WATKINS, William E. 1839-1918

WATKINS, BALL

Posted By: Tammy (email)
Date: 12/11/2016 at 07:59:25

William Elijah Watkins Dies

Was A Resident of Grundy County For Fifty Years

William Elijah Watkins was born in Hinsdale, New Hampshire, Jan. 22, 1839. He was educated at the Mt. Ceasar Academy in Swanzey, New Hampshire, and afterwards attended a private school in Spring Prairie, Wis.

In 1867 he was married to Mary Adeline Ball of Montague, Mass. After spending a year in Wisconsin he moved to Iowa in 1868 and settled on eighty acres opposite what is known as the Hickory Grove school in Grundy county. He spent the remaining years of his life in Grundy county with the exception of four years spent in Wright county.

He leaves to mourn, a wife and eight children: Frank E., Ida L., Mrs. John A. Cone, Howard R., of Washington, D.C., Mrs. Harry Schafer, Herbert N., Harold C. and Harry A., the latter two now in the military service at Camp Dodge. One son, Fred E., died Oct. 6, 1870. All were present at the funeral except Howard R. There are also fifteen grandchildren.

He was honest and upright in all his business dealings, a great lover of his home and a kind and affectionate husband and father.

Mr. Watkins had enjoyed fairly good health until about two weeks previous to his death. He passed away Saturday, Sept. 28th, 1918, at about 9 o'clock in the morning, aged 79 years, 8 months and 6 days.

Funeral services were held from the Presbyterian church in Grundy Center on Monday September 30th, 1918. Owing to the illness of Rev. Krome, Rev. W. H. Jordon of Shenandoah, Iowa, a former Presbyterian pastor of this city and a friend of the family, officiated at the services. The Masonic Order of this city, of which Mr. Watkins was a member of long standing attended in a body and conducted the services at the grave. Interment was in the Clark cemetery west of town.

--The Grundy Republican (Grundy Center, Iowa), 3 October 1918, pg 1