Greetings Listers: There are at least THREE different WATTS lines in Monroe County, AL. John A. WATTS from the John and Judith Rawls WATTS line; descendants of Thomas WATTS and Lydia THORNTON (son Thomas m. Hannah Rust Boggess) our line and perhaps another. Would appreciate any assistance in establishing ancestry of my gg-grandfather Edward J. WATTS b July 1814. who lived in Covington, Coffee (formerly Conecuh) and Monroe Counties, AL. As NED gives his place of birth as both TN and SC it is hard to say where he was born. I first find him in the 1840 Covington Co. Census, then Coffee Co in 1850 and in Monroe County, AL 1860 thru 1900. Edward J. NED Watts (1814-1900) married about 1837/38 Elvirah Elizabeth Fleming (1818-1904). Elvirah is the daughter of Laird B. Fleming (1792 GA- 1858 AL) and Jemima D. HODGES (1792-1884). Laird B. Fleming is the son of William Laird born in Ireland and Mary Laird. The Fleming and Laird families lived in GA. Laird B. Fleming is first found in Conecuh Co., AL on the 1818 Tax Roll. Laird B. Fleming and family are enumerated in the 1830 & 1840 Covington County, AL Census Records. Also found in these counties are the children and families of William HOLLEY, SR. b 1770 SC and his wife Charlotty b 1773 SC. His children seem to be: Hosea b 1799 married to Nancy b 1825 SC; Eli b 1790-1800; William, JR. b 1800-1810; Alfred b 1811 SC married Tempy b 1812 SC; John b 1812 married to Harriet, and Calvin b 1800-1810. In 1850 Covington County we have the WIDOW, Mary HOLLEY b 1803 SC, who appears to be daughter-in-law of William HOLLEY, SR. By 1850, Edward J. Watts and family are located in Coffee County along with other Fleming, Laird, and HOLLEY families.; #370 William HOLLEY (JR) married to Mary; #375 Edward J. WATTS m. Elvirah Fleming; #378 John HOLLEY b 1812 married to Harriet; #582 Hosea HOLLEY b 1799 SC married to Nancy; and lastly one James HOLLEY, age 23 from NC with siblings John, Solomon, Elam, Eveline, Amaziah M. and Zephemiah. Children of my Edward J. "NED" WATTS (1814-1900) and Elvirah Elizabeth Fleming (1818-1904) are: 1. Omelia (Amelia) J. WATTS b 1839 m. Walter Daniel Morris b 1838 (see below) 2. Margaret WATTS b. 1840 m. James "Jim" Edwards b 1834 GA who first married Sarah and had dau. Eliza 3. Thomas J. WATTS b 1842 m. Susan Blanton b 1842; dau of John H. BLANTON & Nancy CULPEPPER 4. Laird Watts b 1844; died by 1860 5. Bolivar (Boliva R.) b 1846; died by 1870 6. Edward W. "Ned #2" WATTS b June 1847 m. 10/13/1870 Irena "Frazier" Morris b 1847 (see below) i. John WATTS b. 1871 lived Frisco City and reportedly MS ii. Edward P. WATTS b Feb 1873 m. twice (1) Susan (2) ??? and remarried first spouse Susan by (1) he had Lynnis and by (2) he had Edward iii. Mary Inez WATTS m. J. William McCoy, moved to Texas iv. Duffie L. WATTS m. ???, moved to Texas v. Thomas Marshall WATTS b. 1/15/1878 and died 1/16/1957; m (1) Polly Armenia Kurby (my line) vi. Annie B. WATTS b October 1881 m. Mr. Smith vii. Frye G. WATTS b Dec 1882; died n.s.p. viii. Walter P. WATTS b Nov 13, 1884 - d. 5/4/1960; m. Jennie Lynn Baggett 7. Elizabeth Elvirah WATTS m. 5/1/1890 James Franklin Ledkins 8. John W. WATTS b 3/12/1856 - d 1/15/1927 m. 1881-82 Mary Florence "Molly" Edwards; sister to Jim above 9. Robert Pinckney WATTS b 10/12/1861 - d 10/10/1947 m. 12/14/1882 Anna B. BASS b 1/25/1866 d 1944 The Walter Daniel MORRIS and Irena Frazier MORRIS are siblings; both children of Daniel James MORRIS of Edgefield, SC and Irena COTTON of Edgefield, SC; Irena COTTON being the daughter of Arthur Kemp COTTON who connects with Lofton COTTON and his siblings, etc. of early Conecuh County, AL. The Cottons were some of the settlers of the Mississippi Territory. The MORRIS family lived in Allentown, Wilcox County, AL moving to Monroe County about 1850. NOTE: Alabama became a Territory in 1817; State in 1819. Thomas WATTS of 1818 Tax Roll Conecuh County, was an attorney who represented that County in the State Legislature. He was a relation (perhaps the brother-in-law) of John Hughes Watts, son of Thomas and