Wednesday, April 23, 2014

Dr. John Watkins of Burnt Corn (1775-1854)

From “Chapter XXVIII: The County of Conecuh” in “Alabama: Her History, Resources, War Record and Public Men From 1540 to 1872” by Willis Brewer:

The memory of John Watkins lingers in Conecuh County. He was born within five miles of the present Appomattox Courthouse, Virginia, in 1775, and was connected with many of the best families of that state. He was liberally educated and was graduated in medicine at Philadelphia in 1804. He shortly after removed to South Carolina, where he practiced in the family of Hon. J.C. Calhoun in Abbeville.

In 1813, he came to the Tombikbee settlement, and soon after made Claiborne his permanent home. At that time, he was the only physician between the Alabama and Chattahoochee rivers, and he was fully employed. He represented Monroe in the convention of 1819 that framed the constitution of the would be state, and the same year was chosen the first senator from the county.

He settled in this county soon after it began to be peopled, and in 1828 was elected to the senate from Butler and Conecuh. Three years later he served Conecuh in the other branch of the legislature. In 1842-45, he represented Monroe and Conecuh in the senate, which was his last connection with public life.

He died in 1854, on the verge of fourscore years. He was a man of extraordinary physical powers, and betrayed his age neither in his faculties nor his appearance. His manners were plain, and rather brusque, but his benevolence and hospitality were proverbial.


He never sought popularity, but the people of Conecuh and Monroe honored him whenever he was a candidate. His literary taste and devotion to scientific research led him to collate one of the completest private libraries in the state, and his range of information was wide. In his 55th year, he married Mrs. Hunter, sister to Hon. W.B.H. Howard of Wilcox, and one of his sons is a physician and planter of Lowndes, while another fell in defense of his country during the late war. 

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