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By Crystal Allen-Daniels
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
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 2: Walker Family
- Box 6
- Barcode: 31234013791478
- Folder 1: Correspondence - Charles Walker to his Parents, 1858-1865
- Letters written while he was in the Army. In the March 26 letter to his mother, Charles complains about her silence and that of other family members. Also includes a letter from Santa Fe, New Mexico in which Walker writes that Madison County has raised a large Union army. Includes a January 12, 1862 letter in which Charles Walker entreats his father to use his influence to get him a promotion. Walker also rights about Clay and the possibility that he will become General. In the same letter, Walker details skirmishes his company has been involved in with General Libley (Confederate). He also write about Bowling Green being a major stake in the fight in Kentucky and mentions that his cousin, Billy Watts is a rebel. Letter of February 24, 1862 details a bloody battle at Fort Craig, New Mexico at which 800 out of 2,000 men were killed (now often called the Gettysburg of the West). Also contains a letter from Miss Churchill to Colonel Charles J. Walker from about 1865. Charles Walker was the son of William Jason and the nephew of Charles Sinclair Watts.
- Folder 2: Correspondence - to Charles Walker, undated
- From a young woman talking about a trip she wishes him a accompany her on.
- Folder 3: Correspondence - Miscellaneous Walker Family, 1819-1955
- Various Walker family correspondence from 1819-1955. Includes letters from 1819 and 1820 from Benjamin Watkins to his nephew, William Walker in Madison County, Kentucky. One letter from Watkins mentions the recent death of his wife. Watkins also asks if his sister, William Walker's mother, is dead as well as his nephew, James Walker. Watkins lists each of his children, who they are married to, the number of children they have, and where they are living. This folder also contains a letter from C.M. Clay to William John Walker in 1862. Letter from Fannie H. Smith to Mr. Walker asking for donations to the Paint Lick Christian Church, of which she was the clerk.
- Folder 4: Genealogy Notes
- Folder 5: James Walker Journal, 1816
- Folder 6: William Walker Receipt, 1816
- Folder 7: Walker and Company Ledger, 1865-1876
- Folder 8: Walker Family Ledger
- This ledger includes a manuscript play based on the "Kentucky Tragedy" involving Jereboam O. Beauchamp, Solomon P. Sharp and Anna Cooke. Also includes much genealogy information on the Walker and Maupin families.
Browse by Series:
[
Series 1: Parkes Family],
[Series 2: Walker Family],
[
Series 3: Watts Family],
[
All]
