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Albert and Shirley Small Special Collections Library
Albert and Shirley Small Special Collections LibraryEllen Welch
The collection is open for research use.
MSS 12170, Watts family papers, Albert and Shirley Small Special Collections Library, University of Virginia Library.
This collection was a gift from Katherine Watts to the Small Special Collections Library at the University of Virginia Library on 9 April 2022.
The Watts family has been part of the Roanoke Valley (also called "Big Lick") in Virginia for six generations. General Edward Watts was born on 7 April 1779, in Prince Edward, Virginia. He was the son of William Watts (1742-1797), and Mary Scott (1758-1836). He married Elizabeth Breckinridge, the daughter of James Breckinridge on 6 May 1811 and they had 10 children, including William Watts (1817-1877), Mary Scott Gamble (1814-1840), Ann Selden Watts Holcombe (1820-1888), Alice Watts Robertson (1832-1914), Emma Gilmer Watts Carr (1834-1872) and Letitia Watts Sorrell (1829-1900). Edward Watts purchased 400 acres of land from his father-in-law, James Breckinridge (called The Barrens) where he built his home "Oaklands" in 1817. General Edward Watts died in 1859 at age 59. The Watts and Breckinridge families were well-known families in southwest Virginia who enslaved people during the American Revolution and the American Civil War. They were admired by their peers as influential attorneys, politicians, and land owners who often opened their house to the community.
General Edward Watts was educated at Liberty Hall Academy (Washington & Lee), and Princeton. He was an officer in the War of 1812 and was the Commonwealth attorney for Roanoke County from 1839 to 1845. His son, William Watts (1817-1877) was a Colonel in the 28th Infantry of the Confederate Army (Roanoke Greys). He was educated in medicine and law at the University of Virginia.
After the war, he followed in his father's path as the Commonwealth attorney from 1845 to 1854. He was in the State Constitutional Convention (1850-1851), and was president of the Exchange Bank of Virginia. He also ran for governor in 1834 and 1842. He served in the legislature for one term in 1875. He married Mary Allen in 1850 and they had one living son, John Allen Watts (1855-1904). Mary Allen died following his birth in 1855. Colonel William Watts was also a farmer who enslaved over 100 people. He was said to have one enslaved person as his "body servant" through the war and gave him a home for life. Research of the collection has not yet provided his name.
John Allen Watts (1855-1904) nicknamed "Squat" was also a student at the University of Virginia and became an attorney. He married Gertrude Lee and they had a son named William. John Allen Watts sold Oaklands to a develpment company and it burned down in 1897. Descendants Jean Staples Showalter, English Showalter, and Katherine Watts donated this collection of their family's papers.
Sources: "Roanoke and Western Virginia: Glimpses of the Pst: Oaklands" http://showalter.blogspot.com/2010/12/oaklands.html
Barnes, Raymond. "Confederates of Roanoke-V: General Edward Watts and Colonel William Watts Founded Clan" Roanoke World News. 5 April 1961. The Historical Society of Western Virginia. O. Winston Link Museum. History Museum of Western Virginia https://hswv.pastperfectonline.com/archive/94647C8F-8806-4D18-8A04-445143233613#gallery
Barnes, Raymond. 'Oaklands' Was Hospitable Seat of Watts Family for Generations: Needed Big Staff" Roanoke World News. 21 May 1958. The Historical Society of Western Virginia. O. Winston Link Museum. History Museum of Western Virginia https://hswv.pastperfectonline.com/archive/53DC8EB0-DBE3-4B95-B4AF-027946626463#gallery
Watts, Katherine. "The Roanoke Valley and the Watts Family" June 1984.
