Watkins, Gordon S., 1889-....

Biography

Gordon Samuel Watkins was born on March 9, 1889 in Brynmawr, Wales. Watkins worked with his father in the coal mines from a young age and began saving his money to better his situation. In 1906, at the age of seventeen, he paid thirty-five dollars for a steam ship ticket to the United States. Once in the States, he worked at numerous places including a railroad machine shop which enabled him to pay his way through preparatory school at Fargo College Academy in Fargo, North Dakota and Wheaton College Academy in Wheaton, Illinois. Watkins later moved to and worked as a lumberjack in Montana which helped pay his way through the University of Montana where he received his Bachelor of Arts degree and met Anna Davis. Anna was born on December 22, 1884 in Mount Etna, Iowa and like her husband she completed her undergraduate work at the University of Montana earning a Bachelor of Arts degree in economics. The couple was married in 1917 after Gordon received his Masters of Arts degree from the University of Illinois. Gordon later went on to earn his doctorate from the University of Pennsylvania.

Gordon Watkins began his career as an educator when his alma mater, the University of Illinois, hired him as an economics professor. In 1925, he joined the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) staff as a Professor of Economics, a position he held from 1925-1949. Gordon authored and co-authored over a dozen books on labor economics and became a leading figure in the field. Anna, who also had a background in economics, assisted on many of Gordon's books, articles, and speeches. Watkins academic and literary contributions on labor economics led both Franklin D. Roosevelt and Harry Truman to summon his assistance with fact finding and labor arbitration during the disputes both men faced with the railroads.

In 1949, Gordon was named the first provost of the University of California, Riverside (UCR) and was instrumental in establishing the College of Letters and Sciences. He spent months traversing the country to locate the best building plans, curriculum, and faculty for the campus which opened its doors on February 15, 1954. Gordon retired in 1956 after seven years of involvement with the campus. Anna was also deeply involved with the formation of UCR as she worked alongside her husband, assisting him with campus planning activities and events. She was an active member of the Citizen's University Committee, Campus Club, and the interdenominational religious center that Gordon helped establish. A devout Congregationalist, Gordon reached out to the academic, religious, and local communities to support his vision of a religious center at UCR. In 1966 his vision was finally realized with the opening of Watkins House on campus.

Gordon Watkins died on May 5, 1970 in Santa Barbara, California and was survived by his wife Anna, until her death later that year in August.