Robert Edward Lee Watkins Papers

Access and use

Location of collection:
College of William and Mary
Special Collections Research Center
Earl Gregg Swem Library
College of William and Mary
400 Landrum Drive
PO 8795
Williamsburg, VA 23187-8795
Contact for questions and access:
Phone: (757) 221-3090
Fax: (757) 221-5440
Restrictions:

The collection is open to all researchers. Manuscript collections and archival records may contain materials with sensitive or confidential information that is protected under federal or state right to privacy laws and regulations, such as the Virginia Public Records Act (Code of Virginia. § 42.1-76-91); and the Virginia Freedom of Information Act (Code of Virginia § 2.2-3705.5). Confidential material may include, but is not limited to, educational, medical, and personnel records. If sensitive material is found in this collection, please contact a staff member immediately. The disclosure of personally identifiable information pertaining to a living individual may have legal consequences for which the College of William and Mary assumes no responsibility.

Terms of access:

Before publishing quotations or excerpts from any materials, permission must be obtained from the University Archives, and the holder of the copyright, if not Swem Library.

Preferred citation:

Robert Edward Lee Watkins Papers, Special Collections Research Center, Earl Gregg Swem Library, College of William and Mary.

Summary

Extent:
0.70 Linear Feet
Creator:
Watkins, Robert Edward Lee
Language:
English
Preferred citation:

Robert Edward Lee Watkins Papers, Special Collections Research Center, Earl Gregg Swem Library, College of William and Mary.

Background

Scope and content:

This collection includes items related to the Phoenix and Philomathean Literary Societies, debates Watkins participated in, class notes, artifacts, a certificate, and a letter written to his mother while he was stationed in Cuba during the Spanish American War.

Includes news clippings and a speech given at Jamestown, 1889 May 13

Watkins writes from Havana, Cuba while serving in the military during the Spanish-American War (Second Lt. in Co. I of the 4th Va. Regiment). The second page describes how the Cubans cheered the Americans on their march from ship to camp and how uncomfortable winter-weight uniforms were in the tropics.

Photographs are identified and include Robert Edward Lee Watkins, family, and friends

Biographical / historical:

Robert Edward Lee Watkins was born in Southampton County, Va. on December 27, 1868 to D. J. and Rebecca Moore Watkins. He graduated from the College of William and Mary in 1891 and studied law at the University of North Carolina. He served during the Spanish-American War as Second Lieutenant in Company I of the Fourth Virginia Regiment, retiring as Major on the staff of the Judge Advocate General. He served as mayor of the town of Franklin, Va. from 1900-1906 and served on the Town Council for a number of years. He was elected Commonwealth's Attorney of Southampton County in 1914 and held that office for nearly 20 years. He died on August 5, 1935.

Acquisition information:
Acc. 1979.026
Processing information:

Processed by Kim Sims, February 2016

Accruals:

2016.029 was a gift from Emma Lovelace

Rules or conventions:
Describing Archives: A Content Standard