From "Forney's Five Family Records", from "notes given in the History of Pottawattamie County, Iowa." beginning page 177

"Joseph H. Watkins, farmer, was born in London, England, February 18, 1838. He was a son of William Watkins and Hannah Maria Gypp, natives of London, England. William Watkins was born about 1801 and died in Brigham City, Utah in 1865. He came to America in 1842. While in England he worked as a bricklayer and plasterer; also a cabinet maker; in this country he was mostly occupied as a farmer. The wife was born about 1802, and died in Brigham City, Utah, in 1867. She came to America with her husband, whom she blessed with thirteen children, but four at this time living. They settled first in Illinois and in 1847 removed to Iowa settling near Crescent City, where they remained until 1852, then they went to Utah, where Joseph, our subject was employed as a trader until 1858 when he returned to Iowa and rented a farm in Fremont County, till 1863. During the summer of the latter year he drove a team to Denver City, making two trips. During 1864 he farmed, and the following year he mined and lumbered in Montana Territory. He then spent a short time in Utah and returned to the Montana mines, thence back to Iowa, where he rented a farm, later moving to Pottawattamie County, Iowa where he rented a farm for four years of Mr. H. Rishton, senior, after which he bought a farm of 120 acres, where he lived for many years. Mr. Joseph Watkins was married in Utah in December (corrected by hand to July) 1858 (corrected by hand to 1857) to Mary E. Ettleman, born in Illinois in 1840 in February. She was a daughter of Jacob and Margaret Smith Ettleman. He, born in Pennsylvania, was a hotel keeper, and died at the age of 86 in Iowa. She is still living at the age of 82, at the Watkins home. Mr. Watkins was a Democrat."