Watkins, Jabez Bunting, 1845-1921

Capitalist and entrepreneur. Primarily responsible for development of Southwest Louisiana area by pioneering agricultural and industrial innovations and by attracting immigrants from other parts of the country.

Jabez Bunting Watkins (1845-1921), capitalist and entrepreneur, built one of the largest farm mortgage businesses in the central United States during the last three decades of the 19th century. The J.B. Watkins Land Mortgage Company was incorporated in 1883 and rapidly emerged at the fore-front of the western farm mortgage businesses in the plains states. During the 1870s, Watkins opened offices in New York and London in order to solicit capital through the negotiation of mortgage loan notes and the sale of debenture bonds. Built largely on personal name recognition and trust, the Watkins Company flourished through the efforts of agents employed throughout the country and at offices in Lawrence, Kansas; Greeley, Colorado; Dallas, Texas; and Lake Charles, Louisiana.

In 1883, Watkins purchased 1.5 million acres of southwest Louisiana land from the state and federal government and began to implement sweeping plans for the development of this gulf coast region. He pioneered agricultural and industrial innovations in the area and actively advertised the virtues of southwest Louisiana to potential immigrants throughout the United States and Europe. In addition, various Watkins land companies acquired title to thousands of acres in Texas, Kansas, and surrounding states. These lands -formed the basis of Watkins' personal and corporate wealth which survived the Panic of 1893, as well as the receivership and liquidation of the mortgage business in 1896. The next decade witnessed concentrated efforts to sell land and liquidate capital intensive holdings in order to pay off creditors represented by English and American investors. During the first decade of the 20th century, Watkins consolidated his remaining lands in Louisiana, Texas and Kansas. He continued efforts to exploit the agricultural and natural resources of southwest Louisiana while at the same time launching a new venture to develop what he believed was the vast agricultural potential of southwest Kansas. Between 1908 and 1909, he leased thousands of acres to people who would break the prairie sod and farm the land in Kansas.

J.B. Watkins died in 1921, leaving his entire estate to his wife of twelve years, Elizabeth Miller Watkins. "Lizzie" Watkins oversaw the affairs of remaining Watkins' lands and directed the continuing liquidation of the once sprawling empire in Louisiana and Texas. Dick Williams directed the business affairs of Mrs. Watkins and managed the Watkins' farms in southwest Kansas. Prior to her death in 1939, Mrs. Elizabeth M. Watkins created a building program and series of bequests for the city of Lawrence, the University of Kansas, and the Kansas University Endowment Association.

Following, in PDF form, is a list of Watkins controlled business interests with principal employees or officers of each concern. The list is not complete and not arranged in any particular order. It is intended to assist in clarifying names, dates and places as well as providing preliminary access to indexed letterpress books.

Researchers should note that each office is a link in J.B. Watkins' chain of businesses and consequently few employees or officers remained in a static position. Instead, many had major roles in one or two ventures, and minor roles in others. Furthermore, internal transfers of employees was common practice.

ksrl.kc.watkinsbusinessinterests.pdf