Catharine (Eve) Watkins Campbell

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Quick Facts

Biography

Catharine Eve was born in South Carolina, the third child born to Oswell Eve and Aphra Ann Pritchard. Her sister remembered as sweet tempered and industrious. While tending her sibling while their mother was away, Catharine, then just 15, was put in charge of her siblings. Her sister’s eye became infected and a doctor was called. The doctor was captivated by Catharine and proposed marriage, which was approved by her father. Her sister said she still played with dolls at the time of the proposal. Catharine married Dr. Anderson Watkins, almost 20 years her senior, 26 January 1804 in Augusta, Georgia.

Catharine and Dr. Watkins made their home in Augusta. He was well respected and a savy businessman. During his life, he aquired wealth and many properties which left Catharine very comfortable following his death in 1828.

For five years, she was admired and courted by many gentleman. Catharine married Irishman Robert Campbell on 15 August 1833 in Washington County, Virginia. Robert engaged in emancipation and abstinace societies. After their marriage, her sister recorded, Robert sent her enslaved persons to Liberia and poured out all of Dr. Watkins’ “spiritous liquor.”

Catharine took in her neice, Aphra Longstreet, the eldest daughter of her sister Henrrietta (Eve) Longstreet. Aphra was described by a vistor as an “extraordinary creature.” Before Aphra’s death, she left her son, C.C. Ketchum, to Catharine’s care.

Catharine and Robert spent summers and other parts of the years in the mountains at their home in Clarksville, Georgia. In 1869, Catharine fell from the piazza and was gravely injured. She died on 25 October in Athens, Georgia, as her family tried to get her back to Augusta on the train.