Bucks County, Pennsylvania is one of three original Pennsylvania Counties and was formed in 1682. Originally it was a large territory that included all of what would later be Berks, Northampton, and Lehigh.
Early European settlers in the American colonies were mostly farmers and craftsmen. They had to work hard to provide daily neccesities for themselves.
Stephen Watts was born in Upper Dublin Township, Philadelphia County, Pennsylvania on February 6, 1699/1700. His parents were the Reverend John Watts and Sarah Eaton.
He was a prominent member of the Southampton Baptist Church, where he was the ruling elder for many years.
In 1734 he received a patent from Thomas Penn, John Penn, and Richard Penn for a plantation of one hundred and forty-nine acres of land in Southampton Township.
He married Elizabeth Melchior. Elizabeth was born in 1707.
Stephen and Elizabeth's children included:
Hannah Watts Smith (married James Smith),
Arthur Watts (October 29, 1733, married Sarah Folwell),
Rachel Watts Watts (June 29, 1736, married her cousin, John Watts)
Elizabeth Watts Folwell (August 23, 1738, married Thomas Folwell),
Stephen Watts (February 5, 1741, married Francis Assheton), and
Sarah Watts Shaw.
Stephen died in Southampton Township, Bucks County, Pennsylvania, in 1784. Elizabeth died March 16, 1794
A land patent is an exclusive land grant made by the government. The certificate that grants the land rights is also called first-title deed and final certificate. In the United States, all land can be traced back to the original land patent.
Old Style Calendar
Before 1752 the year began on Lady Day, March 25th,. Dates between January 1st and March 24th were at the end of the year. Old Style (O.S.) and New Style (N.S.) are used to indicate whether the year has been adjusted. Often both dates are used.
Baptist churches were found in early colonial settlements and grew out of the English Separatist movement and the doctrine of John Smyth who rejected infant baptism.
