Watts Family Papers, 1816-1970 | Eastern Kentucky University - Special Collections and Archives

By Crystal Allen-Daniels

Printer-friendly |

Collection Overview

Title: Watts Family Papers, 1816-1970

Predominant Dates:1875-1960

Primary Creator: Watts, Emma P. (1887-1970)

Other Creators: Parkes, James B. (1846-1923), Watts, Mary Parkes (1848-1934), Watts, William W. (1836-1912)

Extent: 30.27 Cubic Feet

Date Acquired: 04/20/2000. More info below under Accruals.

Subjects: Agriculture--Kentucky., Democratic Party (Ky.), Gardens., Kentucky--Social life and customs--20th century., Madison Female Institute, Ranching., Vassar College, Wilderness Road, World War, 1914-1918., World War, 1939-1945.

Languages: English

Scope and Contents of the Materials

This collection consists of correspondence, photographs, ephemera, financial records and legal documents that were left in Elmwood at the time of Emma Watts' death. The collection spans three branches of the family (Parkes, Walker, and Watts) and covers nearly 150 years. The bulk of material is from 1878 and later and pertains to the Watts family; however, the Parkes family, particularly James B. Parkes, is well-represented within the collection. The Watts family owned thousands of acres of land the Brazos Basin area of Texas and in the Texas Panhandle. The land in the Brazos Basin was used as a plantation growing cotton, while the Texas Panhandle land served as a cattle ranch called Z-L Ranch. The histories of both these properties are richly detailed through correspondence with lawyers and foremen and through the vast amount of legal documents that were kept, including lawsuits, tax receipts, and land surveys. The voluminous correspondence between William and Mary Watts and their daughter Emma while she attended Vassar and traveled reveals family dynamics in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Other correspondence from friends and family reveals social customs and culture of the time. Members of the Watts family were involved in the Madison Female Institute, the Richmond Cemetery, Liberty Hall in Frankfort, the Democratic Party, the National Society of Colonial Dames and the Daughters of the American Revolution and this collection includes documents relating to all those organizations. A significant part of the collection concerns the Elmwood property, including gardens, farming, furniture, and renovations and repairs to the house.

Biographical Note

Emma Parkes Watts (1887-1970) was the daughter of William Walker Watts (1836-1912) and Mary Buford Parkes Watts (1838-1934). William was the son of Charles Sinclair Watts and Elizabeth Walker Watts. Mary was the daughter of John White Parkes and Elizabeth Buford Parkes. William built Elmwood after his marriage, and their only daughter, Emma lived there most of her life. Emma attended Vassar College and took several trips to New York and Europe with her mother. She never married and lived at Elmwood with her parents until each of their subsequent deaths. Watts was a collector of antiques and was an avid reader and gardener.

Subject/Index Terms

Agriculture--Kentucky.
Democratic Party (Ky.)
Gardens.
Kentucky--Social life and customs--20th century.
Madison Female Institute
Ranching.
Vassar College
Wilderness Road
World War, 1914-1918.
World War, 1939-1945.

Administrative Information

Repository: Eastern Kentucky University - Special Collections and Archives

Accruals: Photographs, journals, sketch books, scrapbooks, ledgers, receipts, correspondence, school notes, financial records, pamphlets and other booklets, certificates and other materials removed from Elmwood after Eastern acquired the property. May 31, 2012

Acquisition Source: Watts, Emma, Estate (Caperton Burnam, trustee)

Separated Materials:

Richmond Climax (March 7, 1900) and The Kentucky Register (November 24, 1911) were moved to the Newspaper Collection, 0010-021.

A previous archivist weeded a 1928 Dallas High School Commencement Program. That separation was documented in the donor file.

Box and Folder Listing

Browse by Series:

[Series 1: Parkes Family],
[Series 2: Walker Family],
[Series 3: Watts Family],
[All]

