Historical marker describes 'Dr. Watkins House' at Burnt Corn, Alabama

Dr. Watkins House Historical Marker

This week’s featured historical marker is the “DR. WATKINS HOUSE” marker north of Burnt Corn, Alabama. The marker is located on the east side of County Road 5, across from the “Dr. Watkins House,” which is about 1-1/2 miles north of Burnt Corn.

This marker was erected by the Alabama Historical Association in 2012. There’s text on both sides of this marker, but both sides are identical. What follows is the complete text from the marker.

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“DR. WATKINS HOUSE: This two and a half story structure with unusual lower front extension was the home of Dr. John Watkins. Dr. Watkins was one of the first and few physicians in this part of the Mississippi Territory. Before coming to Burnt Corn, he lived in Claiborne. In addition to being a doctor, he served in the Alabama House of Representatives and Senate and was trustee of the Burnt Corn Male Academy.”

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From what I’ve read, no one knows for sure when this house was built, and it sounds like there was an older dwelling on the property prior to its construction, which took place as early as 1810. Other sources place its construction between 1812 and the 1820s. Some sources say that Watkins built the house himself while others say that two bachelor brothers named Richardson built the house.

Added to the Alabama Register of Landmarks and Heritage on Oct. 4, 1993, this house “is two stories high with a two-story porch in front,” according to the Historic American Buildings Survey conducted by Auburn University. “The balustrade of turned spindles between large areas of lattice work is particularly effective in the design of the front façade. The three brick chimneys are of the ‘freestanding’ type.

“The living room is an example of good pioneer interior. It is wainscoted to the ceiling with horizontal boards. The wood mantel has reeded pilasters, and a central panel of carved sunburst and other ornament.”

General Andrew Jackson is said to have traveled passed the house in 1814 while on his way to fight at the Battle of New Orleans and some sources say that he spent the night at the house. The Battle of New Orleans took place on Jan. 8, 1815 and was the final major battle of the War of 1812.

Also, according to the survey conducted by Auburn University, “at the time of the Fort Mims’ Massacre, Dr. Watkins was living in a house on the site of this home, and his descendants say that it was this very house. This may be a fact. If so, the house was built about 1810 or 1812. For, Dr. Watkins treated some of the survivors of that awful massacre, in, so the descendants say, this very house.” The Fort Mims massacre took place on Aug. 30, 1813.

Watkins was an interesting man. Born in 1785, five miles from the courthouse in Appomattox, Va., to Richard and Elizabeth Watkins, he received a medical degree in Philadelphia in 1814. From Pennsylvania, he moved to South Carolina and then to the Fort Mims area of Alabama shortly before the Massacre of 1813. Almost all sources agree that he was in Alabama before the War of 1812, during the time the Spanish held Mobile.

He eventually moved to Claiborne before finally settling at Burnt Corn. It is said that at one time, he was the only doctor between the Alabama and Chattahoochee rivers, but other sources say that at one time he was the only doctor between Montgomery and New Orleans. He represented Monroe County in the Convention of 1819 and later served as the first state senator from Monroe County. In 1828, he was elected to represent Conecuh and Butler counties in the state senate, and in 1831 he was elected to represent Conecuh County in the state house of representatives. From 1842 to 1845, he represented Monroe and Conecuh counties in the state senate.

Watkins and his wife, Mary Hunter Watkins, reared eight children while living in Burnt Corn. He died at the age of 68 on Aug. 9, 1853 and his tombstone can now be found today in the cemetery at Bethany Church at Burnt Corn.

In the end, visit this site next Wednesday to learn about another historical marker. I’m also taking suggestions from the reading audience, so if you know of an interesting historical marker that you’d like me to feature, let me know in the comments section below.