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Watkins
Family
Watkins of Delaware & Ohio
(Robert & Rachel; James & Sara;
James & Nancy; Kimmel & Priscilla)
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This page is
dedicated to the ancestors and descendants of
Kimmel Kyper Watkins and
Priscilla Jeanette (Tillie) Richardson |
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K.K. and Priscilla Watkins
(center) and family, late 1930's
K.K. & Tillie's 50th
Anniversary, July 1934. Back row: Ronald, Leslie, Ross, Earl, Opal Watkins
Mason, Orra (holding Roger), Dorr, Vivian Mason, Lowell; middle row:
Rachel, Jeannette, Fern, Junice, Kimmel, Tillie, Florence, Opal (holding
Meredyth), Hazel Mason, Lnora Mason; front row: Dick, Don, Luella, Alice
June Mason, Homer, Gloria, Joan, Hal, Herbert (These include all of K.K. & Tillie’s
children, daughters-in-law and living grandchildren. Three were deceased
and one (Dwight) was born later.)
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Background
K.K. Watkins is
descended from Robert and Rachel Holliday Watkins. Several of their sons,
including K.K.’s grandfather James, first came into Ohio from Delaware
about 1794. K.K.’s father (James' son) was also named James. He married
Nancy Kimmel in 1841.
K.K., born in 1859,
was the second youngest of ten children. The family moved from Lorain
County to Fulton County in the northwestern part of the state in 1863 when
he was four.
In 1884 he married Priscilla (Tillie) Richardson
(1863-1946) who was born and raised in Swancreek Township, southeast of
Delta. She was a descendant of the pioneer Blake and Richardson families,
who had been in the Fulton County area since the 1830's.
K.K. and Priscilla
lived nearly all their married life as a farm family in Fulton County,
except for four years they spent in Illinois.
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Watkins
Biography and History |
K.K.
& Priscilla Watkins |
Kimmel Family |
Blake Family |
Eddy Family |
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K.K. and Priscilla Watkins
(The following was taken from the "History
of Fulton County," written around 1920.)
"The parents of K.K., James H. and Nancy (Kimmel) Watkins located in
Swan Creek Township, Fulton County, about 1863. They cleared a farm, and a
few years later, bought a timber tract in York Township.
"About 1888 K.K. Watkins and family spent four
years in Kane County, IL. Here he worked as a broom maker, as well as
working on farms.
"When he returned to Fulton county, he rented land
from 1892 till 1910, when he bought sixty acres where he has since lived.
Mr. Watkins is a republican, and he is a justice of the peace. He has been
school director and township trustee. He belongs to Berry Grange at Ai."
(We believe the property mentioned is land now
crossed by the Ohio Turnpike, at County Road 5-2. The old house still
stands, but is in poor condition. The barn was still in use by the present
owner, until about 1995. At that time it was moved to a location about a half mile away.
During the move, it collapsed. A power line to serve a
new steel plant was built across this property at that time. The old milk
house is in good condition and is used for storage.)
(The following is the introduction to a Watkins
genealogy dated 1935:)
"Wells Watkins, the oldest living member of this
family, at the age of 80 years, dictated from memory on June 28th, 1898,
the early part of this record. The later parts, including the dates, were
furnished by Kimmel K. Watkins, a nephew of Wells Watkins and son of James
H. Watkins (b. 1820). Wells Watkins said that his grandparents (Robert
& Rachel) were of pure English stock, that they lived in the state of
Delaware, and that they both died in the year 1788; had five children,
four boys and one girl. These orphans were bound out, as was the custom in
those days, among different families. The four boys emigrated to
northwestern Ohio, shortly after the campaign of General 'Mad'
Anthony Wayne against the Indians, in 1794."
(A 1996 correction by Dick Estel):
Documentary evidence shows that Rachel survived
Robert, and remarried. Because women could not control property nor be the
legal guardians of their children, a guardian, (presumably the new spouse)
was appointed. See also the family
group page for Robert & Rachel which
shows more accurate information about their children.
Click
here for a more detailed history of the Watkins Family from the
1700s forward.
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The Kimmel Family
(The following information is taken from an
extensive genealogy. Most of this first part was written by H.K. Stoner,
M.D., Berlin, Somerset County, PA, in 1937.)
"Kimmel - Eine alte zunflige familie zu
Frankfort am main, aus welcher auf der drei rathsbank sass. 1701."
