Thomas-Colquitt-Sumter County GaArchives Biographies.....Watkins, John Ewing 1867 - living in 1913 ************************************************ Copyright. All rights reserved. http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm http://www.usgwarchives.net/ga/gafiles.htm ************************************************ File contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by: Joy Fisher http://www.genrecords.net/emailregistry/vols/00001.html#0000031 October 19, 2004, 8:15 pm Author: William Harden p. 811-812 JOHN EWING WATKINS, M. D. For twenty years an active physician in southern Georgia, having a large practice and influential position as a citizen at Boston, in Thomas county, Dr. Watkins is the third doctor in as many successive generations of his family. For nearly a century the profession of medicine has been followed from father to son, and along with professional success have come honors in citizenship. Dr. John E. Watkins was born in Colquitt county, Georgia, December 11, 1867. The family at a very early generation, probably about the time of the Revolutionary war or soon after, emigrated from the eastern colonies into the then west beyond the Blue Ridge mountains. From the best information obtainable, Joel Watkins. the great-grandfather of the doctor, was born in Tennessee, and from that state became an early settler in Whitley county, Kentucky. He married Martha Baker, a native of Virginia and a daughter of General Baker, who held a commission as an officer in the continental forces during the Revolution. Hon. Baker Ewing Watkins, M. D., the grandfather, was born in Whitley county, Kentucky, in 1800, was reared and educated in his native state, and during his active career combined the professions of physician and a minister of the gospel for the Methodist church. In 1847, having sold his interests in Kentucky, he moved to Alabama, buying land in Coosa county and living there until 1859, when he sold out and came to Georgia. It was in this way that the family, planted in the west during one generation, was returned to the Atlantic slope during another. After two years in Webster county the grandfather bought a plantation in Terrell county, again selling this in two years, and finally bought an improved farm in Colquitt county, where he lived in the quiet pursuits of the country and in the practice of medicine until his death in 1877. He always took an interest in public affairs, and in 1825 served as a member of the Kentucky legislature. He married Sally Berry, who was born in Kentucky and died in middle life, leaving thirteen children, whose names were: Willis, Emily, Adaliza, Crittenden, Elizabeth, Jackson, Virginia, Clark. Gideon, Harrison Lee, Sally, Harriet and Ruth. The father of Dr. John E. was Harrison Lee Watkins, who was born in Whitley county, Kentucky, September 30, 1840, and was in his nineteenth year when the family came to Georgia. About that time he turned his attention to the study of medicine, but his course of preparation was interrupted by the outbreak of the war, at which time he entered the service of the Confederacy as hospital steward and remained until the end. He was in Atlanta during the siege, but at the fall of the city made his escape to Columbus. Though not yet a graduate in medicine, after the war he began practice in Colquitt county, and in 1869 settled at Tallokas, in Brooks county. He soon afterward entered the Southern Medical College at Savannah, where he was graduated M. D. with the class of 1873. Continuing his practice at Tallokas until 1881, he then returned to Colquitt county, and in 1887 removed to Thomas county, which remained his home until his death on August 22, 1906. Dr. Harrison L. Watkins married Frances Miller. She was born in Sumter county, Georgia, a daughter of William H. and Amanda (Birdsong) Miller, her father being a native of Talbot county, this state. Her grandfather, William Miller, was a native of Ireland but of Scotch ancestry, and on coming to America became a pioneer settler in Talbot county, where he spent the remainder of his days. He married a Miss Simmons, who long survived him, dying at the extreme age of ninety-eight. William H. Miller removed from Talbot county to Sumter county, where he bought land and was engaged in farming and merchandising until his death, which occurred in middle life. Amanda Birdsong, his wife, was a daughter of James and Sally (McCoy) Birdsong, the latter a native of Upson county. James Birdsong was for many years a farmer in Talbot county, but removed from there to Alabama, where he spent the last years of his life. Mrs. Harrison L. Watkins (the mother) is now residing on the home farm in Thomas county with her son William Lee and family. The late Harrison L. Watkins was an influential Democrat, and represented his county in the state legislature during 1884-85. During his boyhood John E. Watkins attended school in Brooks county, and at Boston, and then began his studies for his profession under the direction of his father and also under Dr. J. T. Culpepper. He afterward entered Atlanta Medical College, where he was graduated and received his degree of M. D. in 1891. After a brief practice in Climax, Decatur county, he came to Brooks county, practicing at Tallokas and Dixie until 1906, since which date he has attended to a growing business in Boston and vicinity. Dr. Watkins was married in 1892 to Miss Olive Whaley, who was born in Thomas county, a daughter of Jarman Howell Whaley. The doctor and wife are the parents of the following children: Howell Lee, Frances, Elliott, Elizabeth, Merriam, Gaulden Mclntosh and Olive. Dr. Watkins and wife are members of the Methodist church South, and he is a Democrat in politics, and a member of Horeb Lodge No. 281, F. & A. M., Boston. Additional Comments: From: A HISTORY OF SAVANNAH AND SOUTH GEORGIA BY WILLIAM HARDEN VOLUME II ILLUSTRATED THE LEWIS PUBLISHING COMPANY CHICAGO AND NEW YORK 1913 File at: http://files.usgwarchives.net/ga/thomas/bios/gbs329watkins.txt This file has been created by a form at http://www.genrecords.org/gafiles/ File size: 6.0 Kb