Watts family papers-addition

The Watts family papers of Roanoke County, Virginia at "Oaklands" in Flat Creek, Campbell County) consist of correspondence and documents related to the American Revolution, the War of 1812, the United States Civil War, war with Osceola and Seminole tribes in Florida, Virginia politics, economic and social history (including enslavement),land ownership, farming, court cases and debt from 1786 to 1950 in southwest Virginia. The Watts are related to... many other Virginia families including James and Dolley Madison. This collection represents a great view into historical and social events of the eighteenth and nineteenth century in Virginia.

The papers of this family of landowners, farmers, politicians, and attorneys portray the rich southern antebellum life on the Oaklands plantation. Despite the told and true characteristics of the kindness of the Watts family, they were nineteenth century southern plantation owners who owned hundreds of enslaved persons. The letters and receipts in the collection include many first names and some last names. One enslaved person, Henry Langhorne, a lifetime attendant of Colonel William Watts was bequeathed $1,000 and a home for life.

Some letters mention the Watt's efforts to keep enslaved families from being separated by intervening in the sales of enslaved persons. There are many references to enslaved people among their households and farm, including descriptions of providing their clothing, housing, and nurturing them when they were sick, like family members. It is important to note that the collection also contains receipts for their purchase and loan.

The issue of enslavement is discussed in local meetings that Watts attended. There are also letters from former enslaved persons such as [Malinda] Langhorne and William Langhorne to Watts family members and photographs of enslaved persons, Aunt Sally and Aunt Phoebe standing together, and a photograph of Uncle Lou with the Watts children.

There is also correspondence about financial and legal matters as Colonel William Watts (1817-1877) and his father, General Edward Watts (1779-1859), were attorneys. Much of their correspondence relates to collecting debts, indentures, land surveys, receipts, and politics (Whig party, Commonwealth Attorney, Constitutional Convention, Virginia Delegates, and candidacy for Governor), and religion. The papers contain discussions about the popular faith of Presbyterians and Episcopalians). The University of Virginia, Washington & Lee, and William & Mary College are also mentioned.



The collection spans six generations of the Watts family including General Edward Watts and his wife Elizabeth Breckinridge (1794-1862), their son Colonel William Watts (1817-1877) and his wife Mary Jane Allen (1825-1855). Also included is their son, John Allen Watts and his wife Gertrude Lee.

Other related families include Madison, Breckenridge, Allen, Jackson, Watson, Morris, Gamble, Payne, Washington, Meigs, and Saunders. (MSS 653) Other related collections include MSS 4111-a,-b,-c,-d,-e,-f; MSS 38-33 Irvine, Saunders, Davis, and Watts families (William Watts daybooks 1768-1786); MSS 259; MSS 9715 Abram Penn Staples..(see related materials note)

The papers of Mary Scott Watts Gamble have been combined into this collection. These letters contain her accounts of attacks by Osceola and Seminole people in Florida. She mentions that Robert [Watts?] and Robert Gamble joined the local militia to remove the Seminoles from the swamps and send them out West. (1835)