The Watts family papers of Roanoke County, Virginia at "Oaklands" in Flat Creek, Campbell County) consist of correspondence and documents related to the American Revolution, the War of 1812, the United States Civil War, war with Osceola and Seminole tribes in Florida, Virginia politics, economic and social history (including enslavement),land ownership, farming, court cases and debt from 1786 to 1950 in southwest Virginia. The Watts are related to many other Virginia families including James and Dolley Madison. This collection represents a great view into historical and social events of the eighteenth and nineteenth century in Virginia.
The papers of this family of landowners, farmers, politicians, and attorneys portray the rich southern antebellum life on the Oaklands plantation. Despite the told and true characteristics of the kindness of the Watts family, they were nineteenth century southern plantation owners who owned hundreds of enslaved persons. The letters and receipts in the collection include many first names and some last names. One enslaved person, Henry Langhorne, a lifetime attendant of Colonel William Watts was bequeathed $1,000 and a home for life.
Some letters mention the Watt's efforts to keep enslaved families from being separated by intervening in the sales of enslaved persons. There are many references to enslaved people among their households and farm, including descriptions of providing their clothing, housing, and nurturing them when they were sick, like family members. It is important to note that the collection also contains receipts for their purchase and loan.
The issue of enslavement is discussed in local meetings that Watts attended. There are also letters from former enslaved persons such as [Malinda] Langhorne and William Langhorne to Watts family members and photographs of enslaved persons, Aunt Sally and Aunt Phoebe standing together, and a photograph of Uncle Lou with the Watts children.
There is also correspondence about financial and legal matters as Colonel William Watts (1817-1877) and his father, General Edward Watts (1779-1859), were attorneys. Much of their correspondence relates to collecting debts, indentures, land surveys, receipts, and politics (Whig party, Commonwealth Attorney, Constitutional Convention, Virginia Delegates, and candidacy for Governor), and religion. The papers contain discussions about the popular faith of Presbyterians and Episcopalians). The University of Virginia, Washington & Lee, and William & Mary College are also mentioned.
The collection spans six generations of the Watts family including General Edward Watts and his wife Elizabeth Breckinridge (1794-1862), their son Colonel William Watts (1817-1877) and his wife Mary Jane Allen (1825-1855). Also included is their son, John Allen Watts and his wife Gertrude Lee.
Other related families include Madison, Breckenridge, Allen, Jackson, Watson, Morris, Gamble, Payne, Washington, Meigs, and Saunders. (MSS 653) Other related collections include MSS 4111-a,-b,-c,-d,-e,-f; MSS 38-33 Irvine, Saunders, Davis, and Watts families (William Watts daybooks 1768-1786); MSS 259; MSS 9715 Abram Penn Staples..(see related materials note)
The papers of Mary Scott Watts Gamble have been combined into this collection. These letters contain her accounts of attacks by Osceola and Seminole people in Florida. She mentions that Robert [Watts?] and Robert Gamble joined the local militia to remove the Seminoles from the swamps and send them out West. (1835)
The Watts family papers are arranged into 9 series. Series 1. Family Correspondence, Series 2. Genealogy, History and letters of James and Dolley Madison, Series 3. Documents related to enslavement, Series 4. Legal and Financial papers, Subseries A. Indentures, Subseries B. Marriage agreements, petitions, statements, and wills, Subseries C. Letters about collecting debts, Subseries D. Receipts for goods and services of the Watts family, Series 5. Newspaper clippings and miscellaneous family papers and oversize photographs, Series 6. Family Bibles, Series 7. Roanoke Gun Club Inc. land, Series 8. Showalter transcriptions on digital materials and a flash drive. Box 1 contains folders with some transcription of the letters in the collection and a folder with biographical information. Box 12 contains folders with an index and a folder of miscellaneous information about the collection.
Added existing collection MSS 12170 (3 folders) of Breckinridge, Gamble and Watts families into this addition of Watts family papers MSS 12170.
There is a website at the O. Winston Link Museum (History Museum of West Virginia) that has many of the Watts family letters online
https://hswv.pastperfectonline.com/byperson?page=3&keyword=Watts%2C%20William&searchType=person&showsearch=True
Related collections include MSS 4111-a,-b,-c,-d,-e,-f; MSS 8914, and MSS 653.
