Family records show two marriage dates: Apr 5, 1801and Apr 17, 1802. However, Betty Hobbs described a family tradition resulting from Hugh Watts' marriage "in 1802", when he sent to London and had his wedding suit made. His suit had silver buttons on each side, and his shoes had silver buckles. Apparently the Yankees took the silver buckles, but the silver buttons, which were kept on a string with common buttons, were not taken by the Union soldiers. She wrote a note, describing the buttons and stated that her son would wear one of the silver buttons at his wedding in May 1991.
Hugh and Sarah Watt lived on Springfield, which included a house on 531 acres that she inherited from her father, probably in 1832. She agreed to joint ownership with her husband, so both names appeared on land tax records in 1833. (Earlier records were destroyed in a fire. ) His name was dropped from the land tax records in 1850, so it was assumed that he died that year. This property was the site of the Civil War battle known as Gaines Mill, and it currently is part of the Richmond National Battlefield Park. One property record refers to the property as Springdale, but family accounts and another property record list it as Springfield.
M. J. Haw vividly describes visiting his grandmother before the Civil War, and also the events immediately prior to, during, and after the battle on their property. After much persuasion and the request of a Union officer that the family move out of the house, his grandmother, Sarah B. (Kidd) Watt agreed to leave.
Family records show her death as April, 1863; the historian researching property records thought she died in 1862, since her Estate is listed on subsequent land tax records
Find a grave entry provides 1785 as a birthdate; she was born Dec 15, 1784. The Haw records, dated July 13, 1928, indicate that Hugh and Sarah Watt are buried at the home of her father, Pitman Kidd, owned in 1928 by a daughter of Joe Adams, Mrs. Turner.
It states that there are no headstones in the graveyard.
Sources
*Hugh A. White, Statement in regard to the Watt Family of Hanover County and Richmond, Virginia, including a typed copy of records of births and death of Hugh and Margaret Watt's family, of Glenarm, County Antrim, Ireland, written by Margaret Watt and her daughter, Mary Ann. und.
Haw Genealogy, prepared by George E. Haw, Law Offices of Haw & Haw, Suite 700, Travelers Bldg., Richmond, VA, and sent to Col. Joseph C. Haw, in Santa Barbara, Calif, on June 11, 1956.
John T. Willet, Historian, Information regarding the "Watt House", Jan 26, 1956.
Findagrave.com entry for Sarah Bohannon Kidd Watt, buried at Kidd Cemetery, Hanover Co, VA, Find A Grave: Memorial #157658635.
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