President Judge Watkins was born in Girardville, Schuylkill County, on January 2, 1903. He graduated from Girardville High School and Pennsylvania State University. After college, he taught high school for two years, then attended Harvard for his law degree.
President Judge Watkins began his career serving as counsel to the Selective Service Committee. He then served as Schuylkill County solicitor from 1935 to 1947. Additionally, President Judge Watkins was a State Senator for Pennsylvania’s 29th district (1941-44), chairman of the Schuylkill County Republican Party (1941-52), and secretary of the Senate of Pennsylvania (1944-57).
President Judge Watkins was elected to the Superior Court in 1956 and reelected in 1966. In 1974, he became President Judge. Upon reaching the mandatory retirement age, President Judge Watkins continued to serve as a senior judge until his retirement in 1988. He served on the Superior Court for a total of thirty-two years. President Judge Watkins passed away on August 5, 1991.
Throughout his tenure, President Judge Watkins was honored with several awards: the American Legion Distinguished Service Award, Man of the Year from the Pennsylvania Trial Lawyers Association, the 1978 Distinguished Alumni Award from Penn State, and the Man of the Year Award from the Young Republicans of Pennsylvania.