Katharine W. Atkins oral history
Collection
Identifier: OH004
Scope and Contents
This collection contains a typed transcript and an audiotape reel with two recorded oral history interviews with Katharine Atkins, conducted by F. Gerald Handfield for the Indiana State Library in Indianapolis, Indiana, on October 11, 1977 and January 10, 1978, regarding her childhood, education, marriage, political career, and family.
The transcript was initially generated on May 22, 2026 using Otter.ai and editing completed by Brittany Kropf on June 2, 2026.
The transcript was initially generated on May 22, 2026 using Otter.ai and editing completed by Brittany Kropf on June 2, 2026.
Dates
- 1977/10/11; 1978/01/10
Creator
- Indiana State Library (Interviewer, Organization)
Conditions Governing Access
This collection is open for research.
Conditions Governing Use
Legal title, copyright, and literary rights reside with Rare Books and Manuscripts, Indiana State Library, Indianapolis, IN. All requests to publish or quote from manuscripts must be submitted to Rare Books and Manuscripts.
Biographical Note
Katharine Lewis Watson was born June 12, 1902, to Genevieve M. (Bassel) and Phileman Mitchell Watson in Indianapolis, Indiana. Growing up her family lived in her Grandmother Fraser's home. She graduated from Tudor Hall Schhol in Indianapolis in 1919. Watson accompanied her uncle, John W. Davis, and his family to England after his appointment as U.S. ambassador, living in London during 1919-1920. On Febrary 18, 1922, she married Elias Cornelius Atkins II, son of Henry C. and Sue (Winter) Atkins, on February 18, 1922, in Marion County, Indiana. They had two children, Elias C. III and Ann Paxton. Her husband became the head of E.C. Atkins and Company, a world-renowned saw manufacturer founded in Indianapolis circa 1856 by his grandfather, for whom he was named. She and her husband divorced in 1953.
Katharine Atkins was a founder and member of the Indianapolis Junior League. During the 1930s, she had a radio program and wrote a column for the Indianapolis Times. Atkins was actively involved in Republican Party politics during the 1930s-1950s. She worked on at least two presidential campaigns, including the Landon-Knox campaign in 1936 and Wendell Willkie in 1940, specifically as executive secreatry of the Marion County Willkie Clubs. Atkins was elected to the Indiana House of Representatives in 1944, serving in 1945, before losing her seat in 1946. She served as vice county chairman for Marion County from 1947 to 1952. She also served as a delegate to the multiple state and national Republican conventions.
During World War II, she was the volunteer director of the Serivce Men's Club Canteen in Union Station in Indianapolis (1942-1946). Atkins was also chairwoman of the Volunteer Service Department of the Indianapolis Council of Social Agencies and worked as a volunteer social worker in 1945. She also served as vice-president of the Norways Foundation Hopsital in Indianapolis in 1954. Katharine Atkins died in Indianapolis on July 20, 1993 and is buried in Crown Hill Cemetery.
Source:
Ancestry.com. "Katharine Atkins." 1930 United States Federal Census. Accessed September 9, 2015. http://search.ancestrylibrary.com.
Ancestry.com. "Katharine Atkins." 1940 United States Federal Census. Accessed September 9, 2015. http://search.ancestrylibrary.com.
Ancestry.com. "Cathryne L. Watson." 1910 United States Federal Census. Accessed September 9, 2015. http://search.ancestrylibrary.com.
Ancestry.com. "Katharine L. Watson." Indiana, Marriage Collection, 1800-1941. Accessed September 9, 2015. http://search.ancestrylibrary.com.
Ancestry.com. "Phileman Mitchell Watson." West Virginia, Marriages Index, 1785-1971. Accessed September 9, 2015. http://search.ancestrylibrary.com.
Dunn, Jacob Piatt. "Elias C. Atkins." In Greater Indianapolis: The History, the Industries, the Institutions, and hte People of a City of Homes, vol. 2, 1054-1058. Indianapolis: Unigraphic, 1910.
Dunn, Jacob Piatt. "Henry C. Atkins." In Greater Indianapolis: The History, the Industries, the Institutions, and hte People of a City of Homes, vol. 2, 1058. Indianapolis: Unigraphic, 1910.
Findagrave.com. "Katharine Lewis Watson Atkins." Find a Grave Memorial. Accessed May 26, 2026. https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/17737289/katharine-lewis-atkins.
"Katharine Atkins, Former Lawmaker." Indianapolis News, July 21, 1993. Accessed May 26, 2026. ProQuest.
"Katharine Lewis Watson Atkins." Indiana Legislator Biographies. Accessed May 26, 2026. http://legdb.iga.in.gov/#!/legislator/3819/Katharine-Atkins.
Katharine Atkins was a founder and member of the Indianapolis Junior League. During the 1930s, she had a radio program and wrote a column for the Indianapolis Times. Atkins was actively involved in Republican Party politics during the 1930s-1950s. She worked on at least two presidential campaigns, including the Landon-Knox campaign in 1936 and Wendell Willkie in 1940, specifically as executive secreatry of the Marion County Willkie Clubs. Atkins was elected to the Indiana House of Representatives in 1944, serving in 1945, before losing her seat in 1946. She served as vice county chairman for Marion County from 1947 to 1952. She also served as a delegate to the multiple state and national Republican conventions.
