Watts Family (about 1915)
Frederick E. Watts, my children's 3rd great-grandfather, came to the U.S. from Catcott Burtle, Somerset, England when nineteen years old. He became a bridge builder on the Milwaukee and Prairie du Chien Railroad, and when the Civil War started, he enlisted as a private in the 31st Wisconsin Infantry, Company A, 1st Division, 3rd Brigade, 20th Army Corps, Sherman's Army, serving under Lieut. Colonel Messmore, fighting throughout the South until General Lee's surrender. At the end of the war, he was sent to New York on sick parole. He returned with his regiment to Madison, Wisconsin, where he was mustered out of service in 1865. He returned to work as a bridge builder and married Lorraine Betsey Morrell in 1869. In May 1874, Fred moved his wife and two small children by covered wagon some 500 miles west to homestead 400 acres of land in Phillips and Smith counties, Kansas. There they had four more children, and in 1905, they sold the old homestead and moved to town, finally leaving there in 1908 to build their retirement home in Palacios, Matagorda, Texas.
Lorraine died in 1909. Fred then married Sarah (Grove) Heavin, pictured here with him. Fred died in 1924 at age 84. Besides Frank, Mabel, Jennie, and Lester (pictured here), they also had Nellie and Oscar who were still living, but not present at this gathering.
Watts Family (about 1915)
Frederick E. Watts, my children's 3rd great-grandfather, came to the U.S. from Catcott Burtle, Somerset, England when nineteen years old. He became a bridge builder on the Milwaukee and Prairie du Chien Railroad, and when the Civil War started, he enlisted as a private in the 31st Wisconsin Infantry, Company A, 1st Division, 3rd Brigade, 20th Army Corps, Sherman's Army, serving under Lieut. Colonel Messmore, fighting throughout the South until General Lee's surrender. At the end of the war, he was sent to New York on sick parole. He returned with his regiment to Madison, Wisconsin, where he was mustered out of service in 1865. He returned to work as a bridge builder and married Lorraine Betsey Morrell in 1869. In May 1874, Fred moved his wife and two small children by covered wagon some 500 miles west to homestead 400 acres of land in Phillips and Smith counties, Kansas. There they had four more children, and in 1905, they sold the old homestead and moved to town, finally leaving there in 1908 to build their retirement home in Palacios, Matagorda, Texas.
Lorraine died in 1909. Fred then married Sarah (Grove) Heavin, pictured here with him. Fred died in 1924 at age 84. Besides Frank, Mabel, Jennie, and Lester (pictured here), they also had Nellie and Oscar who were still living, but not present at this gathering.