History of Michigan, / by Charles Moore. [Vol. 3]

HISTORY OF MICHIGAN

1753

For life-work nobly done,
For triumphs proudly won!
Death has no lasting gloom,
Confined to earth and tomb,
No banishment for day,
No sleep or dull decay,
No weight of clay and clod;
For death is but the way
To the eternal ray
Of everlasting light,
And Fatherhood of God,
When we shall say good night
To all the scenes of earth
In life's eternal birth!"
HON. ERWIN C. WATKINS. The late Hon. Erwin C. Watkins, long
a resident of the state of Michigan, was born in the village of Covington,
Genesee county, New York, on January 15, 1839. He was a son of Hon.
Milton C. Watkins, who was born in West Rutland, Vermont, on March
20, 80o6, and a grandson of Moses Watkins, who, in so far as is known,
was -all his life a resident of the Green Mountain state.
Milton C. Watkins had his academic education in his native town, and
when he had finished his studies as a boy, worked at carpentering with
an elder brother. He was twenty-one years of age when he went to New
York state, there engaging in school teaching. He divided his time between that work and carpentering, and at the end of three years was
satisfied to return to his native town. There, in I829, he married Susan
Joy, who was born in Hardwick, Massachusetts, on December 23, I803,
and who was a cousin of James F. Joy. With his bride young Watkins
returned to New York State and for a time he farmed in Covington,
Genesee county, after which he moved to Middlebury, continuing there
in farming activities until I844. He came to Michigan in that year, a
pioneer to Gratten township, and here commenced life anew, for he had
met with financial reverses in New York that made him anxious to begin over again in a new place. He secured a tract of heavily timbered
land and in due course of time he accomplished that which many another
stout hearted pioneer has done-carved a farm out of the forest and made
a comfortable home for his family. He was a resident on that place
until his death. He early became prominent in Gratten township, in
both local and state politics. He had served as justice of the peace in
New York state, and when Gratten township was formally organized
he became supervisor. Later he served in both branches of the state
legislature, and he was also appointed to the office of assistant county
judge, which office he held for some years. He was a member of the
State Constitutional Convention of 1867, and in many ways rendered
a praiseworthy service to the state and to the community wherein he had
his home. He died on May I6, 1886. He and his wife reared a family
of five children: Charles J., Mary Colton, Electa Shellis, Erwin C.
and Lewis, who died when he was fifteen years old.
Concerning Milton Watkins, his son, Erwin C., of this review, in
writing of his early life, said of his father: "In the spring of I844,
on account of business reverses, the result of signing accommodation
notes by which he lost his farm, he concluded to seek a home in the west,
and so moved to Michigan, accompanied by his family. A former neighbor, named Sheldon Ashley, had been to Michigan the year before and
had purchased a tract of land in the county of Kent, and my father was
easily persuaded to accompany him on his return. Mr. Ashley was an