Series 1: Parkes Family

Box 1

Barcode: 31234013791429

Folder 1: Correspondence to Miss Sudie Embry, undated: Short note about Lizzie Turner dying.
Folder 2: Correspondence to Elizabeth B. Parkes, 1896: Letters regarding the Daughters of the American Revolution and her status as a "Real Daughter."
Folder 3: Correspondence to Emma Parkes, 1877-1888: From friends and family. Includes a letter from Jeff Parkes about life in Minnesota, as well as a letter from Annie Armstrong about life at Hamilton College and a birthday party announcement.
Folder 4: Correspondence to Emma Parkes, 1878-1884: From her sister, Mary P. Watts.
Folder 5: Miscellaneous Correspondence, 1873-1920: Various personal letters to members of the Parkes family, written by people in Texas and mailed to Kentucky.
Folder 6: Correspondence to James B. Parkes A-D: Correspondence regarding the business affairs of James B. Parkes from senders with surnames beginning with A-D. Includes information about a lawsuit brought against the Louisville and Nashville Railroad on behalf of Sarah Ballard. Letters written by James B. Parkes in response to correspondence is also included.
Folder 7: Correspondence to James B. Parkes E-L: Letters regarding the business and personal affairs of James B. Parkes from senders with surnames beginning with E-L. Includes information about the purchase and transportation of cattle.
Folder 8: Correspondence to James B. Parkes M-P: Letters regarding the business affairs of James B. Parkes from senders with surnames beginning with M-P. Includes information about treasury notes from 1923 and cattle purchases.
Folder 9: Correspondence to James B. Parkes R-S: Letters regarding the business affairs of James B. Parkes from senders with surnames beginning with R-S. Includes letters about coal purchases and personal letters from Tom Smith.
Folder 10: Correspondence to James B. Parkes T-W: Letters regarding the business and personal affairs of James B. Parkes from senders with surnames beginning with T-W. Includes information about the purchase of a dog for Donald Walker.
Folder 11: Democratic Party Correspondence to James B. Parkes, 1904-1921: Includes information about travel arrangements to the Democratic Convention of 1920 in San Francisco, California.
Folder 13: To James B. Parkes From Elizabeth Dunlop, 1919-1922: About her move to Texas, purchase of a home, and financial matters.
Folder 14: To James B. Parkes From L. E. Francis, 1873-1880: Regarding coal business affairs.
Folder 15: To James B. Parkes From Silas T. Green, 1873-1879: About the price and shipment of coal.
Folder 16: To James B. Parkes From Peter B. Holland, 1919: Letters from New Muldoon Monument Company about the commissioning, blue prints, and designs of memorial stones for John W. Parkes, Elizabeth Buford Parkes, John B. Parkes, Margaret Wallace, John Williams Wilmore, Charles Stewart Wilmore, Margaret Jane Parkes, and another Charles Stewart Wilmore.
Folder 17: To James B. Parkes From Gov. James B. McCreary, 1875-1914: Letters about various position appointments requested by James B. Parkes for friends. Also, a few letters about the search for and purchase of a phaeton horse for Governor McCreary.
Folder 18: To James B. Parkes From J. P. Moody, 1891-1905: Letters concerning the personal business and affairs of J. P. Moody of Tulia, Texas.
Folder 19: To James B. Parkes From Margaret W. Parkes, 1871-1895: Concerning the Madison County, Kentucky housing market.
Folder 20: To James B. Parkes from Nancy "Nannie" Parkes, 1912, undated: These letters mostly chronicle the lives of the Parkes side of the family who moved to Texas.
Folder 21: To James B. Parkes from Jennie Parkes Kilgore and Margaret Parkes, 1915-1919: Letters and thank you notes.
Folder 22: To James B. Parkes from Samuel S. Parkes, 1873-1877: About financial matters (Richmond Mines, Muhlenburg County), personal matters, and details about day-to-day life in Richmond, Kentucky. Includes a letter about the June 1874 fire. Also refers to a series of killings in October 1877.

Sub-Series 1

Box 1

Folder 12: To James B. Parkes From Doble Steam Car Company, 1917-1920-: Includes a brochure for the car showing specs for the car.

Box 2

Barcode: 31234013791437

Folder 1: To James B. Parkes from Samuel S. Parkes, 1878-1880: About financial matters, personal matters, and details about day-to-day life in Richmond, Kentucky. Includes an October 1878 letter about a string of local murders, including the murder of a Stuart.
Folder 2: To James B. Parkes from Benjamin Rogers, 1876: Ben served in the Company C, 7th U.S. Calvary and died at the Battle of Little Big Horn June 25, 1876.
Folder 3: To James B. Parkes from W. B. Smith, 1877-1879: Business letters, particularly about coal.
Folder 4: To James B. Parkes from C. Starcke, 1922: Of American Express Company concerning a potential trip aboard the Laconia.
Folder 5: To James B. Parkes from Turner, 1904-1910: Business letters from Turner of Mc Causland, Hoag, and Turner Live Stock Commission about the sale of cattle in 1904 and 1905.
Folder 6: To James B. Parkes from J. J. Walker, 1913-1922: Concerning sausage, the purchase of a dog, and the death of Walker's wife.
Folder 7: To James B. Parkes from O. S. Wallace, 1894-1896: About the construction of a turnpike.
Folder 8: To James B. Parkes from Emma P. Watts, 1922: About her trip to the continent in 1922.
Folder 9: To James B. Parkes from Mary P. Watts, 1873-1878: About life in Richmond, Kentucky. Includes a detailed description of the June 1874 fire in Richmond, Kentucky.
Folder 10: To James B. Parkes from Mary P. Watts, 1878-1923: Includes letters about a trip to England and Scotland that Mary took with Emma P. Watts in the summer of 1922.
Folder 11: To James B. Parkes from Unidentifiable Senders, 1873-1879: Letters are of both business and personal nature. Includes a letter about the Richmond fire of June 1874 and related insurance payments and loss of goods.
Folder 12: Letters from James B. Parkes, 1871-1923: Several letters focus on surveying a property line in Texas and the cost of fencing the property.
Folder 13: James B. Parkes Postcards: Most of these post cards are business related. Includes real photo postcards of Westwood, California in the snow.
Folder 14: James B. Parkes Invitations and Announcements
Folder 15: To John W. Parkes, 1869: Brief note talking about bacon, sugar and coffee.
Folder 16: To Nancy "Nannie" Parkes Embry, 1896-1920: One letter talking about a charity effort and two from Sarah [Dunlop] talking about her daily activities.
Folder 17: To and From Fannie Smith, 1910-1913: Several letters from Nannie talking about their travels and daily life. She also talks about the Knight family. Other letters are about Buford family genealogy and the Christian Science Monitor.
Folder 18: To and From Elizabeth Dunlop, 1920-1936: Letters about family and everyday activities. Several letters are from Jennie Parkes Kilgore.
Folder 19: Election Returns and Ballots, 1902-1904: Includes counts for races in the Kingston Precinct.
Folder 20: Scrapbook, ca 1860: News clippings relating to women pasted over a ledger.
Folder 21: Ephemera, 1879-1922: Railroad tickets from the Pullman Company. Includes a trip from Richmond, Kentucky to Palestine Texas in April 1922 and a return trip in May 1922. Also, membership certificates, advertising booklet and a license to stand a jack for stud.

