Henry Hitt Watkins was a United States federal judge

United States federal judge

In the United States, the title of federal judge usually means a judge appointed by the President of the United States and confirmed by the United States Senate in accordance with Article II of the United States Constitution....

.

Born in Laurens County, South Carolina, Watkins attended the University of Virginia

University of Virginia

The University of Virginia is a public research university located in Charlottesville, Virginia, United States, founded by Thomas Jefferson...

 and received an M.A.

Master of Arts (postgraduate)

A Master of Arts from the Latin Magister Artium, is a type of Master's degree awarded by universities in many countries. The M.A. is usually contrasted with the M.S. or M.Sc. degrees...

 from Furman University

Furman University

Furman University is a selective, private, coeducational, liberal arts college in Greenville, South Carolina, United States. Furman is one of the oldest, and more selective private institutions in South Carolina...

 in 1883. He read law to enter the bar in 1892, and was in private practice in Anderson, South Carolina

Anderson, South Carolina

Anderson is a city in and the county seat of Anderson County, South Carolina, United States. The population was estimated at 26,242 in 2006, and the city was the center of an urbanized area of 70,530...

 from then until 1919. He was in the United States Army

United States Army

The United States Army is the main branch of the United States Armed Forces responsible for land-based military operations. It is the largest and oldest established branch of the U.S. military, and is one of seven U.S. uniformed services...

 Captain, Company C, First South Carolina Regiment in 1898. He was a Quartermaster general of Staff of Governor Heyward from 1903 to 1907.

Watkins was a federal judge on the United States District Court for the Western District of South Carolina. Watkins was nominated by President Woodrow Wilson

Woodrow Wilson

Thomas Woodrow Wilson was the 28th President of the United States, from 1913 to 1921. A leader of the Progressive Movement, he served as President of Princeton University from 1902 to 1910, and then as the Governor of New Jersey from 1911 to 1913...

 on July 14, 1919, to a seat vacated by Joseph T. Johnson

Joseph T. Johnson

Joseph Travis Johnson was a United States Representative and federal judge from South Carolina. He was born in Brewerton, South Carolina. He attended the common schools and was graduated from Erskine College, Due West, South Carolina in 1879. He received an LL.B. from Vanderbilt University in...

. He was confirmed by the United States Senate

United States Senate

The United States Senate is the upper house of the bicameral legislature of the United States, and together with the United States House of Representatives comprises the United States Congress. The composition and powers of the Senate are established in Article One of the U.S. Constitution. Each...

 on July 22, 1919, and received his commission the same day. He assumed senior status

Senior status

Senior status is a form of semi-retirement for United States federal judges, and judges in some state court systems. After federal judges have reached a certain combination of age and years of service on the federal courts, they are allowed to assume senior status...

 on December 31, 1936. Watkins served in that capacity until September 8, 1947, due to his death.

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