Watts family papers

Abstract

The Watts family papers (dated 1790-1932; 0.23 cubic feet; 1 box) comprise correspondence, legal documents, financial papers, slave deeds, ledgers and account papers, land surveys, and envelopes, which document the Watts family of Fayette County, Kentucky, their land interests, their involvement in slavery, and their financial dealings.

Descriptive Summary

Title
Watts family papers
Date
circa 1790-1871
Extent
0.23 Cubic feet
Subjects
Commerce--Kentucky
Deeds.
Land titles--Kentucky.
Land titles--Registration and transfer--Kentucky.
Lexington (Ky.)--Genealogy
Real property surveys
Receipts (Acknowledgments)
Slave records--Kentucky.
Slaveholders--Kentucky
Slavery
Arrangement
Collection is arranged by subject and format.
Finding Aid Author
Finding aid prepared by Margaret Roulett
Preferred Citation
1997MS479: [identification of item], Watts family papers, 1790-1932, University of Kentucky Special Collections.
Repository
University of Kentucky

Collection Overview

Biography / History
Both born in Albemarle County, Virginia, David Winston Watts (1761-1835) married Ruth Twymann (1757-1837) in Albemarle County, Virginia. They had nine children. Their sixth and seventh children were Garrett Watts (1796-1873) and David Watts (1800-1854), respectively. Garrett Watts married Martha Terrell Twyman (1801-1842) from Albemarle, Virginia. They had seven children. Their sixth child was David Twyman Watts (1831-1854). He married Talitha Quisenberry (1824-1885), of Clark County, Kentucky on November 17, 1849. They had two children: William David Watts (1851-1943) and Garrett Watts (1853-1952). William David Watts married Ella Chenault (1861-1918), from Madison County, Kentucky, on February 10, 1880. They had three daughters: Lillian Watts (1880-1953), Ethel Watts (1882-1961), and Aileen Watts (1887-1970). Garrett Watts married Minnie Gay (1863-1957).
Born in Madison, Virginia, Joel Quisenberry (1784-1847) married Elizabeth Haggard (1784-1847), from Albemarle, Virginia, on August 21, 1804 in Winchester, Kentucky. They had thirteen children. Their tenth child was Talitha Quisenberry (1824-1885) who married David Twyman Watts in 1849.
Scope and Content
The Watts family papers (dated 1790-1932; 0.23 cubic feet; 1 box) comprise correspondence, legal documents, financial papers, slave deeds, ledgers and account papers, land surveys, and envelopes, which document the Watts family of Fayette County, Kentucky, their land interests, their involvement in slavery, and their financial dealings.
The papers include material related to the purchasing and surveying of land; detailed land surveys with diagrams; correspondence debating legitimacy of land surveys in Fayette County, Kentucky; and land deeds, both hand written and preprinted. The financial papers include correspondence about title bonds, Garrett Watts’ (1796-1873) personal ledger, and numerous bills of sales regarding the purchasing of slaves (Box 1, Folder 3). The will of Jonathon Parish, where Garrett Watts (1796-1875) acted as the will executor, is part of this collection. The legal documents include an indenture of land between David Watts (1761-1835) and Jacob and Catherine Laudeman and an indenture of land for Randall Noe signed by Charles Morgan and Susanna Morgan. The material relating to William David Watts (1851-1943) consists of 10 envelopes addressed to him; bank receipts; account invoices from blacksmiths, wood workers, doctors, gas fitters, plumbers, frescoers, grocers, horse shoers, tile layers, shoe stores, proprietors, art mantel and hall clock dealers hardware stores, lumber stores, carpet and wall paper stores, galvanized iron and copper cornices, coal and heating companies, furniture stores, grain and hemp businesses, window and paint stores, and fence companies. Finally, there is a typecript copy of the will of Joel Quisenberry.

Restrictions on Access and Use

Conditions Governing Access
Collection is open to researchers by appointment.
Use Restrictions
Property rights reside with the University of Kentucky. The University of Kentucky holds the copyright for materials created in the course of business by University of Kentucky employees. Copyright for all other materials has not been assigned to the University of Kentucky. For information about permission to reproduce or publish, please contact Special Collections.

Contents of the Collection

Garrett Watts (1796-1873) correspondence, 1848

  • Box 1, Folder 1
To top

Garrett Watts (1796-1873) land documents, 1822-1863, undated

  • Box 1, Folder 2
To top

Garrett Watts (1796-1873) bills of sale, 1822-1862

  • Box 1, Folder 3
To top

Garrett Watts (1796-1873) Jonathon Parish will executor, 1828

  • Box 1, Folder 4
To top

David Watts (1761-1835) indentures, 1805

  • Box 1, Folder 5
To top

David Watts (1800-1854) concordance, 1849

  • Box 1, Folder 6
To top

David Watts (1800-1854) surveys, 1831-1848

  • Box 1, Folder 7
To top

Robert Boggs survey, 1828

  • Box 1, Folder 8
To top

Robert Boggs slave deed, 1828

  • Box 1, Folder 9
To top

George Boon slave deed, 1839

  • Box 1, Folder 10
To top

Charles Morgan indenture to Randall Noe, 1790

  • Box 1, Folder 11
To top

J. T. Slade receipt, 1871

  • Box 1, Folder 12
To top

William D. Watts (1851-1943) receipts, 1900-1917

  • Box 1, Folder 13
To top

T. R. Bryant envelope, 1932

  • Box 1, Folder 14
To top

H. G. Edwards invoice, 1917

  • Box 1, Folder 15
To top

Joel Quisenberry (1784-1847) will, typescript, 1847

  • Box 1, Folder 16
To top

UK Libraries Special Collections Research Center is open Monday to Friday, 9:00am to 4:00pm. Appointments are encouraged but not required. Schedule an appointment here.

Researchers must have an SCRC Researcher Account to request materials. View account set-up and use instructions here.

Questions? Contact SCRC via our Contact Form.

You may come across language in UK Libraries Special Collections Research Center collections and online resources that you find harmful or offensive. SCRC collects materials from different cultures and time periods to preserve and make available the historical record. These materials document the time period when they were created and the view of their creator. As a result, some may demonstrate racist and offensive views that do not reflect the values of UK Libraries.

If you find description with problematic language that you think SCRC should review, please contact us at SCRC@uky.edu.

UK Libraries Special Collections Research Center is open Monday to Friday, 9:00am to 4:00pm. Appointments are encouraged but not required. Schedule an appointment here.

Researchers must have an SCRC Researcher Account to request materials. View account set-up and use instructions here.

Questions? Contact SCRC via our Contact Form.

Requests

No items have been requested.



Submit a request for SCRC materials.




You may come across language in UK Libraries Special Collections Research Center collections and online resources that you find harmful or offensive. SCRC collects materials from different cultures and time periods to preserve and make available the historical record. These materials document the time period when they were created and the view of their creator. As a result, some may demonstrate racist and offensive views that do not reflect the values of UK Libraries.

If you find description with problematic language that you think SCRC should review, please contact us at SCRC@uky.edu.