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The Family History of James Watts
of Cumberland and
Northumberland Counties, Pennsylvania
8. Jane3 Watts (Francis2, James1) She was born about 1787 in PA. In the 1850 U.S. census records she was listed as owning real estate worth $500. She died in Canton Township. She married Oliver Newell. He was born 15 March 1770. He died on 13 May 1840 at Grover, Canton Township. He worked as an occasional carpenter. He "came to Towanda village from the Newell settlement in Onondaga County, N. Y. about 1805. ... In 1824 he sold to Francis Delpuech and removed to Grover, Canton township ..." [9]
9. John3 Watts (Francis2, James1) He was born about 1787/1788 (based on DAR application records and 1850 US census) and died in 1859 (based on DAR application records). During the 1850 census, his occupation was listed as being a farmer and it was reported that he had real estate valued at $1,000. He was listed as a taxable inhabitant over 21 owning property in 1812-13 in Canton Township.
He was married by Justice George Scott on 22 August 1809 to Mary (Polly) Cowell. She was born 29 April 1791 at Kingswood, NJ, and died 10 May 1866 at Cedar Lodge, PA. She was the daughter of Christopher Cowell (born about 1759, died by drowning in a river on 14 February 1825, age 66) and Rachael Coolbaugh (born about 1764, died 22 September 1841, age 77). [10]
10. Mary3 Watts (Francis2, James1) She was born about 1790. She died 14 December 1839 at age 49 in Towanda. On 10 September 1810, she married Henry Mercur.
Henry Mercur was born 20 September 1786 in Lancaster County, PA., and died 10 September 1868 at age 82. His parents settled in Lancaster County in 1780 after emigrating from Klagenfort, Austria. At age 9, he was sent to Vienna to be educated, where he studied for 8 years. He knew German, Latin, Arabic and Sanskrit. He was reported to be the best educated person in Bradford County.
He came to Towanda in 1809. About 1811 he moved to LeRoy Township and lived on a place known as the stone farm. In 1815, he returned to Towanda, bought a lot and built a home on the northeastern corner of State and Second Streets, where he had his hatter's shop. He served as County Treasurer from 1818 to 1820. [11]
11. Eleanor3 Watts (Francis2, James1) She was born about 1792. She married William Pierce Spalding of Canton. He was born 17 January 1787 and died 22 February 1867. He was the son of Ezra Spalding (born 5 November 1754 at Plainfield, Connecticut, married 11 March 1781, died 1 January 1828 at Towanda, PA.) and Hanna Eaton. All their children were born in Canton Township. [12]
12. James3 Watts (Francis2, James1) He was born about 1794 and died 1 August 1834. In the 1818 election, James Watts received 101 votes for sheriff and finished 6th of 13 candidates. He took over the family homestead and lived there until his death. The administration of his estate was given to Morris Spalding and Stephen Powell on 3 October 1834. The inventory of his estate was filed 15 October 1834.
He married Rebecca (Beckie) Bowman. She was the daughter of Jacob Bowman and Mary Fox (daughter of Rudolph Fox). She was born about 1799. She is buried at Riverside Cemetery in Towanda.[13]
The children attributed to this family are based upon a review of the 1850 and 1860 U.S. censuses and DAR records. It is assumed that Francis Watts (age 31), Catherine Watts (age 26) and Eliza. A. Watts (age 10 months) (who were shown in the 1850 census) were a family unit as the three individuals were not found in the 1860 census records for Bradford County, PA.
13. Squire3 Watts (Francis2, James1) He was born 5 August 1800. He moved to Canton about 1825. He was killed in 9 June 1863 while he was helping take down a barn.
He was married by Charles Brown, Esq., on 4 July 1823 at Towanda, Bradford Co., PA. to Margaret (Peggie) Gregg. She was born 8 June 1798 at Old Sheshequin, Bradford Co., PA., and died 1 November 1886, at Canton Township. Notice of her death in The Canton Sentinel of 5 November 1886 read "The mother of T. Murray Watts died on Sunday. She was 93 years old."
Margaret's parents were Andrew Gregg (born 16 May 1763 in Ireland, died 25 April 1846) and Nancy Santee (born about 1764, died 17 May 1838, age 74). In the 1880 census Margaret's father was recorded as being born in Scotland, not Ireland as was reported by Heverly.