"Kimmel - an ancient family of Frankfort on
the Main, Member of the Guild, one member sat in Parliament 1701."
In support of the statement that the Kimmel
family is an ancient one, I have a list of some 40 Kimmels beginning with
Dilmanus Kimmel, 1408; and Michael Kimmel, 1425, who were students at
Erfurt and lived at Neukirchen. Included in the list is Johann (John)
Michael Kimmel, 1662 to 1734, "Stammvater des Amerikaner Stamms"
(father of the American family). He was a man of fine education, and a
colonel in the service of the Kingdom of Poland, which included what is
now Germany.
He had four sons and one daughter, as follows:
Johann Philip Kimmel born 1695, died 1777 York Co
PA
Johann Valentine Kimmel b July 31, 1701, died Dec
27, 1768, Ephrata PA
Johann Conrad Kimmel b April 22, 1703, died ? in
Germany
Johann Jacob Kimmel born October 14, 1705, died
November 25, 1784, Ephrata PA
Elizabeth Kimmel born July 8, 1708, died November
13, 1764, in Germany
Valentine married Anna Marie Baltzer and had six
children; Jacob married Maria Barbara Heinrich and had four children.
These two families came to America in 1751, landing at Philadelphia. Jacob
went to Ephrata in Lancaster County, PA; Valentine bought a farm on Red
Run, a branch of Bermudian Creek, in York County, PA.
Philip remained in Germany and married Anna
Elizabeth Voltz. She and some of their children died during an epidemic.
Philip sent his son Michael (1736 to 1818) to America to see what had
become of his brothers. When Michael reported back, Philip decided to go
to America with his six sons (Philip, Nicholaus, Jacob, Michael, George
and Anthony). They landed at Alexandria VA in the spring of 1755. They
found that General Edward Braddock and Colonel George Washington were
concentrating an army there to make an effort to drive the French out of
Fort Duquesne. Colonel John Dunbar, with a wagon train carrying supplies
for this army, left Alexandria April 18, 1755, and arrived at Frederick MD
May 1.
(One source says Philip came to America
with wife
and sons. Maybe he married again and the second wife came to America?)
For convenience and safety Philip and his sons
followed this army as far as Newmarket, or Frederick, and from there went
north to where Valentine lived in York County PA. They later bought
Valentine’s farm and lived there till the sons were married. The father
Philip died in 1777 and was reportedly buried behind the barn.
The younger Phillip (1724 to 1796) had nine
children, of which the Watkins ancestor is Michael (born York Co PA 1760,
died Somerset Co PA 1819). He lived on a farm southwest of the Great Road
(Forbes Road, or Pittsburgh and Philadelphia Pike). His will, made April
1819, was recorded November 4, 1831. It specified that, in exchange for
the farm, son Jacob (1795 to 1872, also a Watkins ancestor), was to keep
his parents the remainder of their days. The farm was on Higgins run or a
branch of it, and was sold by Jacob Kimmel to Jacob Koontz.
Jacob is the first of the Kimmels reported in
Ohio. He married Elizabeth Maurer (their daughter Nancy married James H.
Watkins). After Elizabeth’s death (1832), Jacob remarried and moved to
Ohio, first to Wayne County, near Wooster, then about 1845 to Seneca
County, about four miles east of Fostoria. The name of his second wife is
not recorded, and there were no children. Jacob died July 6, 1872 in
Tiffin OH.
I have compiled records of the families of five
of the sons who came to America with Philip, and am working on the family
of Philip (1724-1796). He married Anna Christina Henn and moved to
Somerset County, PA about 1762. He purchased a large tract of land, which
he later sold. The property is still in the hands of his descendants.
Besides farming, he had two stills and made whiskey, as did many other
farmers, since there were no roads over which to take their grain to
market.
It appears that much of the genealogy
accompanying Dr. Stoner’s narrative was compiled by John S. Good of
Toledo OH, who wrote the following on November 20, 1934:
The early part of this record was obtained by my
brother, N.S. Good, some 30 years ago from P.Y. Kimmel, a traveling
freight agent for the Pennsylvania Company, who was gathering information
for his father. The father at the time was a very old man, and had been
working on a record of the Kimmel family for many years. In connection
with part of this record, I have brought up to date the record of my
grandfather, Jacob M. Kimmel. I am greatly indebted to all who furnished
information, especially to my two brothers, J.W. Good and N.S. Good; also
my two faithful cousins, Kimmel K. Watkins and Harvey A. Starn, who
furnished the records of the Watkins and Starn families.
