Charles Allen Watkins was my grandfather John S. Percival's cousin. He was born December 31, 1887 in Richmond, Missouri. He married Elizabeth Drake and they had two children, Martha and Charles. This is the newspaper account of their deaths.
Four In Family Drown in River
Fort McPherson Captain, His Wife, and Two Children Die When Auto Plunges Into the Coosa River.
Center, Ala., July 3. (AP) -- Captain C. A. Watkins of Fort McPherson, Atlanta, Ga., his wife and two children were drowned last night when their automobile plunged into the Coosa river, at the Leesburg ferry, near here. The bodies of Watkins and his five year old daughter have been recovered.
According to information obtained here, Watkins and family were on their way to Nashville ans Red Boiling Springs, Tenn., to visit Mrs. Watkins' mother, Mrs. Boyd L. Drake.
It is presumed that Captain Watkins was unfamiliar with the highway at this point and did not realize he was approaching a river crossing.
The ferryman, who was on the other side, immediately summoned aid and the automobile was dragged out of the stream after about 30 minutes.
The body of Watkins' five-year old daughter was found in the machine and that of the army officer in the water nearby. Search will be continued tomorrow for the body of his wife and two year old son.
RESIDENTS OF ATLANTA.
Atlanta, Ga., July 3 - (AP) - Inquiry at Fort McPherson late tonight developed only that Captain C. A. Watkins, his wife, young son and daughter, reported drowned near Center, Ala., were absent from camp on an automobile trip. Their intended destination was unknown.
Captain Watkins was a resident of Atlanta.
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