During the 1860 census, Squire Watts was listed as being a farmer with real estate valued at $3,000 and personal property valued at $1,500. His sister-in-law Polly Van Dyke lived with the family in 1860. In 1870, Margaret Watts was listed as a retired housekeeper living with the family of Ezra Williams and his wife Catherine. It is likely that Catherine Williams is the youngest daughter of Squire Watts and Margaret Gregg. In 1880, Margaret was living with the family of her son Andrew in Canton. [14]
14. Elizabeth (Betsy)3 Watts (Francis2, James1) Based upon the 1850-1860 U.S. census, she was born about 1800-1802.
She married Davis Van Dyke and moved to LeRoy Township. He was Towanda's first saddler. He was the son of John Van Dyke (born about 1752, died 12 September 1835, aged 83) of Holland and Martha [-?-] of Ireland. During the 1850 U.S. census, his occupation was listed as being a farmer and he was reported to have $4,000 in real estate. His sister, Polly Van Dyke, lived with the family during the 1850 census. During the 1860 census, he was listed as being a farmer with real estate valued at $8,000 and personal property worth $1,600. [15] Information about the children is based upon the 1850 and 1860 census records.
15. William Means3 Watts (Francis2, James1) He died in Towanda Township. He was married at Monroe, on 1 January 1822, to Susan Bowman by Justice Charles Brown. She was the daughter of Jacob Bowman and Mary Fox (daughter of Rudolph Fox). She is buried in the Riverside Cemetery in Towanda, PA. [16]
17. John3 Watts (James2, James1) He born 18 August 1793 at Warriors Run, Northumberland Co., PA. His wife's 1855 pension request stated that he died 14 October 1852 at Harris Township, St. Joseph Co., IN, while the 1892 History of Lycoming County, records the place of death as Elkart City, which is located in Elkhart Co. The grave of John Watts in the Harris Prairie Cemetery, St. Joseph Co., IN, indicates he served as a corporal, 1st Regiment PA Militia during the War of 1812, and gives a date of death as 14 October 1851.
In April 1829, he lived on Larry's Creek, Mifflin Township, Lycoming Co., PA. He purchased 100 acres of land, which he partly cleared and improved, in 1840. In 1844, he moved to Elkhart City, Indiana, where he reportedly died.
According to his widow's pension request, John Watts served as a private in Captain Gaston's Company which was part of Col. Irvine's Regiment of PA. Volunteers during the War of 1812. John Watts enlisted 12 September 1812 and was discharged at Buffalo, New York, on 12 March 1813. For his service, John Watts was issued a bounty land warrant, under the Act of 28 September 1850, for 40 acres at Harris Township, St. Joseph Co., Indiana.
He was married to Mariah Chestnutwood on 26 December 1816 at Mifflin, Lycoming (or Mifflin Co.?), PA., by the Rev. H. Cannady. She was born on 14 July 1800 at Chester Co., PA. She died on 22 October 1879 and was buried at the Salladasburg Cemetery, Salladasburg, PA. On 5 April 1855, Mariah Chestnutwood stated that she was 55 years old and had been a resident of Lycoming Co. for 29 years. Her parents were Samuel Chestnutwood (born about 1770, died 3 September 1833 in Ohio) and Hannah Dianah Hughes (born about 1779, died in 1870 in Iowa. [17]
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[9] 1850 U.S. Census, PA., Bradford Co.,
Canton Township, p. 94, dwelling 75, family 78, National Archives Microfilm
M432, Roll 756; Heverly, Pioneer and Patriot Families, Vol. I, p. 288,
Vol. II, p. 106.
[10] Heverly, Pioneer and Patriot
Families, Vol. I, p. 9, 217, 287, Vol. II, p. 66, 192, 275; 1850 U.S.
Census, PA., Bradford Co., Canton Township, p. 93, dwelling 64, family 66,
National Archives Microfilm M432, Roll 756; 1860 U.S. Census, PA., Bradford
Co., Canton Township, p. 202, dwelling 539, family 508, National Archives
Microfilm M 653, Roll 1080; DAR Application 72434, Addie Watts Crawford, Apr
1909, information relating to William Watts,seen at the DAR Library,
Washington, DC; DAR Application 78879 and 78880, Edith Catherine Barnes and
Maud Eleanor Barnes, 12 Mar 1910, information relating to Thomas Murray Watts,
seen at the DAR Library, Washington, DC; Family Group Sheet for John Watts and
Polly Cowell, prepared by Jean Deal, February 1998, copy in possession of
writer.
[11] 1850 U.S. Census, PA., Bradford
County, Towanda Township, p. 6, dwelling 62, family 73, National Archives
Microfilm M432, Roll 756, Heverly, Pioneer and Patriot Families, Vol. I,
p. 288, Vol. II, p. 116-117, 124; Clement Ferdinand Heverly, History of the
Towandas 1770-1886 (Towanda, PA: Reporter-Journal Printing Company, 1886),
p. 98-99; DAR Application 68345, Helen Mercur Rosenmiller, 2 June 1908,
information about dates of birth, marriage and death for Mary Watts, Henry
Mercur and Mahlon Clark Mercur, seen at the DAR Library, Washington, DC.