The following regarding Johann Michael comes
from a family tree in the Family Tree Maker World Family Tree CD-ROM Disk
1:
He was Resident Judge in Gimbshein in Rheinhessen.
He lived in the Pfalz Valley, Bavaria, where his children were all born.
(The notes say 3 sons and 2 daughters, but list 4 and 1 as in our
records.) His first wife was Anna Souter, the widow of John Oswals of
Gimbsheim. Three of his sons emigrated to America and settled in various
parts of PA and MD. He married as his second wife on May 24, 1732, Anna
Elizabeth, the widow of Hartman Heinrich of Gimbsheim.
The following is a letter written by Nancy
Kimmel (mother of K.K. Watkins), dated March 22, 1898:
My grandfather’s name was Michael Kimmel. He
lived in Somerset County PA. He lived six miles from the county seat, and
died in 1819. He lived there before my father was born. He had a brother
Abraham and Solomon and others. My grandfather had a cousin George Kimmel.
He lived in Somerset County. His descendants live in LaGrange County, IN.
I knew of my father’s cousins of different
families. He had some living in Westmoreland County PA. My father had a
sister Eve. She married a Mr. Spangler. My father was born in PA, in
Somerset County, in 1795. In 1832 he moved to Wayne County OH, and in 1845
he moved to Seneca County OH, and died there on July 6, 1872.
My grandmother’s maiden name was Mary Baker and
she married Michael Maurer. My mother’s maiden name was Elizabeth
Maurer. She married Jacob M. Kimmel, my father. My maiden name was Nancy
Kimmel. I married James H. Watkins. My grandparents lived and died in
Somerset County PA, near Stoyestown., in the year 1830 (?). My mother died
in the year 1831 and all were buried in the Friedens Cemetery near
Stoyestown.
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The Blake Family
The earliest known ancestor was a "Captain"
Blake, whose wife was named Elizabeth. He was from Malden,
Surrey, England. They had a son, John Blake, born about
1652. Captain Blake died when his son was small, and his widow
married George Durant in 1660. The family then migrated to America in
1661.
John Blake
married Sarah Hall, a daughter of Richard Hall, in Malden,
Suffolk County, Massachusetts. In 1673 this couple moved to Middletown,
Middlesex, Connecticut. They had nine children. John Blake died
November 11, 1690. After his death his widow, Sarah, married Edward
Turner Junior.
John and Sarah's
first son, John Blake, Junior, married Elizabeth Johnson and
they had a son, Joseph Blake. Joseph first married Esther
Bacon, and after her death married Rebecca Dowd. Joseph and
Rebecca had three sons, born in Waterbury, CN. Joseph was in
the French and Indian War, and later served
as a lieutenant in the American Revolution.
Their son Freelove Blake was born August
11, 1751 at Waterbury. He served in the
Revolutionary War, from Litchfield CN (this is the ancestor who qualifies
our family for membership in the Daughters of the American Revolution).
At the end of the war, Freelove moved to
Spencertown in eastern New York. He died there in 1815. His wife, Louisa
Spencer, died in September, 1816. Freelove was a man of culture
with a love of history, and named his children according to famous men: Richard,
Henry, Homer, Hector, Seneca and Elias.
Richard Blake
was born in Onondaga, New York, February 15, 1781. He married Camilla
Eddy August 24, 1803. They were the parents of ten children.
Richard Blake
came to Fulton County in 1852 from Oberlain Township, Erie County, Ohio,
where they had lived for twenty years. Richard's daughter Saphronia
had married Palmer Lewis and they preceded Richard to Fulton County about
1848 and settled on Section 21 in Swan Creek Township. When Richard,
Camilla and several children arrived in Fulton County, they settled
next to the Lewis family. The land records for Richard Blake can be
found on page 151, Vol 1, Swan Creek Twp.