MSS 38-33 Irvine, Saunders, Davis, and Watts families (William Watts daybooks 1768-1786); MSS 259; MSS 653; MSS 9715 Abram Penn Staples.
Box 1 contains a folder of transcriptions for some of the collection letters and a folder of biographical information.
Letter dated 1819 mentions "Joshua" who rode Edward Watts' horse for him.
There are newspaper clippings about the Watts family. Included is a newspaper article, "Number of Colored Residents Have Been Here for 50 Years," 28 January, 1934 about families in Roanoke that were enslaved 50 years earlier. Nettie Simms Calloway claims that her father, L. M. Simm, was owned by Colonel William Watts and that her great-grandmother was enslaved by General Edward Watts at Oaklands. Other family names of enslaved persons are named in the article.
An obituary for Colonel William Watts mentions that a large group enslaved people were around him at his death including Henry Langhorne who had attended him during the war and throughout his life. Colonel Watts left him $1,000 in his will and a permanent home.
There is an address by John Allen Watts and newspaper clippings about the Watts family.
A. Indentures, deeds, plats, receipts, tax statements,petitions, and wills. B. Letters about debt collection. C.Stocks D. Receipt for goods and services for Watts family
[Leather Bound] Reverend Washington Erben and Reverend Clement Butler, Reverend Alfred Nevin, Gustave Dore Erben, Washington; Butler, Clement, Nevin, Alfred; Dore, Gustave [Illustrator] Published by John E. Potter and Company, 1880
Autographed Elizabeth Watts, with date January 1817. Written note "December 29, [1846] I commenced." Paste down on inside front cover, obituary of General Edward Watts, August 9, 1859.
This series consists of the correspondence of the Breckinridge, Gamble, and Watts families, ca.1794-1850, but chiefly that of Mary Scott Watts Gamble (1814-1840)daughter of General Edward Watts. The name has been changed to Watts family papers as of March 2023. There are many related collections of the Watts family papers. MSS 38-33 Irvine, Saunders, Davis, and Watts families (William Watts daybooks 1768-1786); MSS 259; MSS 653; and MSS 9715 Abram Penn Staples.
Mary Gamble wrote to her aunt, Emma W. Breckinridge, Grove Hill, Fincastle, Botetourt County, Virginia; her mother, Elizabeth Breckinridge Watts and her father, General Edward Watts, Oakland, near Big Lick, Botetourt County, Virginia; her brothers, William and James B. Watts; and her sisters, Ann S. Watts and Letitia G. Watts.
Most of the letters to her immediate family were written after her marriage and move to Welaunee, Florida, located near Tallahassee, except for several to her brother William Watts while he was away at the New London Academy, Campbell County, Virginia. Many of Mary Watts Gamble's letters are to her aunt, Mrs. Cary Breckinridge (Emma W. Gilmer), 1831-1838, and most of them were written prior to her marriage in 1834. All of her undated letters to her aunt appear to have been written before her marriage and are filed at the beginning of the year 1834 as [ante 1834].
Mary Watts Gamble at Flat Creek writes about the purchase of 34 enslaved persons by Uncle Gamble to prepare the ground for cotton. Her letters also describe her experiences of the conflicts with the Osceola and Seminole warriors in Florida (causing her to learn how to load and shoot a gun). She mentions the Second Seminole War in Florida. Robert [Watts?] and Robert Gamble joined the local militia to remove the Seminoles from the swamps and send them out West. (1835)
There are details of her accounts of the interactions of the Seminoles on women, children, and enslaved persons including one on the property of Judge Randall, including the burning of buildings in Magnolia and Hickstown and upon the home, family, and enslaved persons of Mrs. Purifoy, wife of a Methodist minister and daughter of Captain Byrd, just four miles away from Welaunee (April 13, 1838). She mentions the removal of the Apalachicola tribe to the West; the actions of Territorial Governor Richard Keith Call (1792-1862), and the Gambles forced evacuation from Welaunee to Tallahassee for safety. (May 9, 1836) They planned to sail on the Brig Orion from St. Marks to New Orleans, taking a steamboat to Louisville, and then proceeding by mail [coach?] to White Sulphur Springs, [West] Virginia (May 21, 1836).