During World War II, she was the volunteer director of the Serivce Men's Club Canteen in Union Station in Indianapolis (1942-1946). Atkins was also chairwoman of the Volunteer Service Department of the Indianapolis Council of Social Agencies and worked as a volunteer social worker in 1945. She also served as vice-president of the Norways Foundation Hopsital in Indianapolis in 1954. Katharine Atkins died in Indianapolis on July 20, 1993 and is buried in Crown Hill Cemetery.
Source:
Ancestry.com. "Katharine Atkins." 1930 United States Federal Census. Accessed September 9, 2015. http://search.ancestrylibrary.com.
Ancestry.com. "Katharine Atkins." 1940 United States Federal Census. Accessed September 9, 2015. http://search.ancestrylibrary.com.
Ancestry.com. "Cathryne L. Watson." 1910 United States Federal Census. Accessed September 9, 2015. http://search.ancestrylibrary.com.
Ancestry.com. "Katharine L. Watson." Indiana, Marriage Collection, 1800-1941. Accessed September 9, 2015. http://search.ancestrylibrary.com.
Ancestry.com. "Phileman Mitchell Watson." West Virginia, Marriages Index, 1785-1971. Accessed September 9, 2015. http://search.ancestrylibrary.com.
Dunn, Jacob Piatt. "Elias C. Atkins." In Greater Indianapolis: The History, the Industries, the Institutions, and hte People of a City of Homes, vol. 2, 1054-1058. Indianapolis: Unigraphic, 1910.
Dunn, Jacob Piatt. "Henry C. Atkins." In Greater Indianapolis: The History, the Industries, the Institutions, and hte People of a City of Homes, vol. 2, 1058. Indianapolis: Unigraphic, 1910.
Findagrave.com. "Katharine Lewis Watson Atkins." Find a Grave Memorial. Accessed May 26, 2026. https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/17737289/katharine-lewis-atkins.
"Katharine Atkins, Former Lawmaker." Indianapolis News, July 21, 1993. Accessed May 26, 2026. ProQuest.
"Katharine Lewis Watson Atkins." Indiana Legislator Biographies. Accessed May 26, 2026. http://legdb.iga.in.gov/#!/legislator/3819/Katharine-Atkins.
Extent
0.01 Cubic Feet (1 audiotape reel, 1 transcript)
Language of Materials
English
Arrangement
This collection is arranged by format.
Custodial History
This collection was created by the Indiana State Library Oral History Project in 1977-1978.
Accruals
No further additions are expected.
Processing Information
Collection processing completed 2005/04 by Jennifer Duplaga. EAD finding aid created 2005/04 by Jennifer Duplaga. Collection reprocessing completed 2020/02/28 by Brittany Kropf. EAD finding aid revised 2015/09/09; 2020/02/28; 2026/05/29 by Brittany Kropf.
- Atkins family
- Bassel family
- Daniels, Joseph Johnston, 1890-1972
- Davis, Ellen Graham Bassel, 1869-1943
- Davis, John W. (John William), 1873-1955
- Davis, Julia, 1900-1993
- E. C. Atkins and Co.
- Education
- England
- English, William E. (William Eastin), 1850-1926
- Family life
- Gates, Ralph F. (Ralph Fesler), 1893-1978
- Halleck, Charles A. (Charles Abraham), 1900-1986
- Indiana -- Politics and government
- Indiana -- Politics and government -- 20th century
- Indianapolis (Ind.)
- Indianapolis Drop Forging Company
- Industrialists -- Indiana
- Journalists
- Junior League of Indianapolis
- Lieber family
- Nicholson, Roberta West, 1903-1987
- Oral history interviews
- Politicians -- Indiana
- Politics and government
- Prohibition
- Reading, Rufus Daniel Isaacs, Marquess of, 1860-1935
- Reel-to-reel audiotapes
- Republican Party (Ind.)
- Republican Party (U.S. : 1854- )
- Riley Hospital
- Service Men's Center (Indianapolis, Ind.)
- Sweeney, Genevieve Bassel Watson, 1877-1959
- Sweeney, Thomas Bell, 1903-1973
- Tudor Hall School (Indianapolis, Ind.)
- United States -- Politics and government - 20th century
- War work
- Watson family
- Watson, James E. (James Eli), 1863-1948
- Willkie, Wendell L. (Wendell Lewis), 1892-1944
- Women radio broadcasters
- World War, 1914-1918
- World War, 1939-1945 -- Indiana
- World War, 1939-1945 -- War work
Creator
- Indiana State Library (Interviewer, Organization)
- Atkins, Katharine Lewis Watson, 1902-1993 (Interviewee, Person)
- Title
- Katharine Watson Atkins oral history
- Status
- Completed
- Description rules
- Describing Archives: A Content Standard
- Language of description
- English
- Script of description
- Latin
Repository Details
Part of the Rare Books and Manuscripts Repository
Contact:
140 North Senate Avenue
Indianapolis, Indiana 46204 U.S.A.
317-232-3671
140 North Senate Avenue
Indianapolis, Indiana 46204 U.S.A.
317-232-3671
