Thomas Watkins, of Henrico

DAR Ancestor #: A122406

Thomas Watkins lived on Swift Creek, Cumberland County, VA (part that was later cut off to form Powhatan Co.). He is said to have been the eldest son of Thomas Watkins “of Swift Creek,” (the older children being daughters). “Thomas farmed his father's land in southeastern Henrico County and he reached out for new lands in what are now Charlotte and Prince Edward Counties.”

In 1735: Thos. Watkins, of Henrico parish, lands joined those of Joseph Woodson, Wm. Porter, Sr., Col. Harrison, Wm. Lewis, Thos. Binford, Edward Mosby and George Freeman, and were on the Chickahominy swamp. In 1746, Thomas and "Frances his wife" sold some land in Henrico County. In 1752, "Thomas Watkins Junr." bought 773 acres "on south side of Chickahominy Swamp." In 1768 he, with others, appointed to select a new site for Curl's Church - (St. John's Register). In the same year he was a vestryman of St. John's Church, Henrico.

He would remain on that land in northeastern Henrico County close to the Bottom's Bridge crossing of the Chickahominy for the rest of his life.”

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The following quote, to me, seems to sum up Thomas Watkins: "Of Thomas Watkins, of Chickahominy," said Mr. Leigh, "I have heard very full accounts from my mother and from my uncle Thomas, both of whom knew him very well; he was a man of the highest respectability in every point of view, and in particular, a man of the most indefatigable industry. He reared a large family of children (four sons and seven daughters), with limited means, and when they entered upon the active duties of life, he seems to have made but little, if any advancements, to his sons at least, leaving them, either from necessity or prudential considerations, to depend mainly on their own energy and resources. I have seen his will, and find among the papers of his executors, in relation to its execution, evidences of a very affectionate regard among the children for the wishes of the father, and of their great integrity. There is a codicil attached to his will, in which he designed to devise real and personal estate, of a value I infer, equal to my bequest in the will to persons not members of his family. There was no proof of the execution of the writing, purporting to be a codicil to the will, and it never went to record. By the operation of the then existing law, the old man died intestate as to the property mentioned in the codicil, and the real estate descended to the eldest son, Henry, and the personal assets, by virtue of the will, went to the brothers and sisters. The sons, daughters, and sons-in-law appear to have been anxious to carry out the old gentleman's wishes, although it deprived them of interest of some value to them. There being infants interested (the children of Thomas Jr., who had died) some difficulties occurred in carrying out the intentions of the testator. The children not only relinquished to the intended beneficiaries their right and title to the property in questions, but made liberal contributions to the intended devisees."

Thomas “Chickahominy” Watkins married Frances Anderson (born about 1715, death date not known, but after 1750) the daughter of Henry Anderson and Prudence Stratton. Henry Anderson mentions his daughter, Frances Anderson, in his will which was proven in 1734, so Frances married Thomas Watkins after that date, (the exact date of their marriage is unknown). Also, the exact dates of birth for most of their children are not known, but they were obviously married after 1734/35, and their children began arriving by the late 1730’s.

Thomas Watkins and Frances Anderson had the following children:

1) Henry WATKINS (4th of the name) (b.Aft 1735-Prince Edward County,VA d.Abt 1798)

sp: Temperance HUGHES of Chesterfield, VA (b.1739 m.28 Jan 1760 d.Bef 1798) 2)  Elizabeth (Betsey) WATKINS (b.Abt 1739 d.Bef 1783)

sp: Nathaniel MASSIE 3) Col. JOEL WATKINS (b.Abt 1737-Henrico County,VA d.2 Jan 1820-Charlotte County,VA)
sp: Agnes (dau of Joseph & Agnes) MORTON (b.26 Feb 1747-Charlotte County,VA d.1814-Henrico County,VA) 4) THOMAS * WATKINS (called "Jr.) (b.Abt 1738/1741-Powhatan Co,VA d.1778-Henrico County,Virginia)
sp: Sarah "Sally" * WALTON (sister of signer) (b.1746-Swift Creek,Goochland/Cumberland County,VA m.8 Feb 1762 d.20 Nov 1805-Kentucky) 5) Susan (Susanna) WATKINS (b.Abt 1744-Henrico County,VA d.Abt 1814-Charlotte County,Virginia)
sp: Col. William MORTON (b.27 Nov 1743-Charlotte County,Virginia m.29 Oct 1764 d.29 Nov 1820-Charlotte County,Virginia) 6) Mary WATKINS (b.Abt 1742)
sp: Stephen, Jr. PANKEY (b.1742/1752 m.4 Jun 1788 d.1 Dec 1799-Campbell Co.,KY) 7) Nancy WATKINS (b.Abt 1743)
sp: Smith BLAKEY of Henrico Co., VA 8) Jane WATKINS (b.Abt 1744)
sp: Charles HUNDLEY 9) Francis WATKINS (Sr.)of Poplar Hill (b.15 Jul 1745-Henrico County,VA d.1826-"Poplar Hill" Prince Edward County,VA)
sp: Agnes (dau of Richard & Ann Michaux) WOODSON (b.4 Oct 1748-"Poplar Hill",Henrico co.,VA m.9 Jan 1765 d.Jul 1820-Henrico County,VA) 10) Prudence WATKINS (b.Abt 1745)
sp: William ROYSTER of Goochland (VA) 11) Sally WATKINS (b.Abt 1748 d.Abt 1765-Charlotte County,VA)

