Reverend William Hamilton Watkins was born 11 April 1815 in Jefferson County, Mississippi, the son of Asa Watkins and his wife, Sarah McDonald Watkins. He married, 18 December 1842 at New Orleans, Louisiana, the widow Elizabeth Jones Johnson, a native of Liverpool, England, and the mother of a daughter, Harriet O. "Hattie" Johnson, who later adopted her stepfather's surname. An ordained Methodist Episcopal minister, Rev. Watkins first served in the New Orleans conference. After transferring to the Mississippi conference, he served congregations in Natchez, Woodville, Jackson, and Vicksburg. He also served for a time as president of Centenary College in Jackson, Louisiana (now located in Shreveport, Louisiana).
On 5 February 1881, "after a long illness, which he bore with the fortitude and resignation of a true christian," Rev. Watkins died at Jackson, Mississippi, aged sixty-five years. His remains were sent by train to Vicksburg, Mississippi, "under an escort of a detail of…members of the Mississippi Commandery, of Jackson." A "detail from the Magnolia commandery of [Vicksburg]" met the train at the deport and escorted the remains to the Methodist church on Crawford Street where the funeral was held at three o'clock in the afternoon. After the service the remains were "escorted to the steamer Natchez," accompanied by Mrs. Watkins.
Rev. Watkins was buried Wednesday, 6 April 1881, at Cane Ridge Cemetery in Lorman, Mississippi. The Rev. Dr. C. K. Marshall delivered the funeral sermon, reported by one mourner to be "one of the most eloquent sermons that he ever heard from [that] effective orator. Rev. J. G. Jones, of Port Gibson, the oldest member of the Mississippi Conference…also delivered an address." A Masonic ceremony followed, led by the Masons of Rodney and Fayette (Mississippi).
Rev. Watkins and his wife, Elizabeth, were the parents of at least eight children: Harriet O. "Hattie" Johnson Watkins, Dr. William Hamilton Watkins, Dr. Thomas Henry Watkins, Dr. John Minter Watkins, Elizabeth M. "Lizzie" Watkins, Oliver P. "Ollie" Watkins, Rev. Alexander Farrar Watkins, and Dr. Benjamin Drake Watkins.[Daughters Hattie, Lizzie, and Ollie died single and without issue.]
For the date and place of Rev. Watkins' marriage, see Watkins-Johnson marriage announcement, /Daily Picayune/, New Orleans, La., 22 December 1842, page [2], col. 5. [Rev. W. M. Curtis officiated at the ceremony. Jefferson County, Mississippi, was identified as Rev. Watkins' residence; New Orleans was identified as Mrs. Johnson's residence.]
For Rev. Watkins' death, see "Death of Dr. Watkins," /Vicksburg Daily Commercial/, Vicksburg, Mississippi, 11 February 1881, page [1], col. 1.
For Rev. Watkins' funeral service, see "The Late Rev. Wm. H. Watkins," /Vicksburg Daily Commercial/, Vicksburg, Mississippi, 5 April 1881, page [4], col. 2.
For Rev. Watkins' burial service, see "City Affairs," /Vicksburg Daily Commercial/, Vicksburg, Mississippi, 9 April 1881, page [4], col. 2.
On 5 February 1881, "after a long illness, which he bore with the fortitude and resignation of a true christian," Rev. Watkins died at Jackson, Mississippi, aged sixty-five years. His remains were sent by train to Vicksburg, Mississippi, "under an escort of a detail of…members of the Mississippi Commandery, of Jackson." A "detail from the Magnolia commandery of [Vicksburg]" met the train at the deport and escorted the remains to the Methodist church on Crawford Street where the funeral was held at three o'clock in the afternoon. After the service the remains were "escorted to the steamer Natchez," accompanied by Mrs. Watkins.
Rev. Watkins was buried Wednesday, 6 April 1881, at Cane Ridge Cemetery in Lorman, Mississippi. The Rev. Dr. C. K. Marshall delivered the funeral sermon, reported by one mourner to be "one of the most eloquent sermons that he ever heard from [that] effective orator. Rev. J. G. Jones, of Port Gibson, the oldest member of the Mississippi Conference…also delivered an address." A Masonic ceremony followed, led by the Masons of Rodney and Fayette (Mississippi).
Rev. Watkins and his wife, Elizabeth, were the parents of at least eight children: Harriet O. "Hattie" Johnson Watkins, Dr. William Hamilton Watkins, Dr. Thomas Henry Watkins, Dr. John Minter Watkins, Elizabeth M. "Lizzie" Watkins, Oliver P. "Ollie" Watkins, Rev. Alexander Farrar Watkins, and Dr. Benjamin Drake Watkins.[Daughters Hattie, Lizzie, and Ollie died single and without issue.]
For the date and place of Rev. Watkins' marriage, see Watkins-Johnson marriage announcement, /Daily Picayune/, New Orleans, La., 22 December 1842, page [2], col. 5. [Rev. W. M. Curtis officiated at the ceremony. Jefferson County, Mississippi, was identified as Rev. Watkins' residence; New Orleans was identified as Mrs. Johnson's residence.]
For Rev. Watkins' death, see "Death of Dr. Watkins," /Vicksburg Daily Commercial/, Vicksburg, Mississippi, 11 February 1881, page [1], col. 1.
For Rev. Watkins' funeral service, see "The Late Rev. Wm. H. Watkins," /Vicksburg Daily Commercial/, Vicksburg, Mississippi, 5 April 1881, page [4], col. 2.
For Rev. Watkins' burial service, see "City Affairs," /Vicksburg Daily Commercial/, Vicksburg, Mississippi, 9 April 1881, page [4], col. 2.
