William Watkins (abt. 1700 - 1781)

Born about 1700 in Curles, Henrico County, Colony of Virginia

Ancestors

Descendants

Died 2 Apr 1781 at about age 81 in Cornwall Parish, Charlotte County, Virginia, United States

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Biography

William Watkins was a Virginia colonist.

Will

William Watkins of Cornwall Parish, Charlotte County, Virginia^[1]

• son Richard
• grandson William, son of my Richard
• son Benjamin
• "son-in-law, Benjamin Breedlove, John Breedlove, and my son Benjamin Watkins - the rest of my stock of cattle and sheep, to be equally divided between them."
• grandson Richard Worsham "(if he lives to return from the army)"
• grandson James Jones "(if he lives to return from the army)"
• sons James, William, Joseph, John, Benjamin, and my son-in-law John Breedlove

Executors: my sons, James, William, and John.

Signed Apr 2, 1781 - William Watkins.

Wit - Thomas Spencer Jr, Gideon Spencer, Lucy Watkins

"At C Court of Dec 6, 1784, the will of William Watkins dec'd was exhibited in court by James and John Watkins, 2 of the executors, and proved by the oaths of witnesses Thomas Spencer and Gideon Spencer... Charlotte Co., VA Wills (1765-1791), p365"

Research Notes

Location Notes: Cornwall Parish was formed from Cumberland Parish, Lunenburg County in 1757 and served Lunenburg County to 1764, when Cornwall Parish was split off to form the new county of Charlotte.^[2]

A different man? William Watkins was born around 1685 in Henrico County, Virginia to Henry and Katherine (Pride) Watkins. He died after 1713.^[3]

• Martha said to be a second wife. William married (1) Elizabeth Parish. It's not known which children belong to which wife.^[4]

• May have been the William Watkins living in Chesterfield Co ca 1745 and served as sheriff there in 1748.^[4]

Note: On 19 Feb. 2016, Henry and Katherine (Pride) Watkins had profiles for three sons named William attached. As of 15 March 2024, Henry had no sons named William, although this William is attached as son of Rachel, shown as his second wife (see Henry's family group sheet). The 2016 Williams were born 1667, 1685, 1690. Henry's profile describes his conveyance of land to his sons, listing William first, which would argue that he was the first-born son & in favor of birth in 1667. The profile for that William has a son William, born 1690. I believe the conveyance of land information listed is for the father & the William m Martha is the son. ~ Noland-165 10:10, 19 February 2016 (EST) updated 15 March 2024 - note that as of this date, this profile (b c1700) is attached as husband of Martha/son of William (b 1667).

Our Southern Cousins

A conveyance of land was made to him by his father in 1692. The 1704 Quit Rents of Virginia lists three acreage's to William Watkins, 137 acres in King & Queen County, 50 acres in New Kent County, and 120 acres in Henrico County. William Watkins was living in Chesterfield County, VA in 1745, where he was sheriff before 1748. He moved to Lunenburg Co., and was on the vestry of Cumberland parish, that part which fell into Charlotte County, 1764, when his home then became Charlotte County.

pdf, William Watkins (Our Southern Cousins)

Tradition is that two brothers came to James City county, in the early settlement of Virginia. One family seated in the Northern Neck (and we have no record of his descendants), and the other brother remained in the Peninsula, between York and James Rivers, and was progenitor of the following line. His widow, two daughters and at least one son survived him. He was scalped by the Indians, but the time and manner of his death (if by war, or massacre) is lost, and unfortunately, also his baptismal name. His son: William Watkins (1), was born about 169?, and is cited in an old family paper as being of Chesterfield County. Patents of early Watkins were numerous on either side of James river, in what was then Henrico county, and also in York county. From Chesterfield, to Prince Edward county, after 1728, may be traced the line of William Watkins. Name of wife not known. A close search of records of Chesterfield and Charlotte might throw some light on the names of his wife and of his children, of whom there were six sons and two daughters. Of these the Family MS. preserved the names of but two sons; Richard and James Watkins.

William Watkins living in Chesterfield County, Virginia, 1745, where he was sheriff before 1748, moved to Lunenburg and was of vestry of Cumberland parish, that part which fell into Charlotte County, 1764, when his home then became Charlotte County. Wife, Martha

http://oursoutherncousins.com/watkins2.html

William Watkins was born about 1690 in Henrico County, VA; he died about 1781 in Cornwall Parish; Charlotte County, VA. A conveyance of land was made to him by his father in 1692. The 1704 Quit Rents of Virginia lists three acreage's to William Watkins, 137 acres in King & Queen County, 50 acres in New Kent County, and 120 acres in Henrico County. William Watkins was living in Chesterfield County, VA in 1745, where he was sheriff before 1748. He moved to Lunenburg Co., and was on the vestry of Cumberland parish, that part which fell into Charlotte County, 1764, when his home then became Charlotte County.

PPP: This profile was protected to preserve father (William, born c1667) in merges. Noland-165 10:34, 19 February 2016 (EST)

Estimated Dates: Dates are not certain. Birth about 1685, 1690 or 1700 needs a source; 1726 marriage to Martha Herndon also needs a source. The death date was also given as "after 1713" but has been changed to the date of his will (April 2, 1781). This profile now represents just the William Watkins who left that will, which was proved Dec 6, 1784.^[5]

Another Will Abstract: Will of William Watkins, died 2 April 1781; will recorded 6 December 1784: Sons: Richard, Benjamin, James, William, Joseph, John; grandson William son of my son Richard; sons in law Benjamin Breedlove, John Breedlove; grandson Richard Worsham (if he lives to return from the army); grandson James Jones (if he lives to return from the army) Ex. my sons James, William, John.^[6]

Sources

1. ↑ Abstract taken from transcription posted in the entry for William Watkins (c1690-1781/84), Jones & Daniel Family History (online tree), by David A. Jones (accessed Nov. 30, 2016).
2. ↑ Parishes of Virginia, compiled by Freddie Spradlin (accessed 18 March 2024).
3. ↑ Watkins-1014 supposes that this William may have been living in Chesterfield County ca 1745 and served as sheriff there in 1748, which would imply that the "after 1713" death date is off by quite a bit.
4. ↑ ^{4.0 4.1} Information from Watkins-1014
5. ↑ See #Will, above.
6. ↑ "Unrecorded Chesterfield County Wills", page 365. Source: https://archive.org/details/southsidevirgini61988 - Southside Virginian, Vol 6, 1988, pg. 42.

• roots (source for William b 1700 with daughter m Worsham)

Acknowledgements

Click the Changes tab to see edits to this profile; from that list, click WikiTree IDs other than Watkins-380 to see changes to those profiles prior to being merged. Thank you to everyone who contributed to this profile.