My Genealogy Hound

Claibourne Watkins, M. D., is a descendant of one of the oldest families of Little Rock, his grandfather, Maj. Isaac Watkins, who emigrated to the State from Kentucky, in 1821, having become one of the first settlers of this city. His son, Hon. George Claibourne Watkins, was born in Shelbyville, Ky., and became the third chief justice of Arkansas. The foundation of his legal education was laid at Yale College, Connecticut. In 1837 he returned from Yale College ripe in scholarly attainments for one so young, and was immediately taken into partnership with Chester Ashley, who, in his knowledge of law, was without a peer in the State. Mr. Watkins was an arduous student, and rose in his profession with astonishing rapidity, being elected at the early age of thirty years to the office of attorney general of the State, resigning at the end of two years to make room for a professional friend. In 1852 he was elected chief justice of the supreme court, resigning this position also at the end of two years, owing to the death of his legal partner, James M. Curran. Before leaving the bench he settled many arrears in business, which he had found on taking the office, and unhesitatingly expressed his views on many important questions, many of which (according to high authority) have never been over ruled. He was a zealous Confederate during the war, and three of his sons fought for the Southern cause. His oldest son was promoted from the ranks to the position of lieutenant-colonel of the Eighth Arkansas Volunteers, and fought, without receiving a wound, in eighteen hard battles, but, in his twenty-second year, fell at the head of his command, in the battle of Atlanta. Judge Watkins was married, in 1841, to Miss Mary Crease, her death occurring in 1855. His second wife was Mrs. Sophia Curran, a daughter of William S. Fulton. In 1872 Judge Watkins’ overtaxed energies gave way, and his friends thought it, advisable to give him a change of scene. He was taken to the springs of Virginia and afterward to Colorado, being attended by his son, Dr. Claibourne Watkins, but his vital forces could not be recruited, and he died in the city of St. Louis, while on his way home, December 7, 1872. Dr. Claibourne Watkins was a son by his first wife, and was born in Little Rock, in 1844. After receiving a common-school education he supplemented this by attending a college in Maryland, and would have taken a degree in letters and science but for the opening of the Rebellion. He dropped his studies to aid the Southern cause, and became a member of the Eleventh Arkansas Regiment, being captured soon after at Island No. 10. He remained a prisoner six months, was then exchanged and became a member of Price’s army, but was captured a second time at Port Hudson. He made his escape from prison at New Orleans, and joined Taylor’s army at Mobile, surrendering at the close of the war, at Jackson, Miss., at that time holding the rank of captain, to which position he had been promoted from a private. He returned to Little Rock, and entered the government hospital, and in 1868 graduated from the Jefferson Medical College. Since that time he has won his way to the front, and the reputation which he bears throughout the State is well deserved. His wife, who was a Miss Mildred Farley, was born in Mississippi, their union taking place in St. Louis, Mo. They have four children: Annie, Mary, Mildred and Gertrude.