In the books' own words, not ours, with obvious scanning errors fixed. The later printing (1915) is folded below the first. Families often supplied these stories to the publisher, so check key dates.
Born 1847, Franklin Township
From The History of Union County, Ohio, containing a history of the county; its townships, towns ... military record; (1883), History of Union County, Ohio; its people, industries and institutions (1915)
J. J. WATTS, merchant, Broadway. The subject of this sketch, a very enterprising young business man, was born in Franklin Township, Franklin County, Ohio, November 25, 1847, and is a son of Hiram and Sarah J. (Goldsmith) Watts, both natives of Ohio. Mr. Watts was born December 28, 1822, and Mre. Watts July 15, 1823. Mr. J. J. Watts when nineteen years of age engaged in the mercantile business as clerk for J. S. Winters, and thus he continued for three years. He next engaged with Isaac F. Gates, with whom he continued three months. Then he went to York Center, where he and Mr. Storms engaged in keeping groceries under the firm name of Watts & Storms, and continued in partnership one year. He next engaged as traveling salesman for McCreay, Barnes & Donnelly, of Cincinnati, Ohio, for one year; after which he came back to Broadway, Ohio, and engaged in farming for a short time. He next was agent for the grain warehouse, of Broadway, Ohio, and was at one time in partnership with his brother, C. D. Watts, in the grocery business, with whom he dissolved partnership November 11, 1878, since which time he has been engaged in a general store at Broadway, Ohio. In connection with his store he has been engaged in buying and shipping wool to the East each year for four years. He has been married twice. He was united in marriage the first time with Orpha K. SaSord, September 9, 1870; she was born in Union County, Ohio, August 5, 1850, and died July 4, 1878. He remained a widower until June 4, 1874, when he was united in marriage with Mary M. Yearsly, who was born in Union County, Ohio, March 24, 1846. He is the father of three children, two by his first wife, and one by his second — Maud A., born August 6, 1871; Lenny H., born October 13, 1872; and Sewell G., born November 8, 1875. Mr. Watts acquired a common school education, and has been a member of the Masonic order nine years.
As printed in The History of Union County, Ohio, containing a history of the county; its townships, towns ... military record; (1883). See the original pages. Wording is the original; obvious scanning errors have been corrected, and a few may remain.
JOHN J. WATTS.
A successful farmer, stock raiser, merchant and stock buyer of Union county, Ohio, is John J. Watts, who now makes his home in Broadway, Union county, Ohio. While he has been engaged in merchandising for twenty years, he has devoted much of his attention to the buying and shipping of live stock. He has also been interested in the elevator business in Broadway and successfully managed the grain elevator at that place for a number of years. He is strictly upright in all of his dealings and because of his excellent judgment and foresight, has accumulated a fine farm of four hundred and forty acres adjoining Broadway.
John J. Watts, the son of Hiram and Sarah J. (Goldsmith) "atts, was born in Franklin township, Franklin county, Ohio, November 25, 1847. His parents were natives of New York and Ohio, respectively, and reared a family of six children: Horace, a farmer of York township; John J., of Broadway; William J., a farmer of York township; Eletha J., deceased, the wife of L J. Siegler; Charles D., of Columbus, Ohio; and Carrie, the wife of A. J. Davis, of Toledo, Ohio.
Hiram Watts was about four years of age when he came from New York state to Ohio with his uncle, his parents having died in New York state while he was still a babe in arms. He grew to manhood in Franklin township, Franklin county, Ohio, and moved to Union county at the close of the Civil War. He farmer here until 1905, when he returned to Franklin county, where he lived until his death in March, 1911, being ninety-one years, three months and twelve days old at the time of his demise. His wife died in September, 1905, at the age of eighty-four. Both were members of the Methodist Episcopal church.
The paternal grandfather of John J. Watts was John Watts. He was a native of New York state and lived there all of his days. He was killed when about forty years of age by the kick of a hcjrse. His wife. Elizabeth, also died in middle age. There were five children born to John Watts and wife, Xicholas, Joseph, John, Catherine and Maria. The maternal grandparents of John J. Watts were Thomas and Nancy Goldsmith, natives of Scotland and Pennsylvania, respectively, and early settlers in Franklin township, Eranklin county, Ohio. They lived there the remainder of their days and reared a family of two children, John J. and Nancy J. Thomas Goldsmith and his wife, Nancy, had both been previously married.
John J. Watts was reared on his father's farm in Franklin county, Ohio, and attended the public schools of his home neighborhood. He remained on the farm until he was twenty years of age and then began clerking in a store in York Center, where he remained for five years. Fie then came to Broadway and clerked in a store here for a short time, after which he operated an elevator in Broadway for five years. He then went to Cincinnati and traveled on the road for McCrea, Barnes & Donnelly Company, remaining in their service for a year and a half. After leaving this company, he returned to Broadway and bought out a general store in that village and engaged in merchandising for fourteen years. He bought and operated the elevator here for five years. During all the time that he was in the merchandise business, as well as managing the elevat()r, he was engaged in the Inning and shipping of live stock. He invested in Union county land and now has one of the best farms in the county, comprising a total of four hundred and forty acres. He has a beautiful home in Broadway.
Mr. Watts was married in September, 1870, to Orpha K. Safford, the daughter of Pelatiah and.Vzuljah (Austin) Safford. To this union two children have been born, Maude and Lennie FI. Maude A. is the wife of R. C. Turney, of Delaware, Ohio, and has four children living, Maliel, Dallas, Theodore and william. Fennie H., who married.Anna Ma\' Shirk, is a farmer of Taylor township and has three children, Dode, Fucile and Ouinton. The first wife of Mr. Watts died July 3, 1873, at the age of twenty-two.
June II, 1874. Mr. Watts married Mrs. Mary M. Yearsley, the widow of Nathan Yearsley, and the daughter of Sewell G. and Harriett S. (Safford) Hartshorn. To this.second marriage, one son, Sewell G., has been born. Sewell G. is now a partner with his father in the live stock shipping business. He married Lacy AIcKinnon and has two children, Ralph and Evelvn. Mrs.
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Watts had a daughter hy her former marriage, Estalla, who married J. E. Shelton, of Broadway. Mr. and Mrs. Shelton have twelve children living, Dwight J., Claude E., Ethel M., Dode W., Paul E., Nathan, Esther, Jane, John E., Sewell B., Fern and Edith.
]Mrs. Mary M. Watts is a first cousin of the first wife of ]\Mr. Watts, and was born at what is now Raymond, Union county, March 24, 1846. Her father was a native of New Hampshire, and her mother was born in Vermont of Scotch lineage. Mr. and Mrs. Hartshorn were among the first settlers of Licking county, Ohio, and shortly afterwards came to Union county, where her father followed the occupation of a carpenter and farmer. He died on a farm in Liberty township in 1874, at the age of seventy-five. His wife died August 20, 1891, at the age of eighty. Six children were born to Mr. and Mrs. Hartshorn, Sarah A., George P., David S., Mary L. and two who died in infancy. Ethel Shelton, the granddaughter of Mrs. Watts, married Edgar Welch and they have one daughter. Thelma, who is the great-granddaughter of Mr. and Mrs. Watts.
[This passage is too damaged in the scanned book to reproduce. See the original book.]
As printed in History of Union County, Ohio; its people, industries and institutions (1915). See the original pages. Wording is the original; obvious scanning errors have been corrected, and a few may remain.
Named in this biography: C. D. Watts (b. 1854) Isaac F. Gates (b. 1834)
The printed record stops around 1883. We trace your line from there down to you, with every source cited.