Watts - James
Source: 1880 H. W. Beckwith History of Fountain Co IN (Chicago:
Hill)
WATTS, James, farmer, Harveysburg, was bron Oct 18, 1824 in
Scioto Co, Ohio and is the son of David and Sarah (BACKUS) Watts,
both Pennsylvanians, who moved to Montgomery County about 1830, and
settled two miles east of Waveland and 5 years afterward to Parke County and in 1874 to Fulton Twp, Fountain County where he died in Nov 1876,
having survived his wife about 4 weeks. He entered and cleared 80
acres in Parke County. He was a warm democrat. He had 5 boys and 5
girls, 7 of whom are living, 3 in Fountain Co.
James Watts lived
at home till of age. He then worked out at $8 per month, and was
married to Margaret A. SOWERS, who was born in NC Dec 24, 1826, and
whose parents, when she was 11 years old, moved to Fountain County,
Ind. After marriage, Mr. Watts lived 2 years in Parke County, and in 1850
moved to Fountain County, where he bought 40 acres of land, thickly
covered with woods, paying for it $100. The log house he first
lived in here he now uses for a hog pen. He already owned 40
acres, which he had entered but not improved. This he sold for
$60 before buying the above tract. He settled in the dense woods,
and added till he owned 320 acres, a part of which he has deeded
away. He has a good farm, well improved, the result of his
continual labor and economy.
He is a cooper by trade and has
worked at this many a night till late hours. They have 3 children
living and 3 dead: Melissa A (deceased); David A born Jan 8, 1850
in Fountain County and married to Mary E. EWBANK, daughter of Jacob and
Eliz. Ewbank (she was born in Parke County, Indiana Oct 30, 1858); Solomon V
(deceased) ; Mary C (now Mrs. L. BOWSHER) and Susan V at home.
Mr. Watts furnished a substitute for the civil war. He was a whip till 1856 and a democrat since. He and wife are Christians, and
he and son David A. are Masons. - transcribed by kbz