Edward Watts, of Stafford County

Disambiguation

• Parents unknown
• not the son of Thomas Watts "the immigrant"
• not the son of Edward Watts
• not Edward Cornelius Watts, son of Cornelius Watts, born October 16, 1620 in Wells, Somerset, England

Comments

From Private User

See also https://www.geni.com/discussions/213795?msg=1392977

The Edward Watts listed in this profile as having been born October 16,1620 in Wells, Somerset, England, son of Thomas Watts “the immigrant,“ may never have existed Even if he did, he is certainly not the same Edward Watts of Stafford who married Anne Martin, widow of Jacob Hubbard, in 1688 - almost 70 years later.

The latter Edward Watts, i.e. Edward Watts of Stafford, was a real person. But he was clearly a much younger man.

Despite claims to the contrary published in books and throughout the Internet, 'there is NO evidence that this Edward Watts of Stafford died in 1690/91, a year or two after his 1688 marriage. In fact, multiple primary source documents show he almost certainly lived another 20 years or more in Stafford.

For example, this Edward Watts was a member of the Stafford County Militia in 1701 with his close relations and nearest neighbors. Since militia members did not serve once they reached 60 years of age, Edward Watts of Stafford would not have been born in 1620, eighty one years earlier. This is just one reason he could not be the Edward Watts christened 1620 in Wells, England son of Cornelius, nor the Edward Watts alleged son of Thomas Watts "the Immigrant," supposedly born the same time. Further documentation and explanation is provided in the discussion section of this profile..

(Edward Watts of Stafford was also not the son of Thomas Watts of Stafford and Mary Norgrave, as suggested by Edward C. Watts in his 1999 book, "The Descendants of Thomas Watts of Stafford County, Virginia." This Thomas Watts was born in 1652, according to a court deposition he made in Stafford in 1686, and would thus have been too young to be Thomas of Stafford's father. (source: Thomas Watts Court Deposition, Stafford County Virginia Order Book 1686-1689, p. 12) It is very possible that Edward Watts and Thomas Watts, whose families lived next to each other and interacted extensively, were instead brothers.

Regarding the :"earlier" Edward Watts, a supposed son of Thomas Watts the immigrant, I note the following: This Edward is stated without sources to have been born October 16, 1620, in Wells. Somerset, England. However, that happens to be the exact same place, on the exact same day month and year as the christening of Edward Watts, son of Cornelius Watts of Wells, Somerset, England. (source: Somerset England Church of England Parish Records, Wells, St. Cuthbert Parish, Baptisms, Marriages and Burials, 1609-1688, p. 51).

I highly doubt this is a coincidence. Someone must have used the christening date of Edward Watts son of Cornelius and slapped it on as the birth date of Edward Watts son of Thomas the immigrant.

But did this “first” Edward Watts s/o Thomas Watts even exist at all? Thomas Watts the immigrant does not appear to have had any children around this time, let alone one named Edward.

In 1622, an organized Indian attack against the new English settlements wiped out 347 English settlers, or about a quarter of the entire Virginia colony. The following year, a list of all those men women and children then living in Virginia was compiled. Thomas Watts appears on this 1623/4 list, However he has no wife and no children. (source, List of the Livinge and Dead in Virginia, February 16,1623/4. original in the Public Record Office, London, England,copy reprinted in Colonial Records of Virginia, pp. 38-68)

The following year in 1624, an even more comprehensive, house to house “census“ was compiled. This “Muster” also had the name of every man woman and child living in the Virginia colony. In many cases, it also included the age of the colonist. even if they were only a few months old, the settlement they lived in, the name of the ship that originally carried the colonist to Virginia, etc.

Thomas Watts is also recorded on the 1624/5 list or "Muster., this time on Hogg Island with another 15 or so colonists. Yet again Thomas Watts has no wife, no children etc., even though other small families are listed right next to him. This record also establishes that Thomas Watts came over on the ship “The Treasurer.” As that vessel made five crossings from England to Virginia between 1613 and 1618, Thomas Watts would have arrived on one of those between those years . (source: Muster of the Inhabitants of Virginia Settlements, January 21-23, 1624/5, reprinted in Adventures of Purse and Person. See also Hecht, Irene W. D. "The Virginia Muster of 1624/5 as a Source for Demographic History." William and Mary Quarterly, 3rd ser., XXX (1973): pp.65-92.).

Thomas Watts the immigrant apparently stayed in Virginia, patenting land in Elizabeth County by 1636 "for the personal adventure (i.e. import to Virginia).of my now wife Lyddea". - suggesting he had been married before . (source: Virginia Land Patent Book 1, p. 342). He may have had descendants, but no direct link has yet been found to Edward Watts of Stafford.

