Person:Susanna Watts (1)

Will of Susanna (Watts) Key

SUSANNA (WATTS) KEY "Will"

The widow of John Key, Sr., of Amherst County, Virginia. This will is recorded in Nelson County, Virginia Will Book A, Pg. 93. The following copy is made from the original will, preserved in the Nelson County Clerk's office. (It should be noted that Nelson County was created in 1808 from the eastern part of Amherst County, Virginia). Susanna was born about 1717.

Item - To my son Dabney Key, I give and bequeath one of my colts which he may make choice of.

Item - To my daughters, Elizabeth Key, Barbara Key, Effy Key, and Omy Key, I give and bequeath my tract of land that I purchased of Elisha Peters, share and share alike.

Item - To my said daughters, Elizabeth, Barbara, Effy, and Omy, I give and bequeath all my house hold and kitchen furniture.

Item - It is my will and desire that my executors hereafter named may sell my stock of horses, cattle, hogs, plantation utensils, and the crop of all kinds that may be on the plantation at my decease and the money arising therefrom be equally divided between my said daughters, Elizabeth, Barbara, Effy, Omy, and my grandson Tandy Key.

In witness of all and each of these things herein contained, I have set my hand and seal this 26th day of July 1810. Source: The Virginia Genealogist, Vol. 24, July - Sep. 1980, Pg. 199-200.

Notes on Susannah Watts

John and Phillip Watts immigrated to America in 1673 and settled along the Ready branch of the Mattaponi. Susannah may have been a descendant of one of these Watts, a neighbor to John Key, and he may have married her before leaving Spotsylvania County.

Susannah Key paid taxes on 100 acres in Amherst County, Virginia in 1783 and 1787. She is listed in the enumerations of Amherst County for 1783 and 1785 as the head of a family of nine and in the personal property tax lists for the Amherst District. The personal property tax lists for 1788 and 1794 show that she was the mother of Dabney and Thomas Key. Dabney was probably born about 1767, based on his first Talley in the "over 21" column of the tax lists.

Susannah Key's maiden name is said to have been Watts - - possibly the Watts family of Spotsylvania and Albemarle counties, which has many gaps in its genealogy. Edward Watts (ca. 1675 - ca. 1750) patented land in St. George's Parish, Spotsylvania County, 1728, and left issue: Thomas (1695 - 1749), Edward (ca. 1698 - ca. 1760), David (1702 - 1767), William (1704 - 1760), and John (1710 - 1765). David Watts was a neighbor of John Key, Sr. of Albemarle County and owned adjoining land in that part of Louisa County which became Albemarle in 1761.