Box 3

Barcode: 31234013791445

Folder 1: James B. Parkes Deed, 1881
Folder 2: Miscellaneous Deeds, 1904-1907: Deeds for a tract of land in Kingston owned by Frank Brady.
Folder 3: Elizabeth C. Parkes Receipts, 1872-1883
Folder 4: Elizabeth C. Parkes Tax Assessment List, 1886-1902
Folder 5: Emma Parkes Ledger, 1880-1884
Folder 6: Emma Parkes Receipts, 1873-1884
Folder 7: James B. Parkes Bill of Sale, 1914-1922
Folder 8: James B. Parkes Cancelled Checks, 1893-1914
Folder 9: James B. Parkes Legal Documents, 1878-1894: Includes documents relating to the Paducah & Elizabethtown Railroad Company.
Folder 10: James B. Parkes Promissory Notes, 1906-1916: IOUs to Margaret Wilmore, John B. Parkes and others.
Folder 11: James B. Parkes Ledger, 1880-1901
Folder 12: James B. Parkes Ledger, 1912-1921
Folder 13: Moberly & Parkes Receipts, 1870-1879
Folder 14: James B. Parkes Receipts, 1869-1878
Folder 15: James B. Parkes Receipts, 1880-1889
Folder 16: James B. Parkes Receipts, 1890-1899
Folder 17: James B. Parkes Receipts, 1902-1907
Folder 18: James B. Parkes Receipts, 1910-1919
Folder 19: James B. Parkes Receipts, 1920-1923
Folder 20: Coal Receipts and Accounts, 1873-1878
Folder 21: James B. Parkes Tax Assessment List, 1886-1916

Box 4

Barcode: 31234013791452

Folder 1: James B. Parkes Tax Assessment List and General Property, 1919-1922

Folder 2: J. B. Parkes Tax Returns, 1914-1920

Folder 3: Madison County Agricultural and Mechanical Association Receipts, 1870-1872

James B. Parkes was Treasurer during this time

Folder 4: Speedwell, Kingston and Menelaus Turnpike Co., 1894-1896

Folder 5: John W. Parkes Ledger, 1854-1862

Folder 6: Unknown Ledger, 1905-1918

Seems to be a ledger documenting the work and pay of various employees. They were sometimes paid in cash and sometimes in goods.

Folder 7: James B. Parkes Certificate, 1892-1915

Folder 8: James B. Parkes Estate, Dec, 1924

Folder 9: J. B. Parkes Wallet Contents

Tax receipts, correspondence, legal documents and more.

Folder 10: Church/Religious Ledgers

Item 1: Kirksville Christian Church, 1891-1894: Dues paid by members, likely owned by J.P. Embry
Item 2: Religious Writings: Contains religious texts and copied poems.

Folder 11: Christian Journal, 1845

Church newsletter owned by John White Parkes. Published in Danville, KY.

Box 5

Barcode: 31234013791460

Folder 1: Emma Parkes Bank Book, 1880
Folder 2: J. B. Parkes Bank Books and Calendars, 1879-1918
Folder 3: J. B. Parkes Bank Books and Calendars, 1918-1921
Folder 4: Moberley and Parkes Ledger, 1876-1883
Folder 5: Nannie Parkes Beverly Bank Book, 1875
Folder 6: Misc. Bank Books and Calendars, 1891-1897
Folder 7: Misc. Memo Books and Calendars, 1905-1917
Folder 8: Misc. Memo Books, 1918-1921
Folder 9: J. B. Parkes Bank Books and Calendars, 1881-1895
Folder 10: J. B. Parkes Bank Books and Calendars, 1895-1905
Folder 11: J. B. Parkes Bank Books and Calendars, 1905-1923
Folder 12: Nannie Parkes Beverly Bank Book, 1911-1921
Folder 13: Misc. Memo Books, 1880-1894
Folder 14: Misc. Ledgers, 1899-1918

Browse by Series:

[Series 1: Parkes Family],
[Series 2: Walker Family],
[Series 3: Watts Family],
[All]