John E. Watkins Biography


	This biography appears on page 849 in "History of South 
	Dakota" by Doane Robinson, Vol. I (1904) and was scanned, 
	OCRed and edited by Maurice Krueger, mkrueger@iw.net.

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	JOHN E. WATKINS is a native of the old Buckeye state, having been 
born in Delaware county, Ohio, on the 7th of May, 1858, and being the 
first in order of birth of the five children of Edward and Sarah 
(Evans) Watkins, both of whom died in Ohio, where the father devoted 
his active life to farming. Our subject's early educational advantages 
were confined to a somewhat irregular attendance in the common schools 
of his native state, and as a mere boy he had occasion to learn what is 
implied in the term hard work. At the age of fifteen years he gave up 
his school in order to assist in the labors incidental to the 
improvement and cultivation of the homestead farm, and he continued to 
be thus engaged until he had attained the age of twenty-seven years, 
when he inaugurated his independent career by coming to what is now 
South Dakota. He arrived here in the fall of 1885 and took up one 
hundred and sixty acres of government land, in Badger township, Davison 
county, the same constituting the nucleus of his present fine farm of 
four hundred and eighty acres, upon which he has made substantial 
improvements, including the erection of a commodious and attractive 
residence. About one half of his farm is under cultivation and devoted 
to the raising of the various cereals best adapted to the soil and 
climate, while the balance is given over to pasturage and the raising 
of hay. He has a high grade of live stock upon his place and is known 
as one of the energetic and wide-awake farmers of the county. His 
valuable property indicates the success which has tended his assiduous 
and well-directed efforts, and he has unbounded admiration for the 
state of his adoption and great faith in its still more brilliant 
future. Mr. Watkins is a staunch Republican in politics and has been 
prominent in local affairs of a public nature. He has served for twelve 
years as school treasurer of Badger township, and for three years was 
incumbent of the office of township assessor. Both he and his wife are 
valued members of the Congregational church, being zealous workers in 
the same.  

	On the 24th of December, 1881, Mr. Watkins was united in marriage 
to Miss Anna Streeter, daughter of Rev. A. W. Streeter, of Stockton, 
Kansas, and the seven children of this union still remain beneath the 
home roof, their names, in order of birth, being as follows: Edward L., 
Sarah M., Mabel E., William Neill, Clarence, Clara and Norvel.