Henry Watts

There was originally some uncertainty for this compiler about William Watts being father of Henry Watts and he being the father of Sophia Watts but the probability became very high as the evidence from primary records research mounted. The location of where he lives makes this circumstantially high that he is the son of William and that he decides to name a daughter Sophia (after his mother). In 1800 there are two William Watts households in Worcester Co., MD: 01121-10201 (Bogerternorton Hundred) and 31120-10110 (Mattapany Hundred) and these are the only Watts households in the county. The former is likely the William Watts who owned "Newport Pagnell" as that is where that tract is located and the one who has a son named Henry Watts who marries Henrietta Mitchell in 1809. The latter is further south in the county. Henry Watts who married in 1809 is likely born 1775-1785 so he could fit into the elder William Watts household of 1800. This compiler makes this probability of Henry as son of William and father of Sophia very high at a near certainty.

Henry owned 55a of land in "Brattans Choice" and "Mount Ephraim" which is located in modern day ESE of Snow Hill, MD towards Public Landing on the east side of Paw Paw Creek Road near where it ends/intersects with McCabe's Landing Road.

In 1810, Henry Watts is head of a household in Worcester Co. (and the only Watts household in the county at the time) with 10210-00200 suggesting his age is 26-45. He owns 8 slaves. This, combined with his age in 1820 places his birth in the 1775-1784 range. This household is near that of William Ironshire and others that were near the William Watts household of 1800, strengthening greatly the case that William Watts of Bogerternorton is father of Henry Watts. William Watts who was born c1737 in Accomack Co., VA likely died sometime in the 1801-1809 timeframe in Worcester Co.

On Oct 17 1814, Henry Watts, for 5 shillings, manumitted his "negrow woman named Rebecca being of the age of 29 years & able to work and gain a sufficient livelihood". (WoLR-AE:323) On Nov 25 1814, Henry Watts was named and bonded as administrator of the estate of Thomas Mitchell who died intestate in Worcester Co., Jacob Teague and Thomas Franklin provided security. (WoBonds-1814/91:11). He filed an inventory of that estate on Dec 13 1815 in Worcester Co. (WoInv-1814/16:74)

On Dec 10 1816, Purnell Franklin, age 16 on Nov 8th next, orphan of Sarah Franklin, was bound to Henry Watts, ship carpenter, to learn that trade. Surety, John J. Williams. (WoOCP-MH23:58)

In the 1820 census, Henry Watts is head of household in Worcester Co., MD with 310010-10010 suggesting he is age 26-45 with 3 slaves and 3 free blacks.

On Oct 2 1820, Henry Watts made three transactions recorded in the Worcester land records. The first, he sold 55a of land in the tracts "Brattans Choice" and "Mount Ephraim" to George W. Purnell for $250. It is indicated as land he bought from George Houston that Houston had gotten from Thomas Mitchell via bond of conveyance.

Next, Watts sold for $600 to George W. Purnell, one negro woman Vine, now in the possession of Mrs. Mary Mitchell, one negro girl Hannah, child of negro Beck about 7 or 8 years old, black mare/colt, colt about one year old last spring, 3 cows/calves, 4 head of yong cattle, one yoke of oxen, 16 head of sheep, 12 head of hogs, one ox cart, 4 beds with all furniture belonging, and residue of my household and kitchen furniture and all my crop of corn and fodder on the ground.

Thirdly, Watts sold for $600 his 1/3rd right to a Schooner called "Post Boy" to George W. Purnell who already owned the other 2/3rds of it. Includes rigging and materials at the Port of Norfolk where she now lies. She is registered in the Port of Snow Hill as "Permanent No. 5 In pursuance of an Act of Congress of the United States of merica entitled an Act concerning the registering and recording of ships or vessels, George W. Purnell and Henry Watts, both of Worcester County, State of Maryland, Farmers, having taken or subscribed to the oath required by the said Act and having sworn that they are the true and only owners of the ship or vessel called the Post Boy of Snow Hill where of Thomas W. Wilkins is of present Master and a citizen of the United States as he hath sworn and the said ship or vessel was built in Worcester County State of Maryland in the year 1817 as appears by temporary register No. 119 granted at the Port of Baltimore the 18th of August 1818 and now sworn deed to be permanently registered and said register having certified that the said ship or vessel has one deck and two masts and that her length is 69' the breadth 21'-10", her depth 8'-6" and that she measures 119 tons and 65/95ths that she has a square stern has no galley and no figure head and said owners having agreed to the description and measurements above specified and sufficient security having been given according to the said act the said schooner has been duly registered at the Port of Snow Hill Sep 17 1819" - Watts sells his 1/3rd part to Purnell. (all three of these transactions are Confirmed Oct 10 1823 and recorded in WoLR-AL:37-42)

It is not clear why Henry Watts sold seemingly all his wordly possessions at this time. Was he in debt? This compiler feels it more likely that he was failing in health and preparing his estate for his passing. From his marriage to Henrietta Mitchell in 1809 and from the 1820 Census, we see that he seemed to have a large family of 4 young boys and a young girl (whom is suspected to be Sophia Watts who would marry John Hudson) and he and his wife. From the records, it seems Henry Watts did indeed die sometime in the 1820s, perhaps near the time of the recording of the preceding transactions in Oct 1823. However, Henry Watts shows up in the records on Oct 10 1828 when he is mentioned in a claim aginst the estate of Patrick Waters, Samuel R. Smith, administrator; however, this was a long standing debt from 1820 so Henry was probably not living at that time in 1828. (WoOCP-LPS7:79)

There is a Henry Watts in the 1830 census with a household of 0221000000000-1001010000000 but that seems to be his son of the same name.

Henry married Henrietta Mitchell, daughter of Thomas* Mitchell and Mary (?), on 23 May 1809 in Worcester Co., MD.¹ (Henrietta Mitchell was born in 1791-1793 in Worcester Co., MD, died in Sep 1875 in NY and was buried in Sep 1875 in Greenwood Cemetery, Brooklyn, Kings Co., NY.)