Taylor County, West Virginia Biography of W. MERLE WATKINS This biography was submitted by Valerie Crook, E-mail address: The submitter does not have a connection to the subject of this sketch. This file may be freely copied by individuals and non-profit organizations for their private use. All other rights reserved. Any other use, including publication, storage in a retrieval system, or transmission by electronic, mechanical, or other means requires the written approval of the file's author. This file is part of the WVGenWeb Archives. If you arrived here inside a frame or from a link from somewhere else, our front door is at http://www.usgwarchives.net/wv/wvfiles.htm The History of West Virginia, Old and New Published 1923, The American Historical Society, Inc., Chicago and New York, Volume III, pg. 583 W. MERLE WATKINS was born at Grafton, Taylor County, West Virginia, on December 21, 1881, anil has continued to reside in Grafton to the present time. Trained to studious habits by his parents, he rapidly passed through the public schools of Grafton and finished the high school course in 1898. He immediately entered West Virginia University, where he ranked high as a student and specialized in math- ematics and was graduated with the degree of Bachelor of Arts at the age of twenty. He taught one year in the country schools and three years in the Grafton High School, where he was the first athletic coach of that institution and handled the first regular teams that represented the school. He declined the high school principalship in order to enter law school, and in the fall of 1905 matriculated in the Uni- versity of Pennsylvania, at Philadelphia, where he received the degree of LL. B. For the past twelve years Mr. Wat- kins has been doing a general law practice in his home town, except for temporary interruptions in the perform- ance of public duties for his community, appearing in the local courts, the State Supreme Court of Appeals, the Fed- eral Courts and as general counsellor. In 1912 Grafton citizens, becoming disgusted with law- lessness. particularly open gambling, in the city, persuaded Mr. Watkins to accept the position of mayor and clean up the town. Upon coming into office he fulfilled expectations in this respect so well that he was defeated for re-election by the campaign cry that the city was too tightly closed. However, when a few years later he became a candidate for prosecuting attorney of the county, his record was well re- membered and better considered, and he had no difficulty in being elected, and four years later, re-elected to the term he is now filling. His administration has been notable for the vigorous prosecution of the wreckers of the Grafton Bank against the strongest opposition by national, state, and local politicians of both parties, business pressure, and other influences, making the fight practically alone against some of the ablest trial lawyers in the state. This prose- cution was terminated only by the death of the prinicpal [sic] defendant and the seeking of an asylum in a neighboring state of the other main instrumentality in the bank looting. Political and other influences brought to bear caused the governor of that state to refuse to honor requisition secured from the governor of West Virginia. Numerous homicidal and other grave crimes were prosecuted, and Jacob Lutz, assassin of J. E. B. Phillips, Graf ton's chief of police, was convicted of murder and hanged for his crime after two trials carried through the various Appellate Courts of the state, being the first man ever executed from Taylor County. Mr. Watkins is a republican of strong progressive ten- dencies. He was a staunch supporter of Theodore Roosevelt in all his campaigns. He is a past master of Mystic Lodge No. 75, A. F. and A. M., as was his father before him, past high priest of Copestone Chapter No. 12, R. A. M., eminent commander of DeMolay Commandery No. 11, Knights Templar, a member of Osiris Temple, A. A. O. N. M. S., Grafton Lodge No. 308, Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks, member of the County and State Bar asso- ciations, charter member of Grafton Rotary Club, director of Grafton Chamber of Commerce, Grafton Y. M. C. A. and Boy Scout Council. During the World war Mr. Watkins was barred for the first few months by official duties and later by the minimum age limit, but acted as government appeal agent for the County Draft Board, was a Four Minute Speaker, and volunteer worker in the various drives. When the age restriction was removed his application to the Artil- lery Officers Training Camp was accepted and he was ordered to report at Fort Taylor, Kentucky, on November 21, 1918, but the signing of the armistice prevented active military service. Merle Watkins is widely known as an athletic enthusi- ast and has excelled in many lines of sport. He has never married, and resides at the family home with his mother and two sisters. The parental grandparents of Mr. Watkins were James Matthew and Mary Anne (Kear) Watkins, who crossed the Atlantic from Blen Avon, Wales, in 1852 and settled at Minersville, Schuylkill County, Pennsylvania, where the grandfather continued his occupation as a coal miner until his death. They reared the following children: Mrs. Anne Wilson, who died at Lykens, Pennsylvania, in 1908, William, father of W. Merle, who died at Grafton, West Virginia, in 1892, James Kear, who died at Mahonoy City Pennsylvania, in 1885, Miss L. K. Watkins, now living at Mount Carmel, Pennsylvania, and Matthew K., who died in 1917, at Mount Carmel. William Watkins, father of Merle Watkins, was brought by his parents from Wales when seven years old, and his youthful experiences were gained around the hard coal re- gions of Eastern Pennsylvania. On reaching maturity he followed mercantile pursuits, and later entered the lumber business at Grafton when that industry was in its first activity. He was one of the community builders of Grafton, promoting many movements to improve local conditions. He was impressed into public service as mayor and president of the County Court. He was a zealous Presbyterian and Mason. In 1876 he married Grace Marie Deppon, daugh- ter of Adam and Sophie (Putt) Deppon, of Berks County, Pennsylvania. Their children are Grace Minette, teacher of English in the Grafton High School and holder of the A. B. degree from Wilson College and West Virginia University and the degree of A. M. from Columbia University Graduate School; W. Merle; Mabel R.; and Blanche E., wife of Lon L. Cokeley, clerk of the Circuit Court of Ritchie County, West Virginia.