She also mentions her disapproval of the plans of General [Winfield?] Scott for delaying the pursuit of the Seminole War to a later time. She writes about the recent Texas disasters at [the Alamo?] and the loss of [James Walker] Fannin's detachment at the Massacre at La Bahia (Goliad), including concern about the fate of her acquaintances Burr and John Duval. A website on the history of Texas records that Burr and Duval were captured and executed (April 24, 1836).
Her letters also include the health and news of famly members; her marriage to her cousin James Gamble; her attendance at three days of preaching at the Academy (May 19, 1832); the unpopularity of the Reverend [Gyng?] in Tallahasseethe family's concern for William and Robert over an outbreak of scarlet fever near New London Academy(January 12, 1833); and the illness and death of her grandfather, General James Breckinridge. (May 15, 1833).
Additional subjects include attempts to persuade her her attempts to convince her brother James to begin his law practice in Tallahassee and comments about the presidential election.She describes the romantic affairs of her brother James; her illness and plans to recover in Virginia (May 15, 1837); her stay in St. Joseph [Bay?] for the summer because of her health, reading the works of Hannah More (1745-1833) while staying in St. Joseph, especially The History of Hester Wilmot and description of the area (July 30, 1838); her return to Tallahassee, and her husband's new store (October 22, 1838); and her stay in a boarding house near the store (December 15, 1838).
Correspondents in the folder of general correspondence of the Breckinridge, Gamble, and Watts families include: Robert Breckinridge to James Breckinridge concerning business matters (March 20 and July 23, 1794; n.d.); John Breckinridge to James Breckinridge concerning business matters, his lawsuit with Isaac Robinson, and a reference to the Whisky Rebellion at Pittsburg, Pennsylvania (August 19, 1794); William Breckinridge to James Breckinridge (September 1794); James Breckinridge to Ann Breckinridge discussing the sickness of Lewis and news about others of their acquaintance (January 24, 1819); James Breckinridge to Edward Watts mentions the James River bill and the death of Judge Fleming which left a vacancy on the court (February 22, 1824).
Mary Page Randolph discusses her unexpected trip to Montpelier, Orange County, and Edgehill, Albemarle County, Virginia, with Thomas Jefferson Randolph, and sympathy for Mary S. Watts' "late bereavement" (July 22, 1833); Robert Gamble to Colonel Edward Watts discusses the visit of Mary Scott Watts and the death of his niece Laura (January 13, 1834); Edward Watts to his daughter, Elizabeth B. Watts, announcing the death of Mary Watts Gamble on May 22, 1840 (1840); Emma W. Breckinridge to her niece Letty [Letitia G. Watts?] (December 21, 1850); and John Wickham to James Breckinridge, notifying them of a death which has greatly distressed Betsy (August 14, n.y.).
There are several letters from Nannie Gamble to her cousin, Letitia G. Watts, in which she describes her return visit from New York to Savannah, Georgia by ship (November 13, 1843) furnishes news of the family while in the mountains, near Abingdon, Virginia (January 20, 1845); expresses her sorrow at the news of the death of their friend, Lizzie Peyton, and describes the difficult journey home from Abingdon to Tallahassee which took five weeks (March 4, 1845); mentions the death of Lucy Gilmer (May 31, 1845); and a final letter from Nannie Gamble with a note written by Letitia on the bottom, "The last letter ever received from my darling cousin N.S.G. who is now numbered with the dead" (September 9, 1845).