Lapeer-Oakland County MI Archives Biographies.....T., Newell 1830 - 
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Joy Fisher sdgenweb@yahoo.com March 16, 2007, 9:59 pm

Author: Chapman Bros. (1892)

NEWELL T. WATKINS is a general farmer on a highly productive tract of eighty
acres of land located on section 20, Attica Township. Lapeer County. He was born
in the town of Ogden, Monroe County, N. Y., January 15, 1830. He is the son of
Ebenezer Watkins, who was born in Springfield, Vt., in 1799, and who lived to a
good old age, being eighty-six years of age at the time of his decease. He moved
to New York at an early day, and came to Michigan in 1832, making a stay of
three years in Pontiac. He thence removed into Lapeer Township, in what is now
the city. There were at that time only two or three buildings in the village.

  Our subject's father purchased forty acres of land near the old village of
Lapeer, and clearing it up, sold it and purchased eighty acres. This also was
cleared and he then purchased eighty acres more in Millville, which he also
cleared and sold, then returned to the farm in Lapeer Township and operated it
for two years. After various changes he moved to Iowa twenty-six years ago and
made his home at Toledo. He was a Republican in politics. Our subject's mother
was in her maiden days a Miss Abigail Thompson, a native of New Hampshire. She
was born about 1802, and died in 1858. Our subject's paternal grandsire,
Ebenezer Watkins, who was born in 1769, died at the advanced age of one hundred
and four years. He was a native of Vermont. Our subject is one of thirteen
children, five of whom are now living. Ebenezer, Jr., James, Benjamin, and
Calvin are all residents of Michigan.

  Newell Watkins remained at home until he was twenty-eight years of age,
purchasing the farm whereon he now lives at the age of twenty-one years. He
commenced clearing it and, his marriage with Miss Lizana Thompson being
solemnized July 4, 1858, the young couple at once moved on the place. As the
years went by our subject and his wife became the parents of three
children-John, Eugene and Fred. The first was born October 2, 1860. He is
employed on a railroad in Idaho; Eugene, who was born July 8, 1863, is an
electrician and is connected with the electric light plant in Lapeer. He is a
natural mechanic; Fred died in his seventh year. Mrs. Lizana Watkins died in
1869, and our subject was married again in 1881, to Miss Lottie Warner of
Dryden. This union has been blessed by the advent of two children- Edna, who was
born June 14, 1886, and Dolly M., May 3, 1888.

  Mr. Watkins is a self-made man and has been a very successful farmer.   He
belongs to the Masonic fraternity, being a member of Dryden Lodge No. 145. He is
also a member of the Grange and affilliates with the Patrons of Industry located
at Attica, having been President of that society for two years. In his political
creed he is a Republican. He has been School Inspector of his district and
Highway Commissioner for two terms. Our subject is much interested in the
cultivation of fruit. He reccollects well when roads had to be cut from Lapeer
to his place. He was living here four years before the township was organized
when the Indians were more plentiful than the whites, and wild game of all kinds
abounded and can recount many hardships and privations that the settlers then
had to undergo.


Additional Comments:
Extracted from:

Portrait and Biographical Record of Genesee, Lapeer and Tuscola Counties,
Michigan, Containing Biographical Sketches of Prominent and Representative
Citizens, Together with Biographies of all the Governors of the State, and of
the Presidents of the United States

Chicago:
Chapman Bros.
1892


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