PLACE OF BIRTH: Mineral Ridge, Trumbull County, Ohio
FATHER: Watkin Watkin Watkins
MOTHER: Mary Jones
SPOUSE: Belva Marie Price
DATE OF MARRIAGE: Possibly April 24, 1920
PLACE OF MARRIAGE:
CHILDREN: Marie Belva, Beatrice Phyllis, Watkin William, Jack, Edward Evan, Richard Wayne
OCCUPATION: Steel Mill Worker, Retired Foreman, Republic Steel Co.
EDUCATION: Completed 2 years, high school
RESIDED: Weathersfield Twp. & Mineral Ridge, until about 1940, then Niles, Trumbull Co., Ohio
DATE OF DEATH: June 24, 1952, age 55 years, 10 months.
PLACE OF DEATH: Warren, Trumbull County, Ohio
BURIAL: Union Cemetery, Niles
ABOUT:
Watkin Watkins Jr. was the youngest of at least 10 children of Watkin and Mary Watkins. His parents were both in their late 40's, 48 & 49 respectively when he was born. According to the 1900 census, the family was living on Main St. in Weathersfield Twp. and Watkin Sr. was a day laborer, and although it doesn't say on the census, likely involved in coal mining at the time.
In November 1901 his sister, Dorothy "Doll" Watkins Simons, died at the age of 21, when Watkin was just over five, and Dorothy was just shy of her son Watkin Simons first birthday. Watkin "Watty" was taken in by his grandparents, Watkin and Mary, and raised by them until adulthood. Yes, that's 3 Watkin (given name) under the same roof! With only a four year age difference, the two younger Watkin's formed a close bond, and spent a good deal of time together even into adulthood, as Watty was mentioned frequently in stories my father Jack told. The Niles Daily Times society pages frequently mention the two Watkin's travelling to family dinners and visiting relatives together and motoring here and there.
On his 1918 WWI Draft Card, (Grandpa) Watkin listed his mother Mary as his closest relative, and was described as having a slender build, medium height, with dark brown hair and brown eyes. At the time, he was employed at Briar Hill Steel (Empire Mill). He was required to complete two Draft Registrations, one for each world war, but never served.
Sometime in 1920, Watkin and Belva were married. I have searched extensively for a marriage certificate or record of their wedding, but have not been able to find an official document. However, with a few clues I believe I have a pretty good date. Both Watkin and Belva were living with parents in January when the census was taken. On the 1920 census he's living with his parents and Watty on Koch St. in Mineral Ridge. And, on a later census, Belva says she was 18 when married, which would mean it was after March 2nd, 1920. Finally, in an old date book of mom's, she notes "Mom & Dad W. April 24, 1919" Unless they married in secret and lived apart for a year, 1919 doesn't make sense. Since Aunt Marie was born in Oct. 1920, I believe they were married April 24, 1920, but later told a different year.
Whatever the date, they had six children in 10 years. Most of them very young during the Great Depression. Grandma (Belva) said many times, how she and Watkin lived on a small farm and during the depression, everyone would come to their house for dinner on weekends. The Society pages of the various Niles newspapers more or less corroborate that story and just searching the name "Watkins" brings up pages of results like these:
I don't have any memories of my grandfather, Watkin, but I remember quite a few stories other people told. My mom, Jeanne, told me once about seeing her first television at Grandpa and Grandma Watkins home. I believe this was after the war, but before the 1950's. T.V. was available as early as the late 20's but it was not as accepted as radio, and until the 1950's, programming was pretty sketchy with one site describing the pre- Jackie Gleason, Lucille Ball days as “amateurs playing at home movies.”. Well, she and Dad had heard the big news, of the televisions arrival and went over, expecting to see some miracle broadcast, maybe a man in a suit delivering the daily news or something. Instead, she was treated to a pretty brutal boxing match, which Grandpa (like any sports enthusiast) was cheering on, as blood splattered.
Grandpa seemed to smile easily.
|
|
He died on June 24, 1952, in Warren, Ohio, at the age of 55. The death certificate listed him as a Retired Foreman for Republic Steel Co. The same year, 1952, the Watkins family also lost two sisters; Annabelle (Stotler) in January, and Elizabeth Katherine "Lizzie Kate" (Farr) in March. Watkin was buried in Union Cemetery, in Niles, Ohio.
His Obituary:
 |
 |
No comments:
Post a Comment