BIOGRAPHY - WILLIAM WATTS
One of the alert and enterprising young men of Ford county is William R. Watts, editor of the Cabery Enquirer. He was born in Odell, Livingston county, Illinois, February 5, 1878. His father, William T. Watts, was a native of Indiana, born in Brazil, July 4, 1851, and in his youthful days he accompanied his parents on their removal to Marshall county, Illinois. He was a son of Thomas and Harriet (Seybrooks) Watts, natives of England, who came to the United States in youth and are now living in Saunemin, Livingston county, Illinois. In early days he drove a stage coach between Lafayette and Indianapolis, prior to the era of railroad building, and also drove a stage out of New Orleans, during the yellow fever plague. In his family were twelve children, six sons and six daughters, eleven of whom are living, have married and have children of their own. One son died in infancy. William T., was the second in order of birth and as stated, his youth was largely passed in Marshali county, Illinois. Later he became a resident of Livingston county, where he now resides, but from 1892 until 1901 he was a resident of Ford county. A farmer by occupation, he owns one hundred and sixty acres of land in Rogers township and a tract of the same size near Remington, Indiana. His political allegiance is given to the republican party and for many years he has been a faithful member of the Christian church. He wedded Frances Kelley, who was born near Warren, in Trumbull county, Ohio, July 10, 1857, and went to Livingston county, Illinois, with her parents, Timothy and Nancy (Mills) Kelley, who were natives of New England but died in Saunemin township, Livingston county, Illinois, both being past eighty years of age at their demise. The father had been previously married. By his second union he had four sons and five daughters, of whom Frances Watts was the eighth in order of birth. Three of the sons were soldiers of the Civil war and one was killed at the battle of Shiloh. Unto Mr. and Mrs. William T. Watts were born five children: Norman Arthur, who is owner and manager of the Cabery Telephone Exchange and lives at Cabery, Illinois; William Raymond, of this review; Dr. Harry Francis Watts, a practicing dentist at Avon, Illinois; Dr. Ernest Dana Watts, a dentist of Mazon, Illinois; and Edith Reba.
William R. Watts was only a young lad when his parents removed to Saunemin, Livingston county, where they resided until 1892, when they became residents of Rogers township, Ford county. He continued at home through the period of his minority up to the time of his marriage. His early education, acquired in the district schools, was supplemented by study in the public school of Kempton, in the Northern Illinois Normal School at Dixon, and in Dixon Business College. Before completing his education he engaged in teaching in the district schools for about three years. He was also a teacher in the Cabery schools for two years but resigned that position to enter the field of journalism, purchasing his present paper, the Cabery Enquirer, which he has edited and published since the first of March, 1902. He is a republican and a hearty supporter of the principles and candidates of the party. On several occasions he has been called to public office, filling the position of township clerk for four years, of village clerk since 1903, and for two terms was a member of the school board. He is at present the republican member of the county board of review of assessments of Ford county. Everything that pertains to the welfare of the community receives his stalwart endorsement, and is championed by the Enquirer.
On the 22d of November, 1901, Mr. Watts was married to Miss Eda Lucinda Farley, who was born near Kempton, January 6, 1879, a daughter of Joel E. and Lucinda (Hall) Farley, natives of Pennsylvania and of Illinois respectively. Her father died in Kempton, while her mother still resides there. Mr. and Mrs. Watts have two sons and one daughter, Richard, aged seven; Frances, aged two; and Kernin Norwood, whose birthday is June 9, 1908. They also lost one son, Willard, who died November 6, 1905, at the age of two years and eight months.
The parents hold membership in the Cabery Presbyterian church and are greatly esteemed socially. In his fraternal relations Mr. Watts is connected with Cabery Lodge, No. 206, I. O. O. F., and with Norton Lodge, No. 631, A. F. & A. M., at Cabery.
Extracted 17 Oct 2016 by Norma Hass from History of Ford County, Illinois, From Its Earliest Settlement to 1908, author E. A. Gardner, Volume 2, pages 865-867.
