Seventh Generation

66. Matthew WATKINS¹⁶⁸ was born on 9 Sep 1795.^168,339 abt 1794 from IGI 56,803 film 0442754 He died on 15 Sep 1868 in USA, Illinois, Fayette Co., Vandalia.¹⁶⁸ death from Funeral Notices from the Fayette County Museum collection of undertakers' notices/invitations He was buried in USA, Illinois, Fayette Co., Vandalia. "According to family tradition, Matthew was a boatman on the Ohio River and on the ocean as well. He was "lost at sea" but survived on an island with one other and returned home after several years, appearing at the door in the middle of the evening. No documentation for this story." per Robert Haag

Charles D. Prouty also remembers being told of a Prouty ancestor who was a "Shipping Captain on the Great Lakes" As no ancestor with the surname Prouty researched so far has any connection with shipping, this story could refer to Matthew Watkins, his great grandmother's father.

The following family stories were found in letters written by Thomas H. Blakemore to his cousin Maud :
"Grandfather was a plantation and slave owner at one time, residing in Kentucky, where I understand all the children but Uncle Will and your father were born. He was also the first pilot on the Ohio River (so Aunt Ann said). Aunt Ann told me some things of your grandfather and her early life but I always felt that her statements would bear some salt taken with them."
" John Wing wrote me a letter and I can add a little more to what I wrote about the Watkins family. It seems grandfather's name was Matthew, not Mathias. He was a pilot on the Ohio and Mississippi Rivers, running to New Orleans; had a number of slaves at one time and was captain on the ocean-going vessels. He was a great swimmer and at one time (so the story goes) was shipwrecked and it was supposed all on board perished, but it seems grandpap managed to swim a mile or two to an island with a boy he had grasped. Grandmother mourned him for dead about 2 or 3 years but they were rescued by a passing ship and one night about 8 or 9 o'clock appeared on the scene, and I suppose it was just like getting married over again."
Tom Blakemore also wrote in a letter to Mary Louise Marlay:
"By the way, Grandfather Watkins was veteran of the War of 1812..."
(Letter contents shared by Robert Haag) Matthew WATKINS and Lucy ALDERMAN were married on 10 Apr 1817 in USA, Ohio, Athens Co., Ames Township.^168,340,341 from "Marriage Records 1805-1866 Athens County" vol 1/2 p 8
They appeared in the census in 1820 in USA, Ohio, Athen Co., Homer.³⁴² Watkins, Mathew 110100 00100
1 boy under 10, William
1 boy 10-16, ?
1 man 16-26, Mathew (25)
1 woman 16-26, Lucy (24)

67. Lucy ALDERMAN^168,343 was born in 1796. She died on 15 Sep 1824. She was buried in USA, Ohio, Athens Co.. from letter by Thomas H. Blakemore (Robert Haag) Children were:

	i.	William WATKINS344,345 was born on 20 Aug 1820 in USA, Ohio, Washington Co., Marietta.38,168 He appeared in the census on 24 Jul 1860 in USA, Illinois, Bond Co., Greenville.346 1316, 1316, William WATKINS 40 M Merchant 6,000 5,000 Ohio Martha 40 F Mass James W PRITY 17 M Ohio Cecelia " 12 F Illinois Timothy Green? 16 M Illinois He appeared in the census in 1870 in USA, Illinois, Fayette Co., Vandalia.347 79, 88 Watkins, William 50 Merchant Ohio Martha J. 50 Keeping house MA Prouty, Cecilia 22 No occupation IL Kelso, Wm. A. 19 attending school IL Greenwod, A.W. 47 male, no occupation MA He died before 1880 in USA, California.137,344 William and Martha had no children, but raised two of Austin and Esther's children, Will and Cecilia Prouty, along with Wm. A. Kelsoe, who's parents had also died. " 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 ------------- [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.
33	ii.	Esther "Hester" WATKINS.
	iii.	Elizabeth WATKINS168 was born on 21 Dec 1823 in USA, Ohio.168 She died before 1860.