The oldest son of Richard and Camilla was Seneca
Blake, born October 8, 1804. Seneca married Hannah Braily
November 27, 1828. Their children were Harriet (b 1829 in NY), Charles (b
1831), and Laura (b 8/20/1835). Harriet married Silas Emmet Osterhout, who
was married at least three times without bothering to divorce between
wives. Laura married George Richardson December 22,
1858. Charles Blake married Eliza Jane Richardson, a sister of George,
June 25, 1856. Seneca died January 7, 1886; Hannah died December 23, 189?.
Laura and George
were married near Delta, OH and had seven children:
Hannah Eliza Richardson b September 21, 1859; m
Clarence Arnold December 29, 1880; d in Delta OH February 24, 1935;
Alice Minerva Richardson b September 6, 1861; m
George Fairchild December 18, 1878
Priscilla Jeannette (Tillie) Richardson
b June 4, 1863; m Kimmel K. Watkins July 16, 1884; d March 21, 1946
in Metamora, Fulton County
Harry Burr Richardson b January 12, 1866; m Cora
Celestia Sargent March 9, 1887; d September 29, 1931 in Toledo OH
Joel Seneca Richardson b December 1, 1867; d 1902
in Fulton County (never married)
Jesse Garwood Richardson b February 15, 1872; m
Louisa Rychner February 15, 1899; d November 18, 1953 in Pinkney, Michigan
Laura Ellen Richardson b July 12, 1874; m Ben C
Fowler Jr May 30, 1894; d March 6, 1953 at Walcott, Indiana.
We have seen a
descendent listing that shows that "Captain" Blake was descended
from William the Conqueror. However, there is no documentation, and we
make no claim to its accuracy.
SOURCES: Genealogical Report on the Blake Family;
local history compilation in the Delta Atlas; compiled by Hazel Estel,
11th generation descendent of Captain Blake (great, great, great, great,
great, great, great, great granddaughter).
April 28, 1992
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The Eddy Family
WILLIAM
EDDYE, born at Bristol, England and died
at Cranbrooke, Co. Kent, England, November 23, 1616; married at Cranbrooke,
(1) Mary Fosten; daughter of John and Ellen (Munn) Fosten. Mary died in
July 1611 and William married (2) February 22, 1613/14 at Cranbrooke,
Sarah Taylor, a widow. She died before Feb. 5, 1639/40 when her will was
proved.
William was born probably between 1558 and 1564
and died in 1616. His years of life were almost the same as those of
Shakespeare, who was born 1564 and died 1616. William Eddye matriculated
as sizar at Trinity Hall, at the University of Cambridge, and there
received the degree of B.A. in 1583. (A sizar is one who performs certain
duties as part payment of his expenses at a school or college.) William
then went to Thurston, a small parish at Co Suffolk, near Bury St.
Edmunds, not far from Cambridge. He occupied the position of curate from
1583 - 1586. During the time he matriculated at Trinity College at the
University of Cambridge and in 1586 received the degree of Master of Arts.
He was invited to be assistant Vicar of
Cranbrooke in 1586. There he met Mary Fosten and in November of 1587, they
married. Mary Fosten was the daughter of John and Ellen (Munn) Fosten who
were married January 1, 1562. William was inducted into the real and
actual possession of the Vicarage of the Church of the parish of
Cranbrooke on the twelfth of January in the Year 1591.
SAMUEL EDDY (William) Baptized May 15, 1608, at
Cranbrooke, Co., Kent, England (church registration; died November 12 1689
at Swansea, Mass. (Plymouth church records Vol 1, pg. 262); married
Eliazbeth Savery who died May 24, 1689, in her 82nd year in
Swansea MA (Plymouth Church records, Vol.1, pg. 265)
Samuel came to New England with his brother John
Eddy on the "Handmaid" leaving the port of London on August 10,
1630, arriving at Plymouth Harbor on the 29th of October, 1630
(old style), after a very stormy twelve weeks at sea.
"As two of the passengers (of the Handmaid)
rated as gentlemen desired to settle at Boston, Standish took them there,
but the Bay people refused to receive them because they had no testimony
(letters)." Both the Eddys returned with Standish to Plymouth and
Samuel remained there. John later returned to Massachusetts Bay Colony.
Samuel and Elizabeth were residents of Plymouth
all their lives. Samuel worked as a tailor.
