Francis N. Watkins
Francis Nathaniel Watkins | |
|---|---|
| Born | Template:Birth date Prince Edward County, Virginia, U.S. |
| Died | 5 September 1885 (aged 72) Lynchburg, Virginia, U.S. |
| Occupation(s) | Banker, jurist, politician |
| Years active | 1835–1884 |
| Known for | Member of the Virginia House of Delegates (1865–1869), county judge (1870–1884), president of Commercial Bank in Farmville |
Francis Nathaniel Watkins (April 1813 – September 5, 1885) was a Virginian banker, jurist, and politician. He held a seat in the Virginia House of Delegates during his career.
Early life
Born in April 1813 in Prince Edward County, Virginia, Watkins was the son of Agnes W. (née Venable) and Henry E. Watkins, who served as a captain in the War of 1812 and was a member of the Virginia Senate. His early education was provided by Reverend P. Calhoun along with private schooling in Virginia. He attended Hampden–Sidney College between 1829 and 1830 before obtaining a Bachelor of Arts degree from Amherst College in 1832. Subsequently, he pursued legal studies under J. Read and enrolled at the University of Virginia from 1832 until 1835, gaining admission to the bar that same year.
Career
From 1835 through 1849, Watkins practiced law in Prince Edward County and adjacent areas, forming a partnership with Stephen Southall. Between 1849 and 1864, he held an officer position at Farmer's Bank of Virginia before returning to legal practice until 1870. His political service includes representing Prince Edward County in the Virginia House of Delegates from 1865 to 1869. Beginning in 1870, he served as a county judge for fourteen years. In addition, Watkins assumed the presidency of the Commercial Bank located in Farmville starting in 1872.
Watkins also contributed significantly to educational organizations; he was treasurer and secretary at Union Theological Seminary for four decades and acted as a trustee for Hampden–Sidney College over a fourteen-year period. His affiliations extended to the State Normal School as well.
Personal life
On August 29, 1838, Watkins married Martha Ann Scott from Tallahatchie County, Mississippi. Together they had twelve children, among them Asa D., Henry E., Charles Turner, Agnes V., Kate C., and Margaret "Maggie" Leigh. The family resided in Farmville, where his son Asa later became a member of the Virginia Senate. Watkins was appointed as a ruling elder at Farmville Presbyterian Church in 1844.
He passed away on September 5, 1885, in Lynchburg.