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 Watts Chapel Methodist Church and Cemetery Posted by:  txoilgas
N 32° 18.896 W 097° 15.976
14S E 663208 N 3576664
A marker in the eastern parking lot near the entrance to the church.
Waymark Code: WMA7Z0
Location: Texas, United States
Date Posted: 11/29/2010
Views: 15
Marker Number: 5726
Marker Text:
The rural Watts Chapel community is named for the family of Nathaniel Franklin Watts (1851-1919), who settled in this area of Johnson County in 1872. Watts married Rachel Ann Bennett in 1875, and they bought a small farm near this site. They acquired additional acreage over the years and operated a cotton gin for farmers in the region. Mr. Watts later served as a Johnson County commissioner. Nathaniel and Rachel Watts were the parents of twelve children, five of whom died at an early age. The Watts Chapel Cemetery began as a family burial ground in 1879, when their infant daughter, Sallie, died and was buried on the family farm. Over the years other family members also were interred here, as were friends and neighbors in the community. In 1892 the Watts family deeded three acres of land to the Methodist church. The Rev. B. F. Badget served as first pastor of the new congregation, which was named Watts Chapel in honor of its benefactors. The congregation continues to be an active part of the community and hosts an annual homecoming celebration. Both the church and the cemetery reflect the pioneer heritage of rural Johnson County. (1992)
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Visit Instructions:
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