Twice Elizabeth Eddy was summoned to appear
before the Court of Plymouth. It is recorded that on Oct. 7, 1651,
"Wee further present Elizabeth Eddy, Sen'r of the towne of Plymouth
for laboring, that is to say, for wringing and hanging out clothes on The
Lord's day, in time of publicke Exercise." She was fined ten
shillings but this fine was remitted. (Court records, Vol II, p.73)
Again on May 1, 1660, it is recorded that
"Elizabeth Eddy was summoned to this court, and appeared to make
answare for traveling on the Lord's day from Plymouth in Boston; and was
affirmed that shee was necessesitated to goe on that day, in regard that
Mistris Saffin was very weake and sent for her, with an earnest desire to
see her, in her weakness with some other pleases of like nature. The court
considering some cercomstances in her answare, although they saw not
sufficient excuse for her act therein, saw cause to admonish her and soe
shee was discharged of the Court" (Court Orders, Vol. III, p. 186)
Samuel and Elizabeth almost certainly lie in the
Eddye Cemetery in Swansea Village.
The lineage from Samuel and Elizabeth to the
Watkins family is as follows:
Samuel & Elizabeth
Zachariah Eddy & Alice Paddock
John Eddy & Hopestill Butterworth
Charles Eddy & Susanna Hill
Asa Eddy & Ann Evarts
Asa Eddy & Thankful Root
Camilla Eddy & Richard Blake
Seneca Blake & Hannah Brailey
Laura Blake & George Richardson
Priscilla Richardson & Kimmel Watkins
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Newsletters (Adobe Acrobat
Reader required for PDF versions. Click
here for free download):
Watkins
News 14 July 2001 forward (Internet version; not Acrobat)
Watkins News 13 April 2000
Watkins
News 12 February 1999
Watkins News 11
Watkins News 10
Watkins News 5 January 1994 PDF
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Watkins News 4 September 1992 PDF
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Watkins News 3 Spring 1992 JPG-1
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Watkins News 2 1991 PDF
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Watkins News 1 Fall 1990 PDF
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Photos
(Photos open in a new window)
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James Holliday
Watkins |
Nancy
Kimmel |
K.K.
Watkins around age 18 |
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George
Richardson & Laura Blake, parents of Priscilla (Tillie)
Richardson Watkins |
Laura Blake Richardson |
K.K.
Watkins & family, 1905: L-R Opal, Earl,
Orra, Ross, Priscilla (Tillie),
Dorr, Kimmel Watkins |
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Dorr, Orra, and Ross Watkins |
Joel Richardson,
brother of Tillie Watkins |
Richardson
Siblings (Back: Jesse, Laura Richardson Fowler; front: Tillie R.
Watkins, Alice R. Fairchild, Hannah R. Arnold |
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K.K.
Watkins & family, about 1913: Front Opal,
KK, Priscilla; back Dorr, Ross, Earl, Orra Watkins |
Kimmel
Kyper Watkins and Priscilla Richardson, about 1913 |
Thrashing grain by hand (cradle & rake),
about 1916 |
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Richardson
Siblings and spouses |
Watkins Reunion
late 1930's |
All
the granddaughters, August 22, 1937 |
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K.K.
Watkins (on wagon) at the H.B. Mann farm |
Meredyth,
Luella, Gloria, Joan Watkins, early 1940s |
George
& Laura Blake Richardson and family; standing
Joel, Harry, Jesse; seated Alice, Tillie, George, Laura (Blake),
Laura, Hannah |
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Dick Estel with great grandparents K.K. & Tillie Watkins
March 2, 1941
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A very large number of
Watkins Family members, about 1940 |
Head
Standing: Dick, Earl, Orra, Leslie, Ross, July 1934 |
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Head
Standing: Gloria, June, Luella 1934 |
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Head
Standing: Patty
Leary, 1994 |
Watkins Children and Spouses |
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Florence
Bruner Watkins
(wife of Orra) & Opal Richards
Watkins
(wife of Dorr) at 1990 reunion |
Watkins
cousins: Hazel, Jeanette, Lnora, Rachel, Vivian, Don, June, Luella,
Joanne ,Gloria, Hal, Meredyth at the 1990 reunion
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Mikie
Liddle, Greg Nott, Levi & Josiah Makula, Andy Nott, Brian OH,
July 3, 2004 |
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Robert & Sarah
Watkins, a civil war vet and 1st cousin once removed to K.K. Watkins |
Watkins
Reunion in Bryan OH 2004
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K.K.
Watkins & Tillie Richardson
marriage certificate |
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Watkins
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