Individual Details

William Watkins, son of Matthew and Lucinda (Alderman) Watkins, was born August 24, 1819. He married Martha Greenwood on August 7, 1846. William was a general merchant in Pocahontas, Illinois, a justice of the peace, a sheriff of Bond Co., 1861-2., and a representative to the legislature. He moved to VAndalia, Illinois and later kept a feed stor in East St. Louis Mo.
William and Martha had no children of their own, but raised two nephews and a niece. Two were his sister Esther's children, Will and Cecilia Prouty, and one his sister Elizabeth's child, Wm. A. Kelsoe. Both of his sisters had died in 1851.

"Uncle William married a lady named Martha. Both are deceased and without issue. Uncle William was sheriff of Bond County, Illinois for a number of years and lived in Greenville. He afterwards moved to Vandalia and erected what is still called the Watkins Block and ran a tavern there. Here Mathias Watkins (our grandfather) spent his last days and his remains are interred there." ( from a letter by Thomas H. Blakemore to his cousin Maud (Robert Haag))

"Some of the older residents of Greenville may remember the two uncles Prouty met for the first time in such an unsual way. * They were in Greenville for a short time in 1861 as guests of their bother, William Watkins, who was then sheriff of Bond county, but ?rpitu was away at the time, at Camp Yates, Springfield, Ill., if I remember rightly, as a member of Adjutant General Fuller's staff band, the Farmers' and Mechanics' Cornet Band of Greenville.

* See notes under James William Prouty
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[History of Bond and Montgomery Counties Illinois 1882 - Part I]
[Page 104]
...
First Sheriff, Samuel G. MORSE, 1817-18; second, Samuel HOUSTON, 1819 and 1824; Hosea T. CAMP, 1824 to 1827; Lawson H. ROBINSON, 1828-1829; Sloss McADAMS, 1830 to 1846; W. K. MASTIN, 1846, and part of 1848; S. H. CROCKER, balance of 1848; Richard BENTLEY, 1 848 and 1850; Samuel H. CROCKER, 1850, and 1852; Jacob KOONCE, 1852, and 1854; Williamson PLANT, 1854, and 1856; Josiah F. SUGG, 1856, and 1858; Samuel H. CROCKER, 1858, and 1860; William WATKINS, 1860, and 1862; Williamson PLANT, 1862, and 1864; James L. BUCHANAN, 1864, and 1866; John FISHER, 1866, and 1868; John F. WAFER, 1868, and 1870; Williamson PLANT, 1870, and 1872; Andrew J. GULLICK, 1872 to 1878; John M. McCASLAND, 1878, and 1880; Andrew J. GULLICK, 1880, and 1882.
...

William Watkins name is among those listed as prominent families that came to Vandalia, Illinois after the Civil War in Ross's review of that city; "William Watkins, removed to California, and died there several years ago". In the section on Vandalia Township in "History of Fayette County" the list of Supervisors for Vandalia Township shows that William Watkins held that position from 1866-68.

Birth	19 Aug 1819	Marietta, Washington, Ohio, United States
Marriage	5 May 1845	Bond, Illinois, United States - Martha J. Greenwood
Census (family)	16 Sep 1850	Pocahontas, Bond, Illinois, United States - Martha J. Greenwood
Census (family)	24 Jul 1860	Greenville, Bond, Illinois, United States - Martha J. Greenwood
Census (family)	1870	Vandalia, Fayette, Illinois, United States - Martha J. Greenwood
Death	7 Aug 1877	Tulare, California, United States
Burial	Aft 7 Aug 1877	Grangeville Cemetery, Armona, Tulare, California, United States

Spouse

Martha J. Greenwood (1818 - 1901)

Father	Matthew Watkins (1795 - 1868)
Mother	Lucy Alderman (1796 - 1824)
Sibling	Esther "Hester" Watkins (1821 - 1851)
Sibling	Elizabeth Watkins (1823 - 1851)

Notes