Hannah Rust Boggess WATTS, father of Thomas Hill WATTS who was later Governor of Alabama during the War of Secession. As the brothers, Josiah and Daniel WATTS, shown below were born ~1798-99 and are not old enough to be father of my Edward J. "Ned" WATTS. Josiah WATTS of Lowndes County, GA may be father of my NED. Having some difficulty tracking him in the Census Records. ALABAMA LAND GRANT DATA - Except as Noted - These Are Under Cash Entry Sale 4/24/1820 Act (3 Stat. 566) The Cash Sale Act provided for installment payments; date of issue = paid in full PATENTEE DATE COUNTY ACRES SEC/TNSP/RNGE MERIDIAN LAND OFFICE Watts, Daniel 8/10/1837 Conecuh 160 SW S35 T6N R10E St. Stephens Cahaba Watts, Josiah 8/10/1837 Conecuh 160 NW S35 T6N R10E St. Stephens Cahaba Watts, Thomas R. 8/02/1837 Conecuh 80.1 N SE S31 T6N R13E St. Stephens Cahaba Watts, James A. 6/01/1845 Coffee 40.12 SESE S9 T7N R21E St. Stephens Sparta Watts, John A. 4/10/1837 Wilcox 40 SWNW S34 T11N R10E St. Stephens Cahaba Watts, John H. 5/01/1826 Wilcox 79.46 W SE S12 T11N R11E St. Stephens Cahaba Watts, Rufus M. 5/20/1837 Wilcox -- NWSE S23 T12N R8E St. Stephens Cahaba Ditto 80.055 SWNE S23 T12N R8E Watts, Josiah 8/10/1837 Wilcox 80.055 E SE S23 T12N R8E St. Stephens Cahaba Watts, Josiah 7/28/1838 Wilcox 39.91 SESE S27 T11N R10E St. Stephens Cahaba Watts, Thomas 5/17/1831 Wilcox 80 E NW S34 T11N R10E St. Stephens Cahaba Watts, Vinson 5/08/1826 Wilcox 160 SE S36 T11N R11E St. Stephens Cahaba Watts, John 6/01/1845 Monroe 80.25 E SE S32 T10N R9E St. Stephens Cahaba Watts, John 9/01/1949 Monroe 40.99 SESW S36 T10N R9E St. Stephens Cahaba Watts, John 7/01/1845 Monroe Have Not Copied Watts, John 8/10/1850 Monroe Have Not Copied Watts, John 2/02/1852 Monroe Have Not Copied Watts, John 2/02/1852 Monroe Have Not Copied Watts, John 11/01/1858 Monroe Have Not Copied Watts, John A. 11/01/1858 Monroe 80.36 W SE S35 T10N R8E St. Stephens Greenville Watts, Walter P. 11/01/1859 Henry -- SWNW S11 T6N R29E St. Stephens Elba Ditto -- NENW S11 T6N R29E St. Stephens Elba Ditto -- SESE S11 T6N R29E St. Stephens Elba Ditto -- W SW S12 T6N R29E St. Stephens Elba Ditto 239.69 SWNW S12 T6N R29E St. Stephens Elba Watts, Walter P.1 11/01/1859 Henry Have Not Copied Watts, James E. 3/15/1837 Sumter 30 Fraction of S33 T19N R2W St. Stephens Demopolis Watts, James E. 3/15/1837 Sumter 43.3 H S33 T19N R2W Franction St. Stephens Demopolis Watts, Joel 3/20/1837 Sumter 159.66 NE S6 T22N R3W St. Stephens Tuscaloosa >From Old St. Stephens Land Office Records & American State Papers Public Lands, Vol. I; 1768-1888 Register of Certificates- St. Stephens Land Office 1820-1845 Watt, John 12/3/1823 Greene T22 R3 St. Stephens Watts, John 4/2/1825 Greene T22 R3 St. Stephens Land Warrants 1853-1877 Watts, Josiah 6/15/1853 T2 R2W This is in Mobile, AL St. Stephens Watt, James 3/26/1856 T6S R3 This is in Mobile, AL St. Stephens Applications for Extension of Credit; Book 007 An Act of Congress dated 2 March 1821 provided extension of credit to purchasers of land prior to 1 July 1820 Watts, James 1/6/1819 Greene T7 R12W The following Grants under the Homestead Entry Act (12 Stat. 392) of 5/20/1862 First 4 are Grants to Edward J. Ned Watts and his sons. PATENTEE DATE COUNTY ACRES SEC/TNSP/RNGE MERIDIAN LAND OFFICE Watts, Edward J. 12/30/1879 Monroe -- SWNE S4 T5N R6E St. Stephens Mobile Ditto -- W SE S4 T5N R6E St. Stephens Mobile Ditto 160.52 NESW S4 T5N R6E St. Stephens Mobile Watts, Thomas J. 12/05/1884 Monroe -- N SW S27 T6N R6E St. Stephens Montgomery Ditto -- SWSW S27 T6N R6E St. Stephens Montgomery Ditto 159.65 SWNW S27 T6N R6E St. Stephens Montgomery Watts, Edward W. 5/29/1891 Monroe -- SESE S36 T6N R6E St. Stephens Montgomery aka NED 80 SWSW S36 T6N R6E St. Stephens Montgomery Watts, Robert P. 7/27/1897 Monroe 40 SESW S11 T6N R6E St. Stephens Montgomery ............... Watts, Vinson R. 4/01/1876 Monroe Have Not Copied (from Thomas & Hannah Line) Watts, David 11/21/1894 Monroe Have Not Copied (David Moore Watts) Any assistance will be most appreciated. Thanks, WATTS of Mobile, AL