Francis Watts, of Craven County

Not the father of Thomas Watts, of Lynches Creek

Francis Watts

• Birth: 1695 - Stafford County, Virginia
• Death: Sep 23 1754 - Craven County, South Carolina
• Parents: Edward Watts and Anne Martin
• Wife: Ann (unknown)

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Family

https://wc.rootsweb.com/trees/124247/I02558/francis-watts/individual

Francis Watts (Edward /Watts/) was born 1695, and died 1754. He married Ann ?.

Children of Francis /Watts/ and Ann /?/ are:

1. Thomas Watts, who had a son Francis Watts. He was not Thomas Watts of Lynches Creek who married Tabitha.

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• Fact: Residence (1751) Michaelmass, Prince William County, VA
• Fact: Residence (1753) Rental Rolls, Prince William County, VA
• Fact: Residence (1754) Will, Craven District, SC
• Fact: Residence (1764) Rent Rolls, Culpeper County, VA

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Comments

From https://www.geni.com/discussions/278098?msg=1695871

Francis Watts, the son of Edward Watts and Anne (Martin) Hubbard Watts McPherson, did exist and was a well-documented individual. He was born ca. 1690 almost certainly in Stafford County and not in Caroline County. He was not named John Francis Watts.

This Francis Watts was not an Indian Chief, and despite unsourced claims to the contrary, there’s really no proof or solid indication he had any native American ancestry at all.

In addition, a 1691 Virginia statute declared that “any white man or woman being free who shall intermarry with (a) …. Mulatto, or Indian man or woman… shall within three months after such marriage be banished and removed from this dominion forever…” (source: Hening’s Statutes at Large, v 3, p. 87)

Therefore, Francis’s wife Anne was also neither Native American nor mixed race. In fact, as noted Anne McPherson was the name of Francis Watt’s mother, not the name of his wife. His wife’s maiden name is currently unknown but would almost certainly not be “Wind Clan McPherson.”

It seems likely that this surplus NA plumage for Francis and Anne was added in an attempt to connect the Trader John Watts family with the northern neck Watts clan. But these are two different families.

Finally, as proven by his will, his estate settlement, and other documents, Francis Watts did have a son, Thomas Watts, and eight grandchildren as named above. This is not the Thomas Watts of Lynches Creek, South Carolina who married Tabitha. That family has been excellently researched by the preeminent genealogist Elizabeth Shown Mills. Thomas s/o Francis did not marry Tabitha, and the children of the different Thomas Watts of Lynches Creek by Tabitha are currently incorrectly attached to Thomas s/o Francis.

Anne (Martin) Hubbard Watts McPherson, the remarried widow of Edward Watts, left a 1742 will in Stafford County Virginia listing among other children “my son Francis Watts.” (source: Stafford County Virginia Will Book M, pp. 314-315)

Even with the loss of many Stafford area records, a number of references to this Francis Watts have survived. He is listed in quit rent rolls and tobacco grower lists, he inherited land, held lifetime leases, gave lifetime leases, witnessed deeds and legal documents, voted, and then, towards the end of his life, bought land in both Augusta County, Virginia, and then Craven County, South Carolina. He was born around 1690 and passed away by May of 1754, when an inventory of his estate was filed in Craven (source: Original inventory in the State of South Carolina Archives, copy recorded in Fauquier County Virginia Will Book One, p. 160)

Francis Watts’ will was written in Craven in 1753 and proven in Fauquier in 1770. ( source: Ibid).

It names his wife Anne Watts, a son Thomas Watts, and a grandson Francis Watts. The will makes a further provision for his slaves to be equally divided amongst all of his grandchildren.

A separate division of property listing these grandchildren was also filed in Fauquier in 1772. Francis Watts’s grandchildren, apparently in order of birth, were John Watts, Thomas Watts, Sarah Watts who married William Hansbrough, Francis Watts, Margaret Watts, Bennett Watts, Mason Watts, and Mary.Watts. (source: Fauquier County Virginia Will Book One, p. 194)

Disproved identity

• He was not a person called "Old Chief Watts Kahyanteehee The First To Kill Onitostah Onitostaii Utisdasata Rayetaeh-Utisd" Watts”
• He was not the same as https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Old_Tassel
• He was not Corn Tassel Utsi'dsata, Beloved Man of the Overhill Cherokees
• He was not Native American or married to a Native American
• "Family Tree," database, FamilySearch (http://familysearch.org : modified 02 November 2018, 20:25), entry for John Francis "Chief Old" Kahyanteehee Watts(PID https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/4:1:GMQ8-P14); contributed by various users. Incorrectly identified him. .

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References

1. Colonial-settlers-md-va https://www.colonial-settlers-md-va.us/getperson.php?personID=I0502.... Accessed 8 Jul. 2020.
2. https://www.colonial-settlers-md-va.us/getperson.php?personID=I5022...

• https://wc.rootsweb.ancestry.com/cgi-bin/igm.cgi?op=GET&db=cwdill&i...
• https://www.genealogy.com/ftm/w/a/t/Alton-J-Watts/GENE8-0001.html Lists wrong son