The look back to our Watkins ancestors is firmly documented to the first recorded birth to Edward and Sarah Watkins of Boston, a son, Edward, 10 January 1683. According to genealogist Walter Kendall Watkins; "Sarah Watkins, the mother, took the baptismal covenant in 1689 at the Old South Church, Boston and was baptized 15 July 1689, with her children, Edward, Samuel and George." There were five additional sons, also baptized in this church that figures so prominently in the early history of the colonies that were to become the United States. This is the church of John the eldest son of John and Priscilla Alden and his descendants, where Benjamin Franklin was baptized. It was the church of many patriots of the Revolution. The congregation met in the meeting house that witnessed the planning of the "Boston Tea Party

Public records in Boston granting Sarah, "a widow in poor circumstances" abatement of taxes indicate that Edward died in or about 1701. There is no record suggesting that Sarah remarried and indeed the Dorchester, Massachusetts First Church records; "Owned or Renewed Covenant, May 1708--Sarah Watkins."

We trace to Thaddeus Watkins, the youngest child of Edward and Sarah. He was born 27 March 1700. As a young adult, in the company of or joining later older brothers William and Nehemiah, he emigrated to Ashford, Connecticut. "Nehemiah Watkins appeared in Ashford, Connecticut in 1716 with his brother William, and became one of the proprietors 5 March 1718." (W. K. Watkins) "William Watkins and his brother, Nehemiah were two of the forty-five persons who gave bonds, drew lots and were admitted proprietors of Ashford, Connecticut in 1718 — History of Windham County, Connecticut.. Indicating their status as farmers, they were described as "yeomen" in the contemporaneous histories. Though early New England society was noted for (the times) its egalitarian impulses and genuine flexibility of social classes one cannot help but speculate on the route to land ownership and middle class citizenship of these children, reared by a single mother "in poor circumstances."

Our ancestor Thaddeus' marriage record confirms his presence in Ashford, Connecticut by 1724. He was married to Anne Humphrey of Woodstock, Connecticut. She was the daughter of "Woodstock Pioneer" and "planter" Arthur and was sister to Mehitable Humphrey who had married his older brother William in 1717 or 1718. Thaddeus and Anne Watkins had six children, three boys and three girls. Our ancestor John was the  oldest son born 2 March 1725. He married Hannah Fletcher 26 October 1749. John Watkins died 8 October 1756 during service as company clerk, Capt. John Slapp, in the Crown Point expedition of the French and Indian Wars. His only surviving children, John and Nathan, are named in their grandfather Thaddeus' will.

This chronologically second John Watkins in our line married Mary Scarborough in about 1776. Both John Watkins and Mary's father, John Scarborough, are certified by the DAR/SAR as having served in the Army for Independence from the New England colonies. Sometime after their marriage John and Mary Watkins removed to Pomfret in what later became the state of Vermont. They had eight children and are  listed in the 1790 census of Pomfret.

Their eldest son, also John, (III), became a physician and remained in Pomfret, Vermont throughout his life. He was married to Mary Tarr Honey Eaton, widow of Ebenezer Eaton about 1820. Two children were born of this union, Stephen Decatur Watkins, 11 March 1821 and Diana (to become Ayres), 1823. "I have heard Grandmother say she loved Dr. Watkins best of her husbands. "They lived about 1/4 mile from Deacon Harris' whose wife petted Father when 3 & 4 years old: she used to watch him running away from home, flying down the hill to their house & once a turkey chased him: when his baby sister was a few days old Dr. Watkins brought another Dr. into see her, who asked her name & when the father said he had named her 'Diana' the visitor said 'Well before I would name a child for a heathen goddess.,' as a child. Father was called Decatur & Dick a good deal. I have heard Grandmother say 'Dick Watkins'"---- Emma to "Rolla and Ellen,1924.

Upon John Watkins' death 12 October 1828 (following the custom of the time) the two children were appointed guardians. "Grandmother said she married Ben Howard because he had a house & a few acres of land, & she thought it would make a home where she could have her children with her, Diana's guardian was one Ora Paul but she apparently lived with Grandmother (Elizabeth Senter-Honey) Badger & Stephen with his guardian most of the time."--- Emma 1924

While Diana lived with her mother's mother Stephen went to live with John Dana. Great Grandfather Rolla states Stephen used the term "indentured" to describe the arrangement with Dana. He also indicates that his father Stephen spoke fondly of Dana. There is in the collection original letters by and mentioning Dana and confirming bequests to Stephen as a descendent from John Watkins and John Scarborough.

In about 1837 the surviving family moved to northeastern Ohio, Trumbull County. Those moving from Vermont included Stephen and Diana Watkins, Mary and her third husband Ben Howard, their sons John Snow Howard and Nathan Orlen Howard, a daughter Eunice, Mary's mother Elizabeth Senter Honey Badger and apparently some other Honey ("Joe"?) and or Howard relatives. Mary Honey's mother, Elizabeth Senter, was at the time of her migration to Ohio married to John Badger. There were Norris relatives associated with the Howards and or Badgers. According to Emma the Senters were "orthodox Congregational" came from Barnstable on the Cape and Woburn, Massachusetts to New Hampshire (Nashua). According to diverse family sources some of the Senters also served in the Army for Independence.

With the move Dana's guardianship of Stephen was transferred to Orenus Hart of Brookfield, Ohio. Great Grandfather Rolla's letters indicate Stephen was active in Whig politics and church from at least the time of that move. Orenus is called "Uncle" in Stephen and Diana's letters but I have no evidence that this represents familial relationship. We have in the collection a number of Orenus' letters as well as a few from his son Henry to Stephen during the Civil War so it is clear that they remained in close contact throughout their lives. There are several of Mary Howard's letters and also a number of comments about her. Stephen and his half brothers describe her as a worrier but write with humor and affection and her letters reflect the same. She eventually moved to Wisconsin and died in Lima Township in 1864. Emma states she was buried in the Amos Ayres lot but that the markings to her grave were lost.

Note: W. K. and R. A. Watkins believed that Edward was a son of Andrew Watkins of Roxbury, Massachusetts. However Bickford could find no primary source to lend more than tenuous support to making that assumption, thus I leave the intrigue of his origins open to future research.