From the Probate Files: The Watts Surname in Morgan County, Georgia - Part 2, Littleberry Watts

In last week's first dip into the Watts family in Morgan County in my attempt to discover who were the parents of Timney P. Watts Warren Phillips we were able to cross Conrad and Mary Watts off the list but a second look at the probate records turned up a name I'd missed before because the ink was badly faded: Little Berry Watts. And there are quite a few records for us to examine.

["Georgia Probate Records, 1742-1990," images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3QSQ-G93L-5SFG?cc=1999178&wc=9SYY-MNY%3A267727201%2C267727202 : 20 May 2014), Morgan > image 18 of 441;

county probate courthouses, Georgia.]

Let's start at the beginning with the Administration Bond that required by the Probate Court in January/February 1818 because no will had been found.* The amount of the bond ($15,000) reflects the estimated value of the estate.

["Georgia Probate Records, 1742-1990," images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3QS7-L93L-59JG?cc=1999178&wc=9SYY-MNY%3A267727201%2C267727202 : 20 May 2014), Morgan > image 52 of 441;

county probate courthouses, Georgia.]

Georgia                    } Know all men by these presents that we
   Morgan County    } Archibald Watts & John Baliley & 
Thomas M Carton are held & firmly bound unto the Judges of the
Court of ordinary of Morgan County in the Sum of Fifteen
Thousand Dollars which payment well and truly to be paid maid
We bind our selves our heirs Do firmly by these presents Sealed
by our Seals and dated this 26 day of January 1818
Conditioned that the whereas the above bound Archibald
Watts & John Bailey have this day obtained letters of 
Administration [..?..] and the estate of Littleberry
Watts late of Said County Dec'd Now if the Said 
Archibald Wats & John Bailey Shal faith fully
discharge the Trust reposed in them as afore Said then
this obligation to be Void else to remain in full force
Leave
   Tert[?]                                  Archibald Watts  {Seal}
   John Nisbet Clk                   John Bailey  {Seal}
                                                Thomas M Carton  {Seal}

      Recorded the 26 January 1818
          John Nesbit Clk

Everything must have seemed in order after that and Littleberry's probate might have been expected to proceed but unfortunately Archibald Watts** died a few month later and another person had to post a bond before replacing him. That man was Pleasant Watts who later posted another bond as guardian of two orphan children of Littleberry Watts, Mahaley Ann and Emily Watts.

["Georgia Probate Records, 1742-1990," images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3QS7-893L-5SS4?cc=1999178&wc=9SYY-MNY%3A267727201%2C267727202 : 20 May 2014), Morgan > image 73 of 441;

county probate courthouses, Georgia.]

I haven't seen any mention of any other minor children of Littleberry and since Timney would have been 15 in 1818 her name would have appeared in the probate files. Later records list annual expenses paid by Pleasant Watts on behalf of Mahaley and Emily only. On the basis of that I think we can add (this) Littleberry Watts to the list of people who aren't in my direct line.

As to the identity of the two other men who joined Archibald in the original Administration--there are several John Baileys to choose from in Morgan County and Watts men seemed to have a habit of choosing Bailey wives; I didn't locate a Thomas M. Carton.



*Much of the same wording is used today in the current bond form from the Georgia Probate Court.
**Possibly one of his Littleberry's sons or a brother but further research would be needed to confirm the relationship.



© 2017 Copyright, Christine Manczuk, All Rights Reserved.