Person:William Watt (32)

William Watt, an early Fourth Creek settler is listed in the “Descendants of Watts” by VanBuren, D.; compiler. This is an unpublished genealogy of the Watt family of Iredell Co., NC. Also in “ Heritage of Iredell County”, by the Genealogical Society of Iredell County (North Carolina) c 1980, c2000, p. 537, Items 664-665
William Watt, born 1722 and died in 1791, was one of the first settlers near Statesville. A land warrant in Anson County was issued by Lord Granville's agents on February 18, 1750 to survey for William Watt 640 acres of land on the south branch of Fourth Creek joining John McColloh's [name of one of witnesses to younger John Allison's will - Donegal Twp, Lancaster Co., PA - SF] survey and crossing Sherrill’s Path. The location of this survey and later a grant from Lord Granville was at the intersection of present Highway I-40 and North Carolina Highway 115.
William Watt arrived from Pennsylvania probably in late 1749 with the Allison’s, who were the first settlers on Fourth Creek near Statesville. William Watt married Jean Allison on an unknown date. James Allison of Donegal Township, Lancaster County, Pennsylvania named William Watt as his son-in-law in his will of August 31, 1762. Thomas Allison, Andrew Allison and Robert Allison probably were brothers of Jean Allison, and if not were closely related. They had entries on Fourth Creek in 1750 and were issued Granville grants on March 25, 1752. The Allison’s grants on Fourth Creek were on good bottom land. It appears William Watt chose to settle on Sherrill’s Path, the only route of travel at that time in the present Iredell County near Statesville.
Fort Dobbs was built in 1756 near Sherrill’s Path and William Watt lived nearer to the fort than any other settler. He probably furnished oxen and helped construct Fort Dobbs.
The Rowan Court Minutes show William Watt had two horses stolen by the Cherokee Indians when they made their attack on Fort Dobbs in February of 1760. William Watt was the third Constable in Captain Allison's District after Rowan County was formed in 1753. Thomas Allison was the first Constable, John McElwrath was the second and William Watt was appointed on April 17, 1755.
On March 24, 1754, William Watt had his brand recorded for his livestock. He served as tax collector, overseer of road, and numerous times was on jury duty in Rowan County.
William Watt's land holdings of Granville and state grants consist of about 800 acres, the southern boundary being the present Hartness Road and Race Street in Statesville. His home is shown on the William Sharpe Map. William Watt had a family of five children by Jean Allison, his first wife. She died October 14, 1763 and was buried in the Fourth Creek Cemetery. The children were William, Jr born about 1755, James, Rebecca born about 1760, Margaret born 1755 and Jane born 1757.

William Watt, Jr. was known as “William Watt, the distiller.” He operated a mill and still on Third Creek. His wife was Elizabeth and could have been a Stroud by her first marriage. William Watt's will of 1809 names sons, James, John and William M. and refers to daughters, but not by name. The children by records moved to Rutherford County, Tennessee.

James Watt, the second son, was a Revolutionary War soldier. His record is in "The Catawba Frontier" by Mary Elinor Lazenby. He died about 1834 and probably is buried in Fourth Creek Cemetery in an unmarked grave.

Margaret Watt was born in 1755 and married John McLelland, the distiller. The family lines of Margaret Watt and John McLelland are known and many of their descendants are living in Iredell County.

Rebecca Watt married Thomas Bailey.

Jane Watt married Valentine Houpe in 1787. The Houpe’s probably moved west in 1808.

William Watt's second marriage after the death of his first wife in 1763 was to Jane Reid. No marriage license was found, but use of the name 'Reid' in the naming of the children indicates Jane Watt was probably a Reid. Their children were:

John Watt born about 1765, married Nancy Stevenson. She was the daughter of William Stevenson. All of this line is in the Stevenson book.

Eleanor Watt married Jacob Houpe, a brother to Valentine Houpe. This couple lived in east Statesville and the family history has been written by the Houpe’s.

Mary Watt, born in 1770, married William Steele, a Revolutionary War soldier. Their daughter, Eleanor, married Thomas Murdock and their daughter, Mary, married John Murdock. Some of the descendants living in Iredell County are the Murdocks, Summers, Mills, McLaughlins, and other families.

Elizabeth Watt, born in 1773, married David White, an Irish immigrant and a Revolutionary War soldier. Much more on David White and Elizabeth Watt and their connection to Fort Dobbs is added below.


Sarah Watt married Jesse Todd. The marriage date is unknown but Jesse Todd is listed with the heirs of William Watt who died in 1791. It is believed this couple moved west about 1808 after Jesse Todd sold his land holdings in Iredell County.

Thomas Watt, the youngest son, was born in 1775. He married Margaret Lock, the daughter of George Lock. Thomas Watt died in 1811 at the age of 36. He left a widow and five children. Thomas Watt was probably buried in the Fourth Creek Cemetery in an unmarked grave near his father. Thomas Watt lived with his mother, Jane Watt, on the old home place near the intersection of the Chipley Ford Road and North Carolina Highway 115.

William Watt is buried in Fourth Creek Cemetery with his two wives, Jean Allison and Jane Reid. A record of their burial is provided by the “National Society of Dames of America.”

More on Jane Reid Watt can be found in the “Last Will of Jane Watt” in the “Abstracts of the Court of Pleas and Quarter Sessions, 1815-1822, Iredell Co, NC”.

James Watt, brother to William Watt, was born in 1729, and arrived after William had settled on Fourth Creek in 1750. James, along with the Morrison families and William Carson, were among the first settlers on Third Creek in the present Statesville-Loray area in the 1750s. Later William Stevenson and other pioneers made their homes on Third Creek.

Both William and James are believed to have come from Lancaster County, Pennsylvania. Wills of James and Rebecca Allison, made in 1762, show William Watt as a son-in-law and married to their daughter, Jean. James Watt's wife was Mary, and it is believed she may have been a Bartholomew. This is based on the 1770 will of William Bartholomew of Rowan County, in which all of his worldly possessions were left to William Watt, the son of James and Mary Watt. This could be a grandfather leaving his possessions to a grandson, or an uncle to his nephew.

James was granted 696 acres of land on Third Creek by Lord Granville on December 21, 1761. It is believed he had lived on this land several years before the grant. The grant is made to James Watt and James Watt's signature on the grant is without the 's' on the Watt name. James Watt's name is in the Rowan County Court Minutes twenty-one times as constable, overseer of roads, tax collector and jury duty and always without the 's.'

His tombstone in the Fourth Creek Cemetery in Statesville calls him James Watts, with date of death February 23, 1792. This is believed to be an incorrect date since there is a will in Iredell County by James Watts dated February 22, 1793 and a deed dated February 1793 and signed by James Watts. The 's' may have been added to the name by William Watts (fuller) the son of James Watt, and administrator of his estate, who definitely went by the name of Watts.

http://www.mytree.net/gen/getperson.php?personID=I9459&tree=MAST