My Genealogy Hound

Maj. William M. Watkins, a well-known resident of Desha County, Ark., was born in Todd County, Ky., February 21, 1840, and is a son of Ballard Watkins, a native Virginian, who was born and reared in Prince Edward County, and like the most of the sons of the Old Dominion, was a man of strong character, occupying a prominent position in the community in which he resided. He died in Desha County, Ark., in 1867, having removed thither in his latter days. His wife was a Miss Webb, a native of Nansemond County, Va., she being also reared and educated there, but her death occurred in Weakley County, Tenn., in 1848. After her death William M. Watkins went to live with his uncle, Dr. R. H. Webb, at Suffolk, Nansemond County, Va., and here entered the Episcopal High School, remaining until 1855, at which time, thinking the far and undeveloped West offered better opportunities to a young man, he removed to Arkansas, and settled at Napoleon, which place continued to be his home until 1860, at which time he returned to Virginia to complete his education and entered the University at Charlottesville, Va. It was but a short time after this until the bombardment of Fort Sumter and he immediately left school, returned to Arkansas and enlisted in the Confederate service as a private soldier in Company G, First Arkansas Mounted Rifles, and although scarcely more than a boy in years he proved to be a gallant soldier, and nobly did his duty in defense of the cause he espoused. He was in Col. Churchill’s First Arkansas Regiment, Gen. Ben. McCulloch’s army, and was in all the battles of Northwest Arkansas and Southwest Missouri, and after the battle of Elk Horn he was transferred to the medical department with Dr. C. M. Taylor, the medical inspector of the Trans-Mississippi Department. He was thus engaged until 1864, when he attached himself to the artillery service, becoming a member of West’s battery, then operating in Louisiana, and here remained until the final surrender. In March, 1865, he was married to Mrs. Amanda Stigall, a daughter of Rev. James F. and Cynthia M. Truslow, the former a prominent minister of the Methodist Episcopal Church at Little Rock, and other points for fifty years. Mr. Watkins and his wife became the parents of four children, three of whom are alive: William T., Frank M., and Charlie R. Charlie M., the second child, died in Memphis, Tenn., in 1880. After the termination of the Civil War Mr. Watkins returned to Desha County, Ark., and began anew to build up his shattered fortunes, first embarking in the drug business in Napoleon, continuing during 1866-67, and at the same time was city marshal of Napoleon, but was removed from office under the reconstruction measures which were then being enforced throughout the State. He afterward became clerk in the auditor’s office at Little Rock, but lost the position when he cast his vote for Seymour and Blair in 1868. He now resides at Red Fork, where he is a notary public, and where he is also engaged in a general rental and collecting business. He also farms, his principal crops being corn and cotton. Mr. Watkins is a refined, intelligent gentleman, and is one of the leading and influential citizens of his section of the country.