David Watkins (abt. 1745 - bef. 1803)

Born about 1745 in Pennsylvania

Descendants

Died before 19 Jul 1803 before about age 58 in Tennessee, USA

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Biography

This profile is part of the Watkins Name Study.

David was born probably about 1745 based on the age of his oldest known child Levina, who was born in 1770. He lived in Pennsylvania and moved to Virginia in the general area of present day Washington DC sometime between 1776 and 1777. He served as a Private in Captain William Fowler's Company of the 3rd Virginia Regiment, later the 5th Virginia Regiment, in 1778 and 1779 during the Revolutionary War.^[1] After the war, he migrated to Washington County, Virginia, on the border with Tennessee, where he farmed and raised his family.

He passed away in Washington County before 19 July 1803 when his land was deeded to his son Benjamin. There was no mention of his wife so Hannah had also passed away by that time and several genealogies indicate she passed away in 1798. The text of the deed transfer reads as follows:^[2]

We, Phillip Minton and Levina Minton late Levina Watkins, William Banks and Sarah Banks late Sarah Watkins and Jacob Serber and Mary Serber late Mary Watkins do hereby for ____ heirs relinquish unto Benjamin Watkins all our right title interest and estate in and to one certain tract or parcel of land containing one hundred and thirteen and a half acres be the same more or less lying and being on the dry branch of the South fork of Holstein River in Washington County ajoining Edward McGinnis's old tract and Fairchilds and others, it being the same tract conveyed by Edward McGinnis to Davis Watkins late of Tennessee deceased and which descended to Jane McKellbaney late Jane Watkins, Susanna Alford late Susanna Alford late Susanna Watkins, Levina Minton late Levina Watkins, Benjamin Watkins, Sarah Banks late Sarah Watkins, Hannah Ready late Hannah Watkins, Elizabeth Crockett late Elizabeth Watkins, Matty Cleveland late Matty Watkins, David Watkins, and Mary Serber late Mary Watkins which said Jane, Susanna, Levina, Benjamin, Hannah, Elizabeth, Sarah, Matty, and Mary are children and heirs of the said David Watkins who died intestate. The above relinquishment is done and made by us in consideration of twenty pounds lawful money of Virginia to us in hand paid, the receipt whereof is hereby acknowledged In Testimony where of we have hereonto set our hands and seals this 19th day of July 1803. Signed - Phillip Minton, Levina Minton, William Banks, Sarah Banks, Ezar Cleveland, Matty Cleveland, Jacob Serber, Mary Serber.

Note: List of children and spouses found in deed:

• Benjamin Watkins
• Levina Watkins md Phillip Minton
• Sarah Watkins md William Banks
• Mary Watkins md. Jacob Serber
• Jane Watkins md. Mr. McKellhaney
• Susanna Watkins md. Mr. Alford
• Hannah Watkins md. Mr. Ready
• Elizabeth Watkins md. Mr. Crockett
• Matty Watkins md. “Ezar” Cleveland
• David Watkins [Note: David Watkins is omitted from the list of those specifically listed as "children and heirs," but is listed along with all the others that the tract of land “descended to.”]

Research Notes

There were several men named David Watkins. The David Watkins who married Hannah Garfield in Massachusetts in 1795 is a different person and references to that marriage have been removed from this profile.

Several genealogies mistakenly indicate that this David was the son of Evan Watkins who owned and operated Watkins' Ferry on the Potomac River. Evan Watkins did have a son named David. However, on October 25, 1756, that David Watkins received a grant for 272 acres on the west side of the Watkins Ferry Wagon Road, adjacent north of Robert Brookes' 657 acre patent land and south of present day Marlowe, Berkeley County, West Virginia. He therefore would have been at least 21 years old, indicating he was born no later than 1735.

Marriage Hardwick, Worchester, Massachusetts.

Sources

1. ↑ Ancestry.com. U.S., Revolutionary War Rolls, 1775-1783 [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2007. Original data: Revolutionary War Rolls, 1775-1783; (National Archives Microfilm Publication M246, 138 rolls); War Department Collection of Revolutionary War Records, Record Group 93; National Archives, Washington. D.C.
2. ↑ Washington County, Virginia Deed Book 3, p. 63; 19 Jul 1803

• https://www.familysearch.org/tree/person/sources/L8QX-LCB