T. B. Watkins (1887-1960) and John T Watkins (1873-1917)

Beginning in 1909, John T Watkins (known at "J.T.") and his brother Theron (known as T.B.") Watkins founded the Watkins Brothers Funeral Home at 1729 Lydia Avenue. The funeral home later moved to 18th Street and Benton Boulevard, and finally at 4000 Emmanuel Cleaver II Boulevard. T. B. Watkins was the first African American appointed to a draft board in Kansas City and was a co-founder of the Gateway Athletic Association, a youth sports organization. T.B. Watkins was also the stepfather of powerful and influential Black political leader Bruce Watkins.

The boy's father, John D. Watkins, died when Theron Watkins was five years old. His mother, Martha Lyons Watkins, moved Theron , his brother, John T., and two sisters a few miles south to Carthage, Indiana. Watkins worked his way through Indiana State University in Terre Haute and received his degree in political economy.

Watkins described by one contemporary as a gifted orator, served on the original board of directors at Perry’s Sanitarium and in 1913. Watkins motivated countless individuals to commit their time and funds to community projects, including the city clean-up campaign of 1940, fundraising for construction of The Paseo branch of the YMCA, before World War I. After the war, his service to the medical community continued in 1921 as a board director at Wheatley Provident Hospital.

In 1941, he became the only African American appointed to the newly organized Kansas City Housing Authority, and during World War II he served on the Selective Service Board. In 1944, Watkins unsuccessfully ran for the Missouri legislature. T. B. Watkins died 4 September 1950, at the age of 63, shortly before the new Watkins Brothers funeral parlor at Eighteenth and Benton Boulevard was completed. He is buried in Highland Cemetery, KCMO.

Notable local sites related to Watkins include the Theron B. Watkins Housing Complex at 12^th and Woodland (built in 1952); the Watkins Court (built in 1960) at 1316-1328 Forest Avenue; and his last residence at 2506 Benton Boulevard. 

Coulter, Charles. Taking Up the Black Man’s Burden. Columbia: University of Missouri Press 2006

https://kchistory.org/islandora/object/kchistory%3A68181

John T “J.T.” Watkins, Find a Grave Memorial ID 176691007 . February 24th, 2017. Accessed August 5th, 2023. https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/176691007/john-t-watkins.