Lewis Watkins (1843 - 1918)

Born 1 May 1843 in Floyd, Kentucky, United States

Ancestors

Husband of Mary Ann (Salyer) Watkins — married 10 Jan 1867 in Magoffin County, Kentucky, USA

Husband of Mary Jane (Prater) Watkins — married 1902 in Breathitt, Kentucky, United States

Descendants

Died 23 Jul 1918 at age 75 in Breathitt, Kentucky, United States

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Biography

This profile is part of the Watkins Name Study.

This profile is part of the Spring Fork, Kentucky One Place Study.

Lewis Watkins was born on 1 May 1843 in Floyd, Kentucky, United States, son of Thomas Malone Wadkins Jr. (1813 - 1895) and Lucinda (Howard) Wadkins (1817 - 1855).

In the 1850 census Lewis (age 7) was in Floyd, Kentucky. His father was a farmer. His grandfather Thomas Wadkins (1750-1854), a Revolutionary War veteran, lived next door. He had three older siblings and two younger ones. His mother's mother (Nancy Spry (Cameron) Howard (1802-1880)) and uncle's family lived beside his grandfather Watkins. None of this family was literate.^[1]

His parents would have two more children before his mother succumb to malaria in May 1855. His grandfather Watkins would die the next year.

In the 1860 census the family were living in the newly formed Magoffin County, Kentucky. The farm was worth $500 and his estate was valued at $300. His brother John Wadkins (1837-aft.1860) lived near with his young family and the Row family, who are believed to be cousins also live near. Elizabeth Jones, who is father will marry soon, lives next door. They have a child together.^[2]

In 1861, the Civil War started. Kentucky was a border state but some fighting occurred in eastern Kentucky. When he was 21, Lewis enlisted with the Union Army in the military but he was never called to serve. By the time he registered, the war was winding down.^[3] In the military papers, he is described as Hazel eyes, auburn hair, light complexion, and 5'7".

Lewis (26) married Mary Salyer (15) (born in Floyd, Kentucky on 20 Mar 1851; died in Breathitt, Kentucky on 20 Sep 1915), daughter of Samuel Salyer and Margaret Picklesimer, on 10 Jan 1867 in Magoffin County, Kentucky. She was so young she had to have permission to marry.

In 1870, the family has moved to Breathitt County, which borders Magoffin County.^[4] The young couple had two daughters:

1. Lillian (Watkins) Salyer (1867 - 1940)
2. Mary Ellen (Watkins) Salyers (1868 - 1946)

His father lived next door with his wife and four young daughters. Samuel Mann (1838-) and Lourana (Lovely) Mann (1839-aft.1880) were their neighbors.

By 1880, the family remained in Breathitt County in the Spring Fork area. The family continued to expand, the couple added:

• Margaret (Watkins) Howard (1869 - 1926)
• Samuel J Watkins (1874 - 1941)
• Cora (Watkins) Miller (~1875 - 1934)
• Emiline Florence (Watkins) Mann (1877 - 1973)
• John H Watkins (1879 - 1909)

In 1883, Lewis purchased a farm from John Brown.

The 1890 Census is lost, but it would have shown these children born:

• Granville Judge Watkins (1881 - 1927)
• Green Watkins (1887 - 1921)
• Clay Watkins (1890 - 1929)

In 1900, the family remained in Spring Fork, Breathitt, Kentucky. The household had grown smaller. However one daughter was added in the previous ten years. Their grandson lives with them but was treated like their child by all accounts. ^[5]

• Mausella Sella (Watkins) Joseph (1893 - ~1938).

• John is married and lives next door.
• Samuel lives next door but alone.
• Judge had just married but lives next door.
• Lillian lives in Magoffin Co with husband and 7 children
• Marie lives in Jackson, (Breathitt) with husband and 5 children
• Margaret lives nearby with second husband and 4 children
• Cora lives in Magoffin with 2nd husband and 2 children
• Emily lives nearby with 2nd husband and 3 daughters

Trouble was on the horizon. The couple divorced after the census. In 1902, he married his second wife, Mary J Prater.^[6]

Judge's wife of two years, Solenia dies.