- Michael Wingfield Walker

Birth date also seen as 10 November 1660 in England.

http://familytreemaker.genealogy.com/users/m/c/g/Christy-Mcguire-WA...

http://wc.rootsweb.ancestry.com/cgi-bin/igm.cgi?op=GET&db=oltimer26...

Edward Watts, was born before 16 Oct 1620 (which is the date he was christened) in Wells, Somerset County, England, and died between 1717 and 1721 in Stafford Co., VA.[1]
Edward left England for Virginia 26 Nov 1640; in 1646 he was in York Co., VA; he returned to England, then returned to Virginia from Bristol, England in 1664 and again in 1679. He married in Stafford Co., VA, Anne Martin.

The listing of children differs among the various sources, but all include Edward Watts, Sr., b. about 1650 probably in Stafford Co., VA

EDWARD3 WATTS (THOMAS2, EDWARD1) was born Bef. October 16, 1620 in Wells, Somerset County, England?, and died Abt. 1690 in Safford County, Virginia. He married ANNE MARTIN Abt. 1688, daughter of JOHN MARTIN and JOANNA ?. She was born Abt. 1668, and died 1742 in Safford County, Virginia.

Notes for EDWARD WATTS: D: I16979 Name: Edward Watts (1, 2) The WATTS name is said to have originated in the time of Edward II, with the territorial name deWATH, whose descendents corrupted the name to its present form. It was first spelled WATTES in the reighn of Henry VII. The family of WATTS, of Hawkesdale Hall, Cumberland County, England, deduce themselves from Sir John de FLEMING, Lord of WATH, who first assumed the name. Contributed by Moyra Watts Burnett\\

Sex: M Birth: BEF. 16 OCT 1620 in Wells, Somerset Co., England? Birth: 1620 (3) Death: ABT. 1690 in Safford Co., VA (4) Event: Christened 16 OCT 1620 St. Cuthbertes, City of Wells, Somerset Co., England

Marriage 1 Anne Martin b: ABT. 1668

Married: ABT. 1688

Foot Notes:

Sources:

1.Title: Will of Cornelius Watts Author: The Virginia Magazine of History and Biography Publication: Published Quartertly by the Virginia Historical Society, June 1906, Vol.13, pa 307 Repository: Call Number: Media: Magazine

Edward left England for Virginia 26 Nov 1640; in 1646 he was in York Co., VA; he returned to England, then returned to Virginia from Bristol, England in 1664 and again in 1679.

He married in Stafford Co., VA, Anne Martin.

The listing of children differs among the various sources, but all include Edward Watts, II., b. about 1650 probably in Stafford Co., VA

The following information is from Charles B. Heinemann's book "Watts Families" pa 54-56

1709 Nov 2 - Edward Watts, Stafford Co., Va., aquired 1 acre of land on the south side of Clayburn's Run, Richmond Co., Va., from Charles and Alice Cole, Watts to build mill and grind corn for Cole. (Richmond Co. D. B. 5, pa. 151)

1723 Apr 2 - Edward Watts sued the estate of John Richardson (Spotsylvania County, Order book, pa. 24.)

1723 Dec 3 - Edward Watts served on a jury in Spotsylvania County (Order book pa. 60,65)

1727 Aug 1 - Edward Watts witnessed will of Alexander Cammill, Spotsylvania County, made July 10, 1727; proved August 1, 1727.

1728 Sep 9 - Edward Watts received a grant of 900 acres of new land in St. George's Parish. The same day his son, Thomas Watts, received a grant of 250 acres adjoining his father. The grant of Thomas Watts specifically refers to "Thomas Watts, a son of Edward Watts". These grants were signed by Governor William Gooch and both dated September 26, 1728. Both men were described as "of Spotsylvania County", indicating they had settled in that county at an earlier date.

Copy of Land Grant to Edward Watts for 900 acres of new land on page 55.

He is believed to have been the Edward Watts who deeded land in (old) Rappahannock Co., VA, 2/22/1662. (deed Book 1656-1664, page 344). He probably was the same Edward Watts who received a headright in New Kent Co., VA, 10/20/1687.

Edward Watts of Stafford Co., VA, with his wife, Anne Watts, were brought into Court in 1689 and fined. (Stafford County Court Book 1689-90, at page 32).

Edward Watts died in Stafford Co., VA, in 1690, and his widow, Anne Watts, administered his estate. This record appears in the old Stafford order book, but the corresponding entry in the Will Book is lost or destroyed.

Siblings: Edward Watts, Anna E Moredock, DD (born Watts), William Watts, John Francis Old Watts, Robert Watts, Thomas Watts, Edward Watts, John Watts, Susannah Watts

Source:

http://www.rootedheritagegenealogy.com/2018/05/ka-okee-daughter-of-...