NAPOLEON BONAPARTE WATKINS
Napoleaon Bonaparte Watkins, b November 14, 1845 in Marengo County, Alabama, d
July 19, 1907 in Falls County, Texas – a son of James L. Evelina (Dumas)
Watkins, both natives of Anson County, North Carolina.
On September 25, 1866, he married Carolina Moore, b October 18, 1845 in
Marengo County, Alabama, d August 29, 1923 in Falls County, Texas – a daughter
of Cornelius and Margaret (McRee) Moore, whose plantation was near Demopolis,
Alabama.
Napoleon B. Watkins enlisted in the Confederate States Army when he was
only sixteen years old, serving as a Private in Company B, 43rd Regiment of
Alabama Infantry. He was captured in Kentucky, and ex- changed on September 16,
1862, being sent to a hospital in Knoxville, Tennessee in December 1862. His
name appears on a list of "Prisoners of War belonging to the Army of Northern
Virginia who have this day been surrendered by Robert E. Lee, CSA, commanding
said Army to Lt. General U. S. Grant, commanding armies of the United States of
America. Done at Appomattox Court House, Virginia, April 9, 1865." His name
appears under the following heading: "List of men of Moody's Alabama Brigade
captured April 10, 1865, and paroled at Appomattox Court House, Virginia, same
date."
After his discharge from the Army and his subsequent marriage, Napoleon
lived in Alabama for several years, but they realized a better life might be had
by moving to Texas. Napoleon made a trip to Texas, looked around several
locations, and decided to purchase land near the then flourishing community of
Wilderville in Falls County. In 1881, he moved his family from Marengo County,
Alabama, and settled on the property he had purchased. His decision to settle in
Falls County was influenced somewhat by the fact that his father-in-law,
Cornelius Moore, had come to Texas before the Civil War and had in 1851
purchased land from the Sterling Clack Robertson Five-League Grant west of what
is now the Rosebud Community. After the Civil War, several of the Moore children
came to Texas and settled on that land. Cornelius Moore, father of Caroline
(Moore) Watkins, died in Falls County on Au- gust 26, 1880 and was buried in
Powers Chapel Cemetery near Wilderville. His wife, Mary (McRee) Moore, had died
August 7, 1874 in Alabama, and was buried there at Dixon Mills Cemetery.
Napoleon Bonaparte and Carolina (Moore) Watkins had eleven children - the
first eight in Marengo County, Alabama, and the last three in Falls County,
Texas:
William Dejarnett Watkins, b July 4, 1867, d February 8, 1908 and buried
in Woodland Cemetery, Rosebud - married Sarah ("Sallie") Stallworth, and had no
children.
Mary ("Minnie") McRee Watkins, b February 22, 1869, d November 22, 1913
and buried in Woodland Cemetery in Rosebud - never married.
Napoleon Bonaparte Watkins, Jr., b January 17, 1871, d April 5, 1873, and
buried in Alabama.
Julia Moore Watkins, b January 7, 1873, d February 25,1906 and buried in
Powers Chapel Cemetery near Wilderville - married Martin
Alexander ("Alex") Anding.
Ernest Calvin Watkins, b September 6, 1875, d November 13, 1875, and
buried at Dixon Mills Cemetery in Alabama.
Cornelius James ("Neil") Watkins, b October 6, 1876, d November 14, 1965
and buried in Woodland Cemetery at Rosebud, was never married.
Charles Owen Watkins, b August 9,1879, d January 2, 1946 and buried in
Woodland Cemetery at Rose- bud - married Nola McKinney in 1901,
and married second in 1914 to Lois E. Matthews after the 1912 death of his first
wife.
Joseph Moore Watkins, b September 9, 1881 before the family moved to
Texas, d May 27, 1941 and buried in Woodland Cemetery at Rosebud - married Emma
Conner.
Carrie May Watkins, b May 1, 1884, d November 26, 1966 and buried in
Woodland Cemetery at Rosebud, taught school and never married.
Helen Ernestine Watkins, b October 30, 1886, d March 9, 1969 and buried
in Woodland Cemetery at Rosebud, taught school- never married.
Luther Calvin Watkins, b January 20, 1890, d February 1, 1963 and buried
in Woodland Cemetery at Rosebud - married Ludie (Tarnie) Barker.
Copyright Permission granted to Theresa Carhart for printing the biographies of
these Falls County Families to this Web page.
"Families of Falls County", Compiled and Edited by the Falls County Historical
Commission, page 474 column 1 and 2 and page 475 column 1.
Member of Falls County Historical Commission.