[12] 1850 U.S. Census, PA., Bradford Co.,
Canton Township, p. 95, dwelling 93, family 96, National Archives Microfilm
M432, Roll 756; Heverly, Pioneer and Patriot Families, Vol. I, p. 88,
270-272, 288; Bradsby, History of Bradford County, p. 1184
[13] 1850 U.S. Census, PA., Bradford
County, Towanda Township, p. 29, dwelling 189, family 192, National Archives
Microfilm M432, Roll 756; 1860 U.S. Census, PA., Bradford County, Towanda
Township, p. 459, dwelling 919, family 862, National Archives Microfilm M653,
Roll 1080; James Watts, Letters of Administration, Book 1, p. 110, Register's
Docket, Bradford Co., PA, LDS microfilm 1,033,166; Heverly, Pioneer and
Patriot Families, Vol. I, p. 100, 287, Vol. II, p. 323; Heverly, History
of the Towandas, p. 39; Application File 17048, Charlotte Ward Keeler
Smith, lists her parents and grandparents names, seen at the Library of the
Daughters of the American Revolution, Washington, DC, copy in possession of
writer; DAR Application 55172, Flora Strickland Bucher, 10 Feb 1906, seen at
the DAR Library, Washington, DC, copy in possession of writer.
[14] Bradsby, History of Bradford
County, p. 1268; Heverly, Pioneer and Patriot Families, Vol. I, p.
287, Vol. II, p. 12; 1850 U.S. Census, PA., Bradford Co., Canton Township, p.
102, dwelling 178, family 181, National Archives Microfilm M432, Roll 756; 1860
U.S. Census, PA., Bradford Co., Canton Township, p. 225, dwelling 723, family
671, National Archives Microfilm M653, Roll 1080; 1870 U.S. Census, PA.,
Bradford Co., Canton, National Archives Microfilm M593, Roll 1311; Patriot File
for Francis Watts, bible record for Squire Watts family includes names, dates
of birth, dates of marriage, dates of death, seen at the Library of the
Daughters of the American Revolution, Washington, DC, copy in possession of
writer; Obituary notice for Margaret Gregg Watts, The Canton Sentinel, 5 Nov
1886, p. 1, col. 3, microfilm seen at the Pennsylvania State Library,
Harrisburg, PA.
[15] 1850 U.S. Census, PA., Bradford
County, LeRoy Township, p. 67, dwelling 57, family 57, National Archives
Microfilm M432, Roll 756; 1860 U.S. Census, PA., Bradford County, LeRoy
Township, p. 375, dwelling 937, family 867, National Archives Microfilm M653,
Roll 1080; Heverly, Pioneer and Patriot Families, Vol. I, p. 288, Vol.
II, p. 225.
[16] Heverly, Pioneer and Patriot
Families, Vol. I, p. 23, 100, 287; Heverly, History of the Towandas,
p. 39; DAR Application 55172, Flora Strickland Bucher, 10 Feb 1906, shows names
of ancestors seen at the DAR Library, Washington, DC.
[17] History of Lycoming County, PA.,
edited by John F. Meginness, reprinted version of 1892 copy (Bowie, MD:
Heritage Books, Inc, 1996), p. 1073, includes information about John Watts, his
wife and children, seen at the Library of the Daughters of the American
Revolution, Washington, DC; Patriot File for James Watts, Sr., Statement of
Mariah Watts dated 5 Apr 1855, referencing John Watts war service, his death,
their marriage and place of residence, Salladasburg Cemetery listing, includes
information about the birth and death of Mariah Chestnutwood Watts, Mallory
family bible records recording dates of birth and death for Mariah Jane Watts,
seen at the Library of the Daughters of the American Revolution, Washington,
DC, copy in possession of writer; Application File 87631, Pauline Adams Clark,
9 Jan 1974, lists dates of birth, marriage and death for John Watts, Mariah
Chestnutwood and Thomas Jefferson Watts, seen at the Library of the Daughters
of the American Revolution, Washington, DC, copy in possession of writer;
Pennsylvania's Pine Creek Valley and Pioneer Families, Spencer L. Kraybill
(Baltimore, MD: Gatheway Press, Inc, 1991), p. 1239, information about the
parents of Mariah Chestnutwood, seen at the Library of the Daughters of the
American Revolution, Washington, DC, copy in possession of writer; Burial
Records Kelchner Funeral Home, Jersey Shore, Lycoming Co., PA, 1901-1934, entry
for Hannah Eliza Hollins listing her parents names, her dates of birth and
death, seen at the Library of the Daughters of the American Revolution,
Washington, DC; Salladasburg Cemetery Records, p. 54, lists dates of birth and
death for Samuel C., John A., Clyde T., Eli M., David J., Jonathan W. and their
families.
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