Elton Watkins
Encyclopedia
Elton Watkins was a Congressman representing Oregon's 3rd congressional district
for one term. The son of a Confederate soldier, Watkins would also serve as an assistant U.S. Attorney.
on July 6, 1881. His father was a veteran of the Confederate Army, and the younger Watkins was educated at the Webb School
in Bell Buckle, Tennessee
before attending college at Washington and Lee University
in Virginia
, where he graduated in 1910 with a bachelors of arts. Watkins then went onto law school
at Georgetown
where he earned an LL.B.. Then in 1912, he graduated with a masters degree from George Washington University Law School. During part of his time in Washington, DC he worked for the Federal Bureau of Investigation
.
where he was admitted to the state bar
. During World War I
he returned to the FBI and in 1918, married Daniela Ruth Sturgis. The couple would have two children. In 1919, he became an assistant attorney for the United States District of Oregon
. Then in 1922 he won election as a Democrat
to the United States House of Representatives
from Oregon’s 3rd congressional district. He lost his re-election bid in 1924.
. Then in 1932, he ran again and lost in the primary. Also in 1932, he ran and lost a bid to be Portland
’s mayor. He tried a second time for the mayors office in 1940 and lost. He then returned to the practice of law in Portland, where he died on June 24, 1956. He was buried in Greenwood Hills Cemetery.
Oregon's 3rd congressional district
Oregon's 3rd congressional district covers most of Multnomah County, including Portland east of the Willamette River, Gresham, and Troutdale. It also includes the northern part of Clackamas County, including Milwaukie. Parts of northwest Portland also lie within the district...
for one term. The son of a Confederate soldier, Watkins would also serve as an assistant U.S. Attorney.
Early life
Watkins was born in Newton, MississippiNewton, Mississippi
Newton is a city in Newton County, Mississippi, United States. The population was 3,699 at the 2000 census. Country singer/songwriter Paul Overstreet was born in Newton.-Geography:Newton is located at ....
on July 6, 1881. His father was a veteran of the Confederate Army, and the younger Watkins was educated at the Webb School
Webb School (Bell Buckle, Tennessee)
The Webb School is a private coeducational college preparatory boarding and day school in Bell Buckle, Tennessee, founded in 1870. It has been called the oldest, continuously operating boarding school in the South...
in Bell Buckle, Tennessee
Bell Buckle, Tennessee
Bell Buckle is a town in Bedford County, Tennessee, United States. The population was 500 at the 2010 census.-Geography:Bell Buckle is located at ....
before attending college at Washington and Lee University
Washington and Lee University
Washington and Lee University is a private liberal arts college in Lexington, Virginia, United States.The classical school from which Washington and Lee descended was established in 1749 as Augusta Academy, about north of its present location. In 1776 it was renamed Liberty Hall in a burst of...
in Virginia
Virginia
The Commonwealth of Virginia , is a U.S. state on the Atlantic Coast of the Southern United States. Virginia is nicknamed the "Old Dominion" and sometimes the "Mother of Presidents" after the eight U.S. presidents born there...
, where he graduated in 1910 with a bachelors of arts. Watkins then went onto law school
Law school
A law school is an institution specializing in legal education.- Law degrees :- Canada :...
at Georgetown
Georgetown University
Georgetown University is a private, Jesuit, research university whose main campus is in the Georgetown neighborhood of Washington, D.C. Founded in 1789, it is the oldest Catholic university in the United States...
where he earned an LL.B.. Then in 1912, he graduated with a masters degree from George Washington University Law School. During part of his time in Washington, DC he worked for the Federal Bureau of Investigation
Federal Bureau of Investigation
The Federal Bureau of Investigation is an agency of the United States Department of Justice that serves as both a federal criminal investigative body and an internal intelligence agency . The FBI has investigative jurisdiction over violations of more than 200 categories of federal crime...
.
Oregon
Also in 1912 he moved to OregonOregon
Oregon is a state in the Pacific Northwest region of the United States. It is located on the Pacific coast, with Washington to the north, California to the south, Nevada on the southeast and Idaho to the east. The Columbia and Snake rivers delineate much of Oregon's northern and eastern...
where he was admitted to the state bar
Bar (law)
Bar in a legal context has three possible meanings: the division of a courtroom between its working and public areas; the process of qualifying to practice law; and the legal profession.-Courtroom division:...
. During World War I
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
he returned to the FBI and in 1918, married Daniela Ruth Sturgis. The couple would have two children. In 1919, he became an assistant attorney for the United States District of Oregon
United States District Court for the District of Oregon
The United States District Court for the District of Oregon is the Federal district court whose jurisdiction comprises the state of Oregon. It was created in 1859 when the state was admitted to the Union...
. Then in 1922 he won election as a Democrat
Democratic Party (United States)
The Democratic Party is one of two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Republican Party. The party's socially liberal and progressive platform is largely considered center-left in the U.S. political spectrum. The party has the lengthiest record of continuous...
to the United States House of Representatives
United States House of Representatives
The United States House of Representatives is one of the two Houses of the United States Congress, the bicameral legislature which also includes the Senate.The composition and powers of the House are established in Article One of the Constitution...
from Oregon’s 3rd congressional district. He lost his re-election bid in 1924.
Later life
In 1930 Watkins was the Democratic nominee for U.S. Senate, but lost to incumbent Charles L. McNaryCharles L. McNary
Charles Linza McNary was a United States Republican politician from Oregon. He served in the Senate from 1917 to 1944, and was Senate Minority Leader from 1933 to 1944. In the Senate, McNary helped to pass legislation that led to the construction of Bonneville Dam on the Columbia River, and worked...
. Then in 1932, he ran again and lost in the primary. Also in 1932, he ran and lost a bid to be Portland
Portland, Oregon
Portland is a city located in the Pacific Northwest, near the confluence of the Willamette and Columbia rivers in the U.S. state of Oregon. As of the 2010 Census, it had a population of 583,776, making it the 29th most populous city in the United States...
’s mayor. He tried a second time for the mayors office in 1940 and lost. He then returned to the practice of law in Portland, where he died on June 24, 1956. He was buried in Greenwood Hills Cemetery.