  sp: John SPENCER of Charlotte Co., VA (b.16 Dec 1745 d.1828-Charlotte County,VA) 

Thomas Watkins of 'Chickahominy' was born about 1714 and died Nov 1783 in Henrico Co, VA. It is thanks to the original 1852 work of Francis N. Watkins of Prince Edward County, Virginia, that so much is known about Thomas. Francis Watkins' work, entitled "A Catalogue of the Descendants of Thomas Watkins of Chickahominy, VA" is one of earliest known examples of Virginia family histories written before the War. As cousin Eugenia says, it might not be 100% correct, but you can credit him with being one of those who started our modern genealogy work in the U.S.! The Catalogue is invaluable to those of us descended from this line. I won't repeat, here, all that Francis says about Thomas, but it is transcribed in it's entirety in the notes attached.

Thomas Watkins lived on Swift Creek, Cumberland County, VA (part that was later cut off to form Powhatan Co.). He is said to have been the eldest son of Thomas Watkins 'of Swift Creek,' (the older children being daughters). "Thomas farmed his father's land in southeastern Henrico County and he reached out for new lands in what are now Charlotte and Prince Edward Counties."

In 1735: Thos. Watkins, of Henrico parish, lands joined those of Joseph Woodson, Wm. Porter, Sr., Col. Harrison, Wm. Lewis, Thos. Binford, Edward Mosby and George Freeman, and were on the Chickahominy swamp.
In 1746, Thomas and "Frances his wife" sold some land in Henrico County.
In 1752, "Thomas Watkins Junr." bought 773 acres "on south side of Chickahominy Swamp."
In 1768 he, with others, appointed to select a new site for Curl's Church - (St. John's Register). In the same year he was a vestryman of St. John's Church, Henrico.

He would remain on that land in northeastern Henrico County close to the Bottom's Bridge crossing of the Chickahominy for the rest of his life.?

The following quote, to me, seems to sum up Thomas Watkins: "Of Thomas Watkins, of Chickahominy," said Mr. Leigh, "I have heard very full accounts from my mother and from my uncle Thomas, both of whom knew him very well; he was a man of the highest respectability in every point of view, and in particular, a man of the most indefatigable industry. He reared a large family of children (four sons and seven daughters), with limited means, and when they entered upon the active duties of life, he seems to have made but little, if any advancements, to his sons at least, leaving them, either from necessity or prudential considerations, to depend mainly on their own energy and resources. I have seen his will, and find among the papers of his executors, in relation to its execution, evidences of a very affectionate regard among the children for the wishes of the father, and of their great integrity. There is a codicil attached to his will, in which he designed to devise real and personal estate, of a value I infer, equal to my bequest in the will to persons not members of his family. There was no proof of the execution of the writing, purporting to be a codicil to the will, and it never went to record. By the operation of the then existing law, the old man died intestate as to the property mentioned in the codicil, and the real estate descended to the eldest son, Henry, and the personal assets, by virtue of the will, went to the brothers and sisters. The sons, daughters, and sons-in-law appear to have been anxious to carry out the old gentleman's wishes, although it deprived them of interest of some value to them. There being infants interested (the children of Thomas Jr., who had died) some difficulties occurred in carrying out the intentions of the testator. The children not only relinquished to the intended beneficiaries their right and title to the property in questions, but made liberal contributions to the intended devisees."

Thomas 'Chickahominy' Watkins married Frances Anderson (born about 1715, death date not known, but after 1750) the daughter of Henry Anderson and Prudence Stratton. Henry Anderson mentions his daughter, Frances Anderson, in his will which was proven in 1734, so Frances married Thomas Watkins after that date, (the exact date of their marriage is unknown). Also, the exact dates of birth for most of their children are not known, but they were obviously married after 1734/35, and their children began arriving by the late 1730?s.

