LYMAN W. WATKINS, Allegan Village, Allegan County, Michigan

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History of Allegan and Barry Counties, Michigan, with Illustrations and 
Biographical Sketches of their Prominent Men and Pioneers.
Philadelphia:  D. W. Ensign & Co.  1880.  Press of J. B. Lippincott & 
Co., Philadelphia.

Lyman W. Watkins, one of the pioneers of Allegan Village, was born in 
Chester, Vt., March 10, 1817.  In 1819 the family removed to Bethany, 
Genesee Co., N. Y., where they remained until 1829, when they went to 
Titusville, Pa., where the elder Watkins died at an advanced age; but 
little is known of his history farther than that he served his country 
in the war of 1812 as a private soldier.  He was a farmer by 
occupation, and an exemplary man in all respects.  He reared a family 
of eleven children, --four boys and seven girls.  Lyman improved his 
meagre facilities for education, and at an early age was obliged to 
rely upon his own resources.  At the age of nineteen he decided to try 
his fortune in the West, and in May of 1836 came to Allegan.  He was 
first employed by Alexander Ely, and did his first work upon what was 
known as the big mill.  For several years he was engaged in the lumber 
trade, and about 1844 he purchased the steamboat "Pioneer," which he 
ran for several years, when he engaged in the manufacture of lath; this 
business he carried on for some time, when he went into the grocery 
trade, but soon changed his stock to that of drugs, in which trade he 
was engaged about twenty years.  The life of Mr. Watkins has been 
comparatively uneventful, and marked but by few changes save such as 
occur in the lives of most business men.  His name has not been known 
in official circles, with the exception of eight years in which he 
served his fellow-townsmen as magistrate, but among those men who have, 
by their own industry and energy, developed spicuous position.  In 
November, 1845, he was married to Miss Sylvania Snedaker.  Five 
children were born to them, all of whom died in infancy.  In his 
religious and political affiliations Mr. Watkins is a Presbyterian and 
a Democrat.  All in all, he is one of those gentlemen who 
identification with any community is always productive of good.