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Below is a family biography included in Biographical and Historical Memoirs of Polk County, Arkansas published by Southern Publishing Company in 1891.  These biographies are valuable for genealogy research in discovering missing ancestors or filling in the details of a family tree. Family biographies often include far more information than can be found in a census record or obituary.  Details will vary with each biography but will often include the date and place of birth, parent names including mothers' maiden name, name of wife including maiden name, her parents' names, name of children (including spouses if married), former places of residence, occupation details, military service, church and social organization affiliations, and more.  There are often ancestry details included that cannot be found in any other type of genealogical record.

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James Brit Watts. In former years, the life of a farmer was considered a laborious one, but in this progressive age, with such improvements in machinery, he can do his work with half the dispatch or labor as in the time of his father, and, in fact, works but little harder than the average man who strives, to make a living. Besides all this, he is independent, which is one of the much sought-for conditions of life. Mr. Watts is a successful farmer, who has kept fully apace with the times, and has reached the conditions of life mentioned above. He was born in Cherokee County, Ala., in 1843, a son of Daniel D. and Frances (Philips) Watts, the former born in North Carolina, and the latter in Cherokee County, Ala., their marriage taking place in the last named State, where they are still living. The father was a farmer, and served in the Rebellion until the battle of Chickamauga, where he was disabled for life. His father, Levi Watts, was born in North Carolina, and died in Marshall County, Ala., a German by descent, and a farmer and Indian trader. The mother’s father, Brit Philips, is still living, in Blount County, Ala., a farmer. James Brit Watts was the second of nine children, and as he was compelled to labor hard on his father’s farm in his youth, he received but little schooling. In 1861 he joined Company C, Forty-eighth Alabama Infantry, being in the same company with his father, and served until the close of the war, surrendering with Gen. Lee. The most of the time he acted as color bearer, and as such was in the battles of Shiloh, Corinth, Chickamauga, Knoxville, Wilderness, Spottsylvania, Cold Harbor, Gaines’ Mill, Newmarket, Bermuda Hundred, South Petersburg, Gettysburg, Antietam, being in all about thirty-two general engagements. He was twice wounded, and was captured three times, but soon managed to effect his escape each time. After the war he returned to the farm in Alabama, and was there married in 1867, to Miss Martha J., daughter of William J. and Eliza Medford, who came to Polk County, Ark., in 1870, and here are still making their home. Mrs. Watts was born in Cherokee County, Ala., and has borne her husband nine children, eight of whom are living. In 1867 Mr. Watts removed to Drew County, Ark., but at the end of one year went to Desha County, and two years later, or in 1870, came to Polk County, and for six years has resided on his present farm of 335 acres, of which 120 acres are cleared. He has improved his farm greatly, and his buildings and fences are all in good repair. This property has been earned by his own efforts, for which he deserves much credit. He was postmaster of Big Bend for some years, but otherwise has not aspired to office. He belongs to the Primitive Baptist Church.

The following description of the military career of Mr. Watts is here given in his own graphic language and style:

“I wish to state a few words in regard to the battle of Gaines’ Mill. I will say that I was a sharpshooter and a scout from Company C, Forty-eighth Alabama Infantry up till the battle of Gaines’ Mill, and our battalion of sharpshooters charged the Federal sharpshooters and drove them back in their breastworks, wherein myself and comrades were so near the enemy that it seemed like it was almost impossible for us to make our escape. While thus exposed to the heavy fire from the artillery and rifles of the Federal lines, our boys were coming in a full breast at a charge bayonets and yelling, but my comrades were repulsed and retired, to rally and come again, which they did, but were repulsed again. All this time myself and comrades were in forty yards of the Federal breastworks, pouring a fire upon them with our Whitney rifles. In about five minutes I looked back and saw the Confederate line charging with determination. This charge was the third charge of the Confederates. As they charged within fifteen steps of my rear I saw the last man in my old Company C fall; his name was John Barton; he was first lieutenant of Company C, Forty-eighth Alabama. In this engagement we had six of as good southern soldiers to fall with our flag as ever lived. When my lieutenant fell forward with the flag he raised himself up as high as possible and waved his flag. I could not stand it any longer, so I rose up and made a few leaps backward and seized our colors. At that moment my lieutenant spread himself flat to the ground. He had received a deadly shot. At that moment as he sank down his dying words were to ‘stamp the flag on the Federal works.’ As I seized the flag and leaped forward to stamp it on the Federal works the flag staff was shot in two, but I regained hold of the fractured end and ran forward. In a few leaps I reached the Federal works and planted my staff within three feet of the Yankee line. At that moment a Yankee captain seized hold of our flag and while myself and the Yankee captain were defending ourselves from each others blows, tussling over the flag, one of my comrades shot and killed the captain, and in another instant my comrade fell, shot dead. In another moment I was yelling and waving our colors for my boys to rally to the old Forty-eighth flag. At the same time I heard Major Carrie cry out to the Forty-seventh Alabama to rally to the aid of the flag of the Forty-eighth, for it was stamped upon the Federal works. So the boys raised a terrible yell and here they came with bayonets presented. Then came the death struggle while I held the banner. It was a hand-to-hand fight, but quickly over. I was the only man left in Company C, Forty-eighth Alabama Regiment. After this, and from that very hour, I was chosen as color-bearer for the Forty-eighth Alabama Regiment. I was the only man left in Company C, and there had six brave boys fallen from under that flag at this battle. Besides this the Forty-eighth had lost three men over half of her number. It seemed like the solemn hour had come, for we left home with 127 men in Company C, and now was cut down to one man only. We were the winners of the victory. The regiments that suffered in this battle were the Forty-eighth, Forty-seventh and Fifteenth Alabama, the Third, Fourth and Fifth Texas, and the Third Arkansas. We were fighting against odds— five to one. Besides the Federals were mixed troops of negroes, Indians and New Yorkers, and they all fought at the point of the bayonet.”

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This family biography is one of 32 biographies included in Biographical and Historical Memoirs of Polk County, Arkansas published in 1891.  For the complete description, click here: Polk County, Arkansas History, Genealogy, and Maps

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