Thomas Watkins and Frances Anderson had the following children:

1) Henry WATKINS (4th of the name) (b.Aft 1735-Prince Edward County,VA d.Abt 1798)
| sp: Temperance HUGHES of Chesterfield, VA (b.1739 m.28 Jan 1760 d.Bef 1798)
2) Elizabeth (Betsey) WATKINS (b.Abt 1739 d.Bef 1783)
| sp: Nathaniel MASSIE
3) Col. JOEL WATKINS (b.Abt 1737-Henrico County,VA d.2 Jan 1820-Charlotte County,VA)
| sp: Agnes (dau of Joseph & Agnes) MORTON (b.26 Feb 1747-Charlotte County,VA d.1814-Henrico County,VA)
4) THOMAS * WATKINS (called "Jr.) (b.Abt 1738/1741-Powhatan Co,VA d.1778-Henrico County,Virginia)
| sp: Sarah "Sally" * WALTON (sister of signer) (b.1746-Swift Creek,Goochland/Cumberland County,VA m.8 Feb 1762 d.20 Nov 1805-Kentucky)
5) Susan (Susanna) WATKINS (b.Abt 1744-Henrico County,VA d.Abt 1814-Charlotte County,Virginia)
| sp: Col. William MORTON (b.27 Nov 1743-Charlotte County,Virginia m.29 Oct 1764 d.29 Nov 1820-Charlotte County,Virginia)
6) Mary WATKINS (b.Abt 1742)
| sp: Stephen, Jr. PANKEY (b.1742/1752 m.4 Jun 1788 d.1 Dec 1799-Campbell Co.,KY)
7) Nancy WATKINS (b.Abt 1743)
| sp: Smith BLAKEY of Henrico Co., VA
8) Jane WATKINS (b.Abt 1744)
| sp: Charles HUNDLEY
9) Francis WATKINS (Sr.)of Poplar Hill (b.15 Jul 1745-Henrico County,VA d.1826-"Poplar Hill" Prince Edward County,VA)
| sp: Agnes (dau of Richard & Ann Michaux) WOODSON (b.4 Oct 1748-"Poplar Hill",Henrico co.,VA m.9 Jan 1765 d.Jul 1820-Henrico County,VA)
10) Prudence WATKINS (b.Abt 1745)
| sp: William ROYSTER of Goochland (VA)
11) Sally WATKINS (b.Abt 1748 d.Abt 1765-Charlotte County,VA)
https://books.google.com/books?id=55I38FXWyPgC&pg=PA650&lpg=PA650&d...
Joel Watkins married Agnes Morton b. 26 Feb 1747; Joel s/o Thomas of Chickahomony who married Miss Anderson. Thomas is s/o Thomas Watkins of Swift Creek, Powhatan Co., Virginia
Agnes Morton who married Joel Watkins, was d/o Joseph Morton, of Little Roanoke Bridge. Charlotte Co., VA and was born 1709; d. 28 Jun 1782. By profession he was a surveyor, Justice of the Peace of Prince Edward Co., Va when that county was formed, 8 Jan 1754. Joseph Morton first married Miss Goode; Issure: Mary Morton, b. Nov 1733. Joel married Agnes Woodson; issue: 2-Josiah Morton, b 14 Nov 1737; d 27 Nov 1785; m. Elizabeth Venable
3) Judith Morton b. 27 Dec 1739; d. 1825 m. James Venable
4) Col. William Morton, b. 27 Nov 1743; d Nov 29 1820 m. Susannah Watkins
5) Jane Morton [m. John Carter of Charlotte Co.]
6) Agnes Morton, b 26 Feb 1848, m. Joel Watkins
7) Little Joe Morton b 15 Nov 1749
8) Jacob Morton, b 29 Jan 1751; d. 22 May 1829 m. 3 Sep 1774 Jane D. Booker
Agnes Woodson, (d/o Richard and Ann Smith) was b. 1711; d. 1802; Richard Woodson was s/o Robert Woodson and Elizabeth Ferris; Robert is s/o Dr. John Woodson and wife Sara. (Genealogy of the Woodsons and their connections, compiled by Henry Morton Woodson of Memphis, Tenn. Pub. 1915

[S93] Sons of the American Revolution, https://www.ancestry.com/interactive/2204/32596_242044-00262?pid=42....
Lt. Col. Joel Watkins
Name: Colonel Joel Watkins
SAR Membership: 4110
Role: Ancestor
Application Date: 17 Apr 1891
Father: Thos Watkins
Spouse: Agnes Morton
Children:
Martha Watkins Venable
Last Changed: October 5, 2020

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