillicothe in the middle of Sixth street in front of the church.
Mr. Watkins had always been a Democrat, but he voted for
Mr. Lincoln in 1864. He had served in Captain Sealy's
Company in the war of 1812. He died Nov. 16, 1884.
Mr. Watkins wore the first blue jeans made in Scioto County, and
of it mitts were made for Dr. Waller, John Orme, Daniel Noel,
and other residents. His children were Mrs. S. H. Holmes,
Thomas B. Watkins, James, Captain of the Anchor line steamer of
St. Louis, Jefferson L., John Watkins, and Mrs. H.
Densmore. Her son, William died in 1865 and her
daughter, Mrs. Thomas Beatty, in 1865. Mrs. Watkins
drew a pension on account of her husband's service in the war of
1812. It was granted under the law of March, 1878. She
died Apr. 15, 1885.
Source: History of Scioto Co., Ohio - Publ.
1907 - Page 863-864 |
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THOMAS WILLIAM WATKINS
was born in Clinton, Illinois, Oct. 18, 1857. His father was
John C. Watkins, and his mother Ellen LaForgey.
His father was a native of Portsmouth. His grandfather,
Thomas Watkins, was one of the first settlers in Portsmouth.
Thomas left Clinton, Illinois, when a babe and came to
Portsmouth. He attended the Portsmouth schools until 174, and
then began to learn the plumbing business with Jones & Burt.
He went to Cincinnati and worked at his trade there until 1878.
He then came back to Portsmouth, in 1878, and started in business
for himself, in 1880, and has been in it ever since. He is
located at the southwest corner of Third and Washington streets, and
has located at the southwest corner of Third and Washington streets,
and has been there for ten years. He resides at 320, Jackson
street, in the Thomas W. Carrie property. He was
married in 1872, in Scioto county, to Sarah Stockham,
daughter of Aaron Stockham. He has six children:
Lettie, Charles, Judith, Thomas A., Harold Wayne, and Sarah.
He is a republican. He was at one time Superintendent of the
Water Works, and is a member of the Royal Arcanum and Knights of
Pythias. He understands his business thoroughly and devotes
himself to it.
Source: History of Scioto Co., Ohio - Publ.
1907 - Page 1177 |
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JOSEPH
WILLIAMSON came to Ohio from New Jersey and located on
government land, on the site of the town of Alexandria. He had
a family of nine children: Frank, William, Joseph, Peter,
James, Thomas, Margaret, Anna and Sarah. He died in
1812. His wife, Martha (Fort) Williamson died in 1834.
Both are buried in Washington township. His son, Joseph
was the father of George Williamson of Dry Run, who has a
sketch and picture herein.
Source: History of Scioto Co., Ohio - Publ. 1907 - Page 871 |
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