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| Notes for Walthus L. WATKINS | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| Walthus L. Watkins, born 30 Oct., 1806 in Kentucky, came to Missouri in 1832. He settled first at or near Liberty in Clay County. On March 4, 1834 he married Mary Ann Holloway, born 5 January, 1817. In 1838 he entered 1600 acres of land to homestead in Clay County, in Washington Township. His tract of land comprised an area of two and one half square miles. Any one who has visited the Old Watkins Woolen Mills, now a Missouri Tourist attraction, will be amazed. The twelve room house, or mansion, his family home, was made of brick from his own kiln. There was a circular walnut staircase. The kilns also supplied brick for a smoke house, a school built in the shape of a hexagon. The brick, made by his slaves, were made from material from his land. There were slave cabins, now gone: the Mt. Vernon Church still stands. The mill was a three storied building: the mill was powered by a big water wheel, set in a stream pond formed by damming a little unnamed stream which was spring feed, on his property. His estate was planned and set up as a self supporting community with food and clothing for their use and surplus to sell, all done in the community by slave labor. There is a family cemetery on the place with stones still legible. Fox hunting meets, an eastern and southern social event, were held at the Watkins Plantation semi-annually, with tents set up for the guests who came from great distances. Walthus died on 24 January, 1884, at Watkins Mill, Clay County, Missouri. He was survived by his wife, Mary Ann, who died on September 24 1896 In 1945 the estate was sold by the fifteen heirs. | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| Last Modified 3 Jun 2000 | Created 3 Sep 2001 by EasyTree for Windows |