Watkins - Russell B. - Montgomery InGenWeb Project

Russell B. Watkins, one of the county’s oldest and best known citizens, died of heart failure at his home, three miles southeast of Darlington, near the old Salem Church, at 4 p.m. on Monday. The funeral will be held from the family residence on Wednesday, 10 a.m. The services will be conducted by Rev. L. S. Buckles of Thorntown.

Russell B. Watkins was the son of George Watkins. The family is of Welch and Scotch descent, three branches of it having come to this country at an early period, one of which located at Baltimore, Maryland. From them Mr. Watkins traces his descent. From Baltimore the family came west, his grandfather locating at Maysville Station in the early settlement of Kentucky. His father was born at Topeka Falls, Maryland, and here his grandfather, who was a stone mason, helped to build the Elicot Mills, where the first steel forge was erected. On account of slavery his parents left the south and settled in Montgomery County, Ohio, about 1805. While the family was residing in this state, the subject of this sketch was born, in January, 1826, and the family remained there until 1831, when they removed to Montgomery County, Ind., settling in Scott Township. The party which accompanied them from Ohio numbered twenty seven persons and consisted of friends and relatives, among them being Daniel Watkins, who was the pioneer preacher of the Methodist denomination in this county, and conducted the first camp meeting held in Franklin Township, and was the organizer and first preacher of the congregation now known as Salem Methodist Church.

In 1852 Mr. Watkins removed to the vicinity of Darlington and married Miss Scott, daughter of Thomas Scott, one of the pioneers of that neighborhood, who arrived there in 1825 and entered the land upon which Mr. Watkins resided at the time of his death. The marriage ceremony was performed by Rev. E. A. Hazen, at the time pastor of the Salem Church. The result of this union was a family of two daughters, Evangeline and D. Josephine, both of whom are married.

Mr. Watkins was a member of the Odd Fellows and was connected with the Methodist Church all his life, and was a prominent member of the Republican Party. - "S"