WALTER W. WATTS

The following bio was taken from page 434 of the book entitled "Rusk County History" compiled and edited and used with permission of the Rusk County Historical Commission.

Transcribed by Claudia Schuster

Submitted by Gloria Briley Mayfield, Rusk County TX Coordinator

Walter W. Watts was the oldest son of John W. and Adline Watts. He had two brothers, Charles and Preston, and a sister that died at an early age. Walter married Ada, the oldest child of Bluford and Sudie Wolverton. She had two brothers, Ellis and Tom, and three sisters –Bettie, Evia, and Mary. The Watts family came from the Sweetgum Community, and the Wolvertons from Oak Flat. Ancestors extend back to Germany and England.

Walter and Ada traveled to Mt. Enterprise by horse and buggy to get married in 1917. They had a daughter, Sudie, and a son, Chester.

Sudie, an artist and photo colorist for Poovey’s Studio for many years, married Jewel Goodwin of Minden, Texas. They had one son, Billy Joe, who lived only a few hours. Jewel had retired as a fireman for the Henderson Fire Department, after fifteen years of service just prior to his death in 1975.

Chester, a mechanic with the Texas Forestry Service for the past twenty-one years, married Harriet Mazur of St. Joseph, Missouri. They met at Rosecrans Field. She was with civil service, and he with the Air Force. They had four children: Carmell, Lois Ann, Mary Teresa, and Eddie.

Carmell (Watts) Whitehead, an insurance sales person in Houston, has three children: Chris, Kelly, and Katherine. Chris and his wife, Jeanie, are in California where Chris is with the U.S. Air Force. Kelly is a college student, and Katherine is in high school.

Lois Ann and Mary Teresa are deceased.

Eddie is a fireman with the Longview Fire Department. His wife Cindy, is a beautician student, and his little stepdaughter, Bettie Hanners, lives in Longview.

Walter and Ada worked closely together through the years, mostly selling produce. They were in the grocery business in Minden, Texas prior to World War II. Here they build their first new home.

The family members have always been close and enjoy many happy times together on holidays and special occasions. They often recall events of the past. The children remember their father’s cutting wood to supply fuel for Dad Joiner’s first discovery well in the East Texas oil field