Bessire Family History: Septimus Watkins and Effie May Bessire

Septimus Watkins & Effie May Bessire
Possible marriage photo?
Photographer E.J. Bailey & Co., Seattle Wash.
Photo courtesy of Fred Bohning (1910-2002)

Septimus Watkins
b. 20 February 1868, Abercanaid, Glamoran, South Wales, Great Britain
md. Effie May Bessire, 29 November 1899, Snohomish, Snohomish, Washington
d. 19 March 1945, Twin Falls, Twin Falls, Idaho
bur. 23 March 1945 Sunset Memorial Park, Twin Falls, Twin Falls, Idaho
parents: Evan Watkins & Gwendolyn Lewis (names appear on Septimus’s death certificate)

Septimus Watkins--date unknown--single?
Photo courtesty of Fred Bohning (1910-2002)

Census appearances for Septimus before marriage.
Note that Ann Watkins is Septimus’s grandmother, not mother.

1870 U.S. Federal Census: Foster Township, Luzerne, Pennsylvania
Dwelling 121: Evan Watkins age 31, male, white, mines coal, born Wales, father foreign born, mother foreign born. Ann Watkins, age 57, female, white, keeping house, born Wales, father and mother foreign born. William Watkins, age 21, male, white, mines coal, born Wales, father and mother foreign born. Mary J. Watkins, age 16, female, white, born Wales, father and mother foreign born. Abraham A. Watkins, age 37, male, white, mines coal, born Wales, father and mother foreign born. William Watkins, age 15, male, white, mines coal, born Wales, father and mother foreign born. William Welsch, age 45, male, white, mines coal, born Canada, mother and father foreign born. Septimus Watkins, age 2, male, white, born Wales, father and mother foreign born.

1880 U.S. Federal Census: Foster Township, Luzern, Pennsylvania

Dwelling 284, family 286: Evan Watkins, white, male, age 41, married, coal miner, born Wales, father born Wales, mother born Wales. Anne Watkins, white, female, age 68, mother [head], widowed, housekeeper, born Wales, father born Wales, mother born Wales. Ceptimus [sic] Watkins, white, male, age 11, son, single, school, born Wales, father born Wales, mother born Wales.

Effie May Bessire
b. 3 July 1875, Liberty, Hardin, Ohio
d. 20 December 1960
bur. 23 Dec 1960, Sunset Memorial Park, Twin Falls, Twin Falls, Idaho
parents: Alcide Lucian Bessire & America Ann Murray

Probably Effie (or her sister Emma?)
Photo courtesy of Fred Bohning (1910-2002)
Single? Date unknown

Census appearances of Effie before marriage:

1880 U.S. Federal Census: Bath Township, Allen, Ohio
Dwelling 18, family 18: Alcid [sic] L. Bessire, white, male, age 26, married, farming, born Ohio, father born Switzerland, mother born France. America A. Bessire, white, female, age 25, married, keeping house, born Ohio, father born Ohio, mother born Ohio. Effa [sic] M. Bessire, white, female, age 5, daughter, single, born Ohio, father born Ohio, mother born Ohio. Emma T. Bessire, white, female, age 2, daughter, single, born Ohio, father born Ohio, mother born Ohio. Elmer Barret, white, male age 15, servant, single, works on farm, born Ohio, father born U.S., mother born Ohio.

Children:
It doesn’t appear that Septimus and Effie had any biological children. The 1910 census indicates that no children were born and no children were living. However, in Septimus’s obituary (1945) it states that he is survived by “two foster children, Vera Noble and Fred Noble, both of Seattle.” Interestingly enough, Vera and Fred appear on the 1900 U.S. Federal Census in Granite Falls, Snohomish, Washington with their assumed parents, Charles and Susanna Noble, on the very same page as Septimus and Effie. So these two families were neighbors. How it comes to be that Vera and Fred Noble end up as foster children, if in fact so, needs further research. Effie’s obituary (1960) does not indicate any children as survivors.

Effie & Septimus Watkins
Date unknown--married per photo?
Photo courtesy of Fred Bohning (1910-2002)

Census appearances of Septimus and Effie after marriage:

1900 U.S. Federal Census Granite Falls, Snohomish, Washington
Dwelling 175, family 177: Scptiemus [sic] Watkins, head, white, male, born Feb 1868, age 32, married, married 1 years, born Wales, father born Wales, mother born Wales, naturalized?, day laborer, 2 months not employed, can read and write and speak English, house rented. Effie Watkins, wife, white, female, born Nov 1874, age 25, married, married 1 year, zero children born, zero children living, born Ohio, father born Ohio, mother born Ohio, can read and write and speak English. Evan Watkins, father [head], white, male, born Oct 1840, age 59, widowed, born Wales, father born Wales, mother born Wales, immigrated 1869, 31 years in U.S., carpenter, can read and write and speak English.

1910 U.S. Federal Census: Glenwood, Kitsap, Washington Dwelling 292, family 292: Septimas Watkins, head, male, white, age 42, 1st marriage, married 10 years, born Wales, father born England, mother born England, immigrated 1870, naturalized, can read and write and speak English, bookkeeper, logging company, working own account, working on April 15, 1910, zero weeks out of work during 1909, house rented. Effie Watkins, wife, female, white, age 35, 1st marriage, married 10 years, zero children living of zero children born, born Ohio, father born Ohio, mother born Ohio, can read and write and speak English, no occupation.

1920 U.S. Federal Census: Twin Falls, Twin Falls, Idaho Farm, dwelling 229, family 234: Septimus Watkins, head, house owned mortgage, male, white, age 52, married, immigration 1868, naturalized 1875, can read and write and speak English, born Wales (Welsh), father born Wales (Welsh), mother born Wales (Welsh), engineer county works, wage worker, farm schedule 189. Effie M. Watkins, wife, female, white, age 44, married, can read and write and speak English, born Ohio, father born Ohio, mother born Ohio, no occupation.

1930 U.S. Federal Census: Twin Falls, Twin Falls, Idaho128 Fourth Ave. East, dwelling 206, family 231: Septimus Watkins, head, renter, $22/month, not living on farm, male, white, age 62, married, age 31 at first marriage, can read and write and speak English, born Wales, father born Wales, mother born Wales, speaks Welsh, immigration 1870, naturalized, civil engineer for state, class of worker=W, actually at work, not a veteran. Effie Watkins, wife, female, white, age 54, married, age 24 at 1st marriage, can read and write and speak English, born Ohio, father born Ohio, mother born Ohio, no occupation.