Richard Watts, of Hartford

Parents unknown. Not the same as Richard Watts, of Gray's Inn, Esq., son of Richard Watts of Garnons in Great Munden & Agnes Crowne

Biographical Summary:

Richard Watts, Hartford, 1639; one of the inhabitants who received land "by the courtesie of the town;" his home-lot was on the west side of the "road from George Steel's to the Great Swamp." He died in 1655, probably; will dated October 29, 1650; inventory, March 20, 1654-5, £114. 17. His widow, Elizabeth, died 1666; will dated February 28, 1665-6; inventory April 17, 1666; she mentions "cousin Mary Smith," in Banbury, Oxfordshire, "cousin Geo. Haines that is blind," cousin Daniel Hubbard, daughter Browne, daughter Hubbard, cousin Elizabeth Hubbard, cousin Nath'l Browne.

Children:

1. Daughter who remained in England.

i. William, Hartford, 1639; one of those who received land "by the courtesie of the town;" his home-lot adjoined his father's on the south, He was granted two acres of land at Hockanum in 1641; he married in Hartford, but returned to England, and died there before 1668.

ii. Elizabeth, married George Hubbard (q. v.).

iii. Ellinor, married December 23, 1647, Nathaniel Browne, of Hartford, who removed to Middletown 1654; (2) Jasper Clements, of Middletown; (3) Nathaniel Willett, of Hartford,

iv. Capt. Thomas Watts, born about 1626; married May 1, 1645, Elizabeth, daughter of George Steele, of Hartford; chimney-viewer, 1651; surveyor of high-, ways, 1653, 1673; townsman, 1657,1662, 1667; successively appointed Sergeant, Ensign, Lieutenant, and Captain, of the Hartford trainband; he headed his company in the Narragansett fight, December 19, 1675, and commanded the forces that went up the river in 1677. He died without children in 1683; will dated August 6; inventory October 22; left his house and lot to his brother's son, Samuel Hubbard, whom he had brought up from a child. His widow died February 25, 1684-5, leaving her property to her brother, James Steele, and his four daughters.

SOURCE: James Hammond Trumbull, editor, The memorial history of Hartford County, Connecticut, 1633-1884, Volume 1 (Boston, Massachusetts: Edward L. Osgood, 1886), pages 266-267. Retrieved: 3 May 2011 from Google Books

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https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/54049929/richard-watts

A Digest of the Early Conn. Probate Records, Vol. 1, Manwaring, p. 160 (p. 72 in original records)
Watts, Richard, Hartford. Invt. £114-17-06 taken March 20, 1654 by Richard Bulter, Nathaniel Browne and James Ensign. His will dated Oct. 20, 1653 as follows:
"October the twentieth day, In the year of our Lord one Thousand Six hundred fifty three. I Richard Watts of Hardford, upon the River of Connecticut, beaing weak and ill in my body, but in my perfect memory and understanding, Doe make and Ordain this my Last will and Testament in manner and form as followeth:
Imprimis. It is my will that my wiff Elizabeth Watts shall possess and injoy my whole estate during the term of her natural lif. And alsoe I will and give unto my wiff fful power and Authority toe giv and despose at her own will and pleasure Twenty pounds off the estate I leave behind mee. The Resedu of my estate That Shall be remayneng after the death of my wiff It is my will that it be Equally Divided amongst the Children of my Daughter Hubbard & the chld of my Daughter Browne, I mean the chldren now born & that then shall be living. Also I will and give to my Daughter Browne the whole Charge of her board & board of her child, her husband & servant, ffrom the Time that her husband went ffrom her toward England Toe the day of my Death, with all other moneys or charges that I have Disbursed ffor her use. That thes my last Will and Testament be truly and ffaithfully performed, I make & ordayne my wif Elizabeth my Soal Exectrix, And intreat my loving friends Richard Butler and James Ensign to be overseers to this my will. Signed Richard X Watts and witnessed by Richard Butler and James Ensign.
Wee whose names are heer underwritten doe witness that Richard Wats in his last sickness whereof he dyed did express that it was his will that Hana, the Daughter of his Daughter Browne, should have a duble portion off the estate that is to be divided to the children expresst in his will. Further, we witness that it was his will that his son Thomas Wats, after the Death of Elizabeth the wif of the said Richard, should have & injoy as his fforever his three acres upland lott at the Town's End. Signed: Richard Butler & James Ensign."

The children of Richard & Elizabeth Watts (from The Memorial History of Hartford County, Connecticut 1633-1884, Vol. 1, p.266):

• 1. William Watts -- recieved land courtesy of the town in 1639; his homelot adjoined his father's on the south. He died in England before 1668.
• 2. Elizabeth Watts married George Hubbard.
• 3. Ellinor married (1)Nathaniel Browne on Dec. 23, 1647 in Hartford and removed to Middletown in 1654, (2) Jasper Clements in Middletown and (3) Nathaniel Willett of Hartford. 4. Capt. Thomas Watts b. abt. 1626 & m. Elizabeth Steele, d/o George Steele of Hartford. He was an Indian fighter.

References

• Removed birth seen as Birth: January 25, 1595 St. Marys, Kent, England
• https://www.wikitree.com/wiki/Watts-195 cites

1. Jacobus, Donald L. The House of Rich (continuation) in: The American Genealogist. Volume 22. New Haven, Connecticut, 1945 p. 159-162. (Online database. AmericanAncestors.org. New England Historic Genealogical Society, 2009 - .) https://www.americanancestors.org/DB283/i/11863/157/23577121 (document attached)
2. Trumball, James Hammond, editor. The Memorial History of Hartford County, Connecticut, 1633-1884, Volume 1, E. L. Osgood, Boston, Massachusetts, 1886 p. 242; 266-7
3. "Collections of the Connecticut Historical Society" Hartford 1912. p. 345.see at archive.org
4. Manwaring, Charles William, editor. A Digest of the Early Connecticut Probate Records: Hartford district, 1635-1700, R. S. Peck & Company, printers, Hartford, Connecticut, 1904 p. 160-1; 247-8 See also
5. Barbour, Lucius Barnes, 1982, Families of Early Hartford, Connecticut, Genealogical Publishing Co. Inc., Baltimore, Maryland and Connecticut Society of Genealogists, Inc., Glastonbury, Connecticut pp.643
6. Find A Grave Memorial# 54049929 http://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=gr&GRid=54049929