Member Biography

G. (George) Harold Watkins 

Seal
Sessions Office Position District Party
1941-1942       29 Republican
1943-1944       29 Republican
1953-1954     Secretary-Parliamentarian  
1955-1956     Secretary-Parliamentarian  
1957-1958     Secretary-Parliamentarian  

COUNTIES: Schuylkill  


Biography

01/03/1903 - 08/04/1991


George Harold Watkins, went by G. Harold Watkins (R29) Schuykill County 1941-44 

Early Life:   

George Harold Watkins, went by G. Harold Watkins, born January 3, 1903, Girardville, Butler Township, Schuylkill County, Pennsylvania, son of George H. Watkins and Florence M. Sykes; Pennsylvania State University, (B.A.), 1924, Harvard University Law, LL.B,1929; practicing attorney, 1930; elected Republican, Pennsylvania State Senate, 1941-1944; Secretary, Pennsylvania State Senate, 1953-1957; Commonwealth Judge, President Judge, Senior Judge, 1989; married, Nellie Benashumas, sons, Edmund H. and George H.; daughter, 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 & 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.   

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

Chair, Schuylkill County Republican Party, 1940-1957. 

Co-chairman, State Republican Party 1950-1954.  

Continued Government Service: 

Secretary, Pennsylvania State Senate, 1953-1957. 

Commonwealth Judge, 1957, reelected, 1967, President Judge, 1974-1978, Senior Judge, 1989.  

Legacy:  

Daughter, Pamela Watkins, married, Frederick H. Hobbs, Pennsylvania State Senator, 29th District, 1934-2005

Cited:

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

https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/106621754/g_-harold-watkins  

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