Lewis buy a farm on the other side of Jackson and moves there with this new wife.

In 1908, Cora's young husband is killed in a logging accident when a tree falls on him. Son John drowns while trying to gather logs for his work in 1909.

In the 1910 census, the couple lives in Breathitt, Kentucky with the grandson.^[7]

Lewis died on 23 Jul 1918 in Breathitt aged 78. He is buried in Quicksand, Breathitt. ^[8]

His son Samuel was the executor of his estate.

Research Notes

Through the years, Lewis kept getting younger. He appeared as a seven year old in the 1850 census, but his tombstone shows his birth year as 1850.

Sources

1. ↑ 1850 Census: "United States Census, 1850"
   citing family , NARA microfilm publication (Washington, D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, n.d.).
   FamilySearch Record: M65S-ZY3 (accessed 1 July 2023)
   FamilySearch Image: S3HT-DYL8-ZD3 Image number 00083
   Lewis Wadkins (7) in Floyd, Kentucky, United States. Born in Kentucky.
2. ↑ 1860 Census: "United States Census, 1860"
   citing Page: 9; Affiliate Publication Number: M653; Affiliate Film Number: 385; FHL microfilm: 803385; Record number: 339;
   FamilySearch Record: MZ19-8RH (accessed 1 July 2023)
   FamilySearch Image: 33SQ-GBSQ-75J Image number 00013
   Thomas Wadkins (49) in Magoffin, Kentucky, United States. Born in Virginia.
3. ↑ "Kentucky Civil War Service Records of Union Soldiers, 1861-1865," database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:F8JZ-7FB : 4 December 2014), Lewis Wadkins, 1864; from "Compiled Service Records of Volunteer Union Soldiers Who Served in Organizations from the State of Kentucky," Fold3.com; citing military unit Personal Papers, T-Wa, NARA microfilm publication M397, roll 514, National Archives and Records Administration, Washington, D.C.
4. ↑ "United States Census, 1870", database with images, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:MX72-YHQ : 29 May 2021), Louis Wadkins, 1870.
5. ↑ 1900 Census: "United States Census, 1900"
   citing Affiliate Publication Number: T623; Line: 94; FHL microfilm: 1240510; Record number: 19277;
   FamilySearch Record: M9WF-KQ7 (accessed 1 July 2023)
   FamilySearch Image: S3HY-66R9-GWY Image number 00404
   Louis Watkins (50), married head of household in Magisterial District 7 Springfork, Breathitt, Kentucky, United States. Born in Kentucky.
6. ↑ "Kentucky Marriages, 1785-1979", database, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:FW59-H1L : 11 May 2022), Mary J. Prater in entry for Lewis Wadkins, 1902.
7. ↑ 1910 Census: "United States Census, 1910"
   citing enumeration district (ED) ED 2, sheet 4B, family 69, NARA microfilm publication T624 (Washington D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, 1982), roll 466; FHL microfilm 1,374,479.
   FamilySearch Record: M28D-89P
   FamilySearch Image: 33S7-9RJ6-HS6 Image number 00045
   Mary Wadkins (53), wife, in household of Louis Wadkins (60) in Precinct 2, Breathitt, Kentucky, United States. Born in Kentucky.
8. ↑ http://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=gr&GRid=45275916

• "Family Tree," database, FamilySearch (http://familysearch.org : modified 23 July 2019, 03:23), entry for Lewis Watkins(PID https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/4:1:LZKS-BDQ); contributed by various users.

• "The Salyer Family: a Genealogical Record of their first 250 years in America." 688 pages with index. by Elizabeth Salyer. Privately published,1982. Reprinted by permission by the Magoffin County (KY) Historical Society. Page 163.

• The Magoffin County Historical Society Feb. 25, 2016 article.
• "The Howards of Eastern Kentucky" by the Magoffin County, KY Historical Society. Page 149.