Reverend William Hamilton Watkins was born 11 April 1815 in Jefferson County, Mississippi, the son of Asa Watkins and his wife, Sarah McDonald Watkins. He married, 18 December 1842 at New Orleans, Louisiana, the widow Elizabeth Jones Johnson, a native of Liverpool, England, and the mother of a daughter, Harriet O. "Hattie" Johnson, who later adopted her stepfather's surname. An ordained Methodist Episcopal minister, Rev. Watkins first served in the New Orleans conference. After transferring to the Mississippi conference, he served congregations in Natchez, Woodville, Jackson, and Vicksburg. He also served for a time as president of Centenary College in Jackson, Louisiana (now located in Shreveport, Louisiana).
On 5 February 1881, "after a long illness, which he bore with the fortitude and resignation of a true christian," Rev. Watkins died at Jackson, Mississippi, aged sixty-five years. His remains were sent by train to Vicksburg, Mississippi, "under an escort of a detail of…members of the Mississippi Commandery, of Jackson." A "detail from the Magnolia commandery of [Vicksburg]" met the train at the deport and escorted the remains to the Methodist church on Crawford Street where the funeral was held at three o'clock in the afternoon. After the service the remains were "escorted to the steamer Natchez," accompanied by Mrs. Watkins.
Rev. Watkins was buried Wednesday, 6 April 1881, at Cane Ridge Cemetery in Lorman, Mississippi. The Rev. Dr. C. K. Marshall delivered the funeral sermon, reported by one mourner to be "one of the most eloquent sermons that he ever heard from [that] effective orator. Rev. J. G. Jones, of Port Gibson, the oldest member of the Mississippi Conference…also delivered an address." A Masonic ceremony followed, led by the Masons of Rodney and Fayette (Mississippi).
Rev. Watkins and his wife, Elizabeth, were the parents of at least eight children: Harriet O. "Hattie" Johnson Watkins, Dr. William Hamilton Watkins, Dr. Thomas Henry Watkins, Dr. John Minter Watkins, Elizabeth M. "Lizzie" Watkins, Oliver P. "Ollie" Watkins, Rev. Alexander Farrar Watkins, and Dr. Benjamin Drake Watkins.[Daughters Hattie, Lizzie, and Ollie died single and without issue.]
For the date and place of Rev. Watkins' marriage, see Watkins-Johnson marriage announcement, /Daily Picayune/, New Orleans, La., 22 December 1842, page [2], col. 5. [Rev. W. M. Curtis officiated at the ceremony. Jefferson County, Mississippi, was identified as Rev. Watkins' residence; New Orleans was identified as Mrs. Johnson's residence.]
For Rev. Watkins' death, see "Death of Dr. Watkins," /Vicksburg Daily Commercial/, Vicksburg, Mississippi, 11 February 1881, page [1], col. 1.
For Rev. Watkins' funeral service, see "The Late Rev. Wm. H. Watkins," /Vicksburg Daily Commercial/, Vicksburg, Mississippi, 5 April 1881, page [4], col. 2.
For Rev. Watkins' burial service, see "City Affairs," /Vicksburg Daily Commercial/, Vicksburg, Mississippi, 9 April 1881, page [4], col. 2.
On 5 February 1881, "after a long illness, which he bore with the fortitude and resignation of a true christian," Rev. Watkins died at Jackson, Mississippi, aged sixty-five years. His remains were sent by train to Vicksburg, Mississippi, "under an escort of a detail of…members of the Mississippi Commandery, of Jackson." A "detail from the Magnolia commandery of [Vicksburg]" met the train at the deport and escorted the remains to the Methodist church on Crawford Street where the funeral was held at three o'clock in the afternoon. After the service the remains were "escorted to the steamer Natchez," accompanied by Mrs. Watkins.
Rev. Watkins was buried Wednesday, 6 April 1881, at Cane Ridge Cemetery in Lorman, Mississippi. The Rev. Dr. C. K. Marshall delivered the funeral sermon, reported by one mourner to be "one of the most eloquent sermons that he ever heard from [that] effective orator. Rev. J. G. Jones, of Port Gibson, the oldest member of the Mississippi Conference…also delivered an address." A Masonic ceremony followed, led by the Masons of Rodney and Fayette (Mississippi).
Rev. Watkins and his wife, Elizabeth, were the parents of at least eight children: Harriet O. "Hattie" Johnson Watkins, Dr. William Hamilton Watkins, Dr. Thomas Henry Watkins, Dr. John Minter Watkins, Elizabeth M. "Lizzie" Watkins, Oliver P. "Ollie" Watkins, Rev. Alexander Farrar Watkins, and Dr. Benjamin Drake Watkins.[Daughters Hattie, Lizzie, and Ollie died single and without issue.]
For the date and place of Rev. Watkins' marriage, see Watkins-Johnson marriage announcement, /Daily Picayune/, New Orleans, La., 22 December 1842, page [2], col. 5. [Rev. W. M. Curtis officiated at the ceremony. Jefferson County, Mississippi, was identified as Rev. Watkins' residence; New Orleans was identified as Mrs. Johnson's residence.]
For Rev. Watkins' death, see "Death of Dr. Watkins," /Vicksburg Daily Commercial/, Vicksburg, Mississippi, 11 February 1881, page [1], col. 1.
For Rev. Watkins' funeral service, see "The Late Rev. Wm. H. Watkins," /Vicksburg Daily Commercial/, Vicksburg, Mississippi, 5 April 1881, page [4], col. 2.
For Rev. Watkins' burial service, see "City Affairs," /Vicksburg Daily Commercial/, Vicksburg, Mississippi, 9 April 1881, page [4], col. 2.
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