Biography

01/03/1903 - 08/04/1991

G. (George) Harold Watkins (R29) Schuykill County 1941-1944 

Early Life:   

G. (George) Harold Watkins, born January 3, 1903, Girardville, Butler Township, Schuylkill County, Pennsylvania, son of George H. and Florence M. Sykes Watkins; Pennsylvania State University, B.A., 1924, Harvard University Law, LL.B, 1929; practicing attorney, 1930; elected, Republican, Pennsylvania State Senate, 1941-1944; chairman, Schuylkill County Republican Party, 1940-1957; delegate, Republican National Convention, Pennsylvania, 1948, 1952, 1956; co-chairman, State Republican Party 1950-1954; Secretary, Pennsylvania State Senate, 1953-1957; Judge, Superior Court, 1957, reelected, 1967-1974, President Judge, Superior Court, 1974-1978, Senior Judge, Superior Court, retiring, 1989; married, Nellie Benashumas, children, Edmund H. Watkins, George H. Watkins, Pamela Hobbs; twelve grandchildren, three great-grandchildren; died August 4, 1991, Ashland, Schuylkill County, Pennsylvania, interment, Christ Church Cemetery, Fountain Springs, Schuylkill County, Pennsylvania. 

Early Career: 

Junior partner, Hicks and Watkins, 1930, senior partner, Watkins, Wisansky and Walesky, 1944. 
State Chairman, Pennsylvania Heart Association, 1957, honorary general Chairman, Schuylkill County Easter Seal Society, past president, Frackville Rotary Club; director, First National Bank, Frackville. 

Professional titles; business ownership; board memberships; local government; club memberships: 

Member, Saint Peter United Church of Christ, Frackville; Schuylkill County, Pennsylvania Bar Association; American Bar Association; Pennsylvania Conference of Trial Judges; Judicial Council of Pennsylvania; Penn State University board of trustees, board member Penn State University's Schuylkill campus; executive board, Appalachian Trail Council of Boy Scouts, Ashland Free and Accepted Mason; Rajah Shrine; Reading Consistory; Tall Cedars of Lebanon; Mahanoy City Patriotic Order Sons of America; Frackville Lodge of Elks, Girardville Hose Company, Frackville Fish and Game Association.  

Awards: 

American Legion Distinguished Service Award; Man of the Year Award, Pennsylvania Trial Lawyers Association; Man of the Year Award, Young Republicans of Pennsylvania; 1978 Distinguished Alumni Award, Penn State. 

Pennsylvania Politics: 

Solicitor, Schuykill County

Elected, Republican, Pennsylvania State Senate, 29th District, Schuykill County, 1941-1944; committee assignments, Executive Nominations (Chairman), Corporations, Federal Relations, Finance, Insurance, Judiciary General, Public Utilities, Rules.   

Chairman, Schuylkill County Republican Party, 1940-1957. 

Delegate, Republican National Convention, Pennsylvania, 1948, 1952 (member, Committee on Permanent Organization), 1956.  

Co-chairman, State Republican Party 1950-1954.  

Continued Government Service: 

Secretary, Pennsylvania State Senate, 1953-1957. 

Judge, Superior Court, 1957, reelected, 1967-1974, President Judge, Superior Court, 1974-1978, Senior Judge, Superior Court, retiring, 1989.  

Legacy:  

Daughter, Pamela Watkins, married, Frederick Howard “Fred” Hobbs, Pennsylvania State Senate, 29th district, Carbon and Schuylkill Counties 1967-1972 29th district, Carbon, Monroe (Part) Schuylkill Counties 1973-1976 Frederick Howard "Fred" Hobbs  - Pennsylvania Senate Library (pasen.gov)

Cited:

Cox, Harold. "Senate Members W". Wilkes University Election Statistics Project. Wilkes University.

The Pennsylvania Manual (1943). Focht, B. (Editor). (Vol. 86). Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, pages 609, 615, Biographical Sketches of Senators, page 607. 

Philadelphia Inquirer (Philadelphia, Pennsylvania) Thursday, August 8, 1991.

Kestenbaum, Lawrence. The Political Graveyard: Watkins-Rhoades-Hobbs family of Pennsylvania The Political Graveyard

Judge G. Harold Watkins (1903-1991) - Find a Grave Memorial