Person:Joel Watts (3)

1851 Jan. 23, Joel Watts md. Elizabeth Hayden, presumably in Warren Co., IN, as the record is not in Fountain Co.

1857 May 17, Elizabeth died

1860 Warren Co., IN, census, p.467, Liberty Twp., P.O. Attica, June 9, 1860, John Benson: 129/129, JOEL WATTS, 36 M, farmer, $1500 real, $150 personal, OH; Nancy E., 57 F, widow, OH; Jemima, 19 F, OH; Joseph, 16 M, farmer, OH; John, 13 M, OH; John CARY, 30 M, farm laborer, KY; John W. WATTS, 8 M, IN; Franklin F., 6 M, IN. Nancy cannot read/write; Joseph, John, John W., Franklin attend school.

1861 Aug. 8, Joel Watts md. Miranda C. Galloway, Fountain Co., IN, Book 5, p.24. --Indiana WPA, 1941 (Ancestry.com and GenealogyLibrary.com)

1864 Aug. 28, Hazel Dell, Jasper Co., IL. Zillman Jones wrote his brother Tighlman: "Joel Watts went as a delegate to the Chicago Convention" [The 1864 Democratic National Convention was held in Chicago.]

1870 Fountain Co., IN, census, p.151A, Shawnee Twp., P.O. Attica, Aug. 30, 1870, Geo. E. Pynchon: 109/112, JOEL WATTS, 45 M W, grocer, $14,200 real, $5100 personal, OH; Amanda, 41 F W, keeping house, KY; John W., 18 M W, at home, IN; Frank P., 16 M W, at home, IN; Delila [who is this?], 13 F W, at home, IN.

no date [ca. 1873], Ada Wyckoff Hopkins wrote her cousin Jane Love: "I received a letter from Sarah Dolby in which she writes that . . . Joel Watts and 2 of his children have joined the church at Portland, isnt that good news." Correspondence from the family letters and papers of Jane Love and her cousin, Lillice Jones Harper, courtesy John, Danny, and Dave Harper in 2001 and 2004, transcribed by Brenda Boyer

1880 Fountain Co., IN, census, p.48A, Shawnee Twp., June 10, 1880, O.D. Osborn: JOEL WATTS, W M 55, head, md., farmer, OH NY OH; Miranda C., W F 44, wife, housekeeping, KY KY KY; Franklin F., W M 27, son, single, laborer, IN OH OH; Ida M., W F 18, niece, at home, IL OH OH.

1900 Fountain Co., IN, census & index, p.11A ED 71, Shawnee Twp., Village of Fountain, June 19, 1900, Henry B. Jones: [last several lines very dark and nearly impossible to read] JOAL WATTS, head, W M, 75, OH NY OH, ___ health resort; Maranda C., wife, W F, 72, mother of 4 children, 2 living, KY KY KY; John W., son, W M, Dec. 1851, 48, IN OH IN, day labor; Folda M., dau, W F, [Dec. 1893?], 6, IN IN IN, in school.

1909 Jan. 15, Joel Watts, male, white, age 83, d. in Fountain Co., IN, Book H-24, p.9. (GenealogyLibrary.com)

JOEL WATTS DEAD

 Joel Watts, one of the oldest and most widely known citizens of Fountain County, died at his home in Fountain last Friday evening.  The decedent was born in Hamilton County, Ohio, May 30, 1825, and was 83 years old his last birthday.  His father was John Burgoyne Watts, an early settler of western Ohio, and he was a great-great-grandson of John Paul Jones, the famous sea fighter.
 Mr. Watts has been a resident of Fountain County for many years and for the past 15 or 20 years has been owner and manager of the picturesque summer resort known as Portland Arch.
 Besides a wife, Mr. Watts leaves two sons, John William Watts and Frank Watts of Fountain.  He also has a brother William living in Kansas.
 The funeral was conducted from the family home Sunday forenoon at 10:30, Rev. Boord of Stone Bluff officiating.  Internment was made in the Fountain Cemetery.  --Fountain-Warren Democrat, Jan. 21, 1909 (p.2, col.4), transcription courtesy Gary Purviance, e-mail, Jan. 17, 2005; Gary says the story about John Paul Jones was a fabrication as JPJ never married

Joel is buried in Portland Cemetery, Shawnee Twp., also known as Fountain Cemetery. Joel was a farmer for much of his life and taught school for awhile in Warren County. Prior to 1900 he became owner and manager of a picturesque summer resort known as Portland Arch named for a natural stone arch on it and now a state park. At some point he was a Justice of the Peace for Fountain County. His name appears on marriage documents as early as 1882. --Gary Purviance, e-mail attachment, Jan. 3, 2005

1910 census

1917 Aug. 12, Miranda C. Watts, female, white, age 88, d. in Covington, Fountain Co., IN, Book CH-3, p.27. (GenealogyLibrary.com)

Miranda is buried in Hopkins Cemetery, Shawnee Twp., Fountain Co., IN. --Gary Purviance, e-mail attachment, Jan. 3, 2005

1. ↑ JONES / WATTS descendant, Gary Purviance
   e-mail attachment, Jan. 3, 2005.