Phillip Morgan WATTS

     Phillip Morgan WATTS, son of Abraham WATTS Jr. and Lucelia HERRIN, was born on 23 April 1840 in Vance, Tuscaloosa County, Alabama.¹

Phillip Morgan WATTS appeared on a census, enumerated 1855, in the household of Abraham WATTS Jr. in Tuscaloosa County, Alabama.²

Phillip Morgan WATTS appeared on a census, enumerated 25 August 1860, in the household of Martha WATTS in Parkers Beat, Tuscaloosa County, Alabama.³

Phillip Morgan WATTS saw military service in March 1862 in Tuscaloosa, Alabama, when he enlisted in Company F, 36th Alabama Infantry. On 1 May 1862 in Tuscaloosa he re-enlisted for three years in Company H, 43rd Alabama Infantry. He was admitted to the CSA Post hospital at Dalton, Georgia on 29 Jul 1862 with parotitis. One muster roll claims he deserted 25 Sep 1863 at Lexington, Kentucky. He apparently rejoined the unit as he was captured at Mission Ridge in Chattanooga and paroled from Rock Island, New York Military Prison in 1865.^4,5 He witnessed the beginning of military service of Daniel Henry WATTS on 1 April 1862 in Addison (near Brookwood), Tuscaloosa County, Alabama.⁶

Phillip Morgan WATTS appeared on a census, enumerated 1866, in the household of Sarah Watts in Tuscaloosa County, Alabama. He was listed as the only male in the household, age 20-30. He was 26-years-old. He appeared on the 1867 Tuscaloosa County Voter Registration List in precinct 14, election district 23.⁷

Phillip married Sarah Elizabeth MOSES, daughter of Joshua MOSES and Malinda Isabella WEAVER, on 7 September 1871 in Tuscaloosa County. They applied for the license 7 Sep 1871, with the bond paid by P. M. Watts (his mark) and William Moses. The ceremony was performed by Stephen Bowen, justice of peace, at the home of Malinda Moses (Sarah's mother.)⁸

Phillip Morgan WATTS appeared as head of household on a census enumerated 30 June 1880 in Moore's Bridge, Tuscaloosa County, Alabama. The household was listed as Morgan P. Watts, age 39, and a farmer. He was born in Alabama, while his father was born in Pennsylvania and his mother in Georgia. His wife was listed as Sarah E. Watts, age 27. Both she and her parents were born in Alabama. Their children were Mary A., age 6; Nancy, age 4; and John H., age 1. All three were born in Alabama. Also in the household were Morgan's sister, Martha Watts, age 41, and niece, Dolly A. Watts, age 9. Dolly was born in Alabama. The information on the birthplace of Martha and her parents was the same as given for Morgan.⁹

Phillip Morgan WATTS purchased a government land patent 7 March 1884 in Tuscaloosa County. He bought 40.10 acres in the northwest quarter of the southeast quarter of section 24, township 22-S, range 9-W. Then on 7 Mar 1887 he purchased another 40.10 acres in the northeast quarter of the southwest quarter of the same section. He sold both lots to Jerusha A. Hall on 17 Jan 1906..

Phillip Morgan WATTS and Sarah Elizabeth MOSES appeared as head of household on a census enumerated 11 June 1900 in Precinct 2, Scottsville, Bibb County, Alabama. The household was listed as Phillip M. Watts (head), born April 1840, age 60, farmer; Sarah E. (wife), December 1848, age 51; Martha N. (dau.), May 1879, age 21, farm labor; John H. (son), August 1880, age 19, farm labor; James M. (son), October 1884, age 15, farm labor; Liddie P. (dau.), August 1889, age 10; and Henry E. (son), August 1891, age 8. Phillip said that he and his mother were born in Alabama, while his father was born in Germany. Phillip and Sarah had been married 27 years. She was the mother of seven children, five of them were still living in 1900. George W. Watts, believed to be his nephew, was living six houses away.¹⁰

Phillip Morgan WATTS was listed as Starling TERRY's and Dovie Addie Mosley's neighbor in a census on 11 June 1900 in in Scottsville, Bibb County, Alabama. Starling Terry is the grandfather of Randall Watts' mother Pauline Terry.¹¹

According to a special Confederate veterans census, in 1907 Phillip Morgan WATTS lived in Vance, Tuscaloosa County. According to the census he first entered service as a private on 1 March 1862 at Tuscaloosa in the 36th Alabama Regiment, Company F and continued until discharged. It said that he was born April 23, 1840 at Vance.

He re-enlisted as a private in Company E 43rd Alabama Infantry. He was wounded in the hand and captured at Missionary Ridge in Chattanooga and held as a prisoner until the end of the war in 1845. He was paroled from Rock Island Prison Camp in Illinois.¹²

Phillip Morgan WATTS died between 1907 and 1910 in Tuscaloosa County, Alabama. What may have been an inventory book [BK 2, pg. 130] at the Tuscaloosa County courthouse contains a record of a $500 debt owed by P. M. Watts or his estate to J. C. Thrower. This suggests that Morgan Watts was deceased.