Born in Watson, West Virginia, Watkins was a United States Army Private First Class in the Signal Corps from 1918 to 1919.
He was in private practice in Fairmont, West Virginia from 1923 to 1937.
[1] Watkins was nominated by President Franklin D. Roosevelt on February 17, 1937, to the United States District Court for the Northern District of West Virginia and the United States District Court for the Southern District of West Virginia, to a new joint seat created by 49 Stat.
He served as Chief Judge of the Northern District from 1954 to 1963.
Watkins served in that capacity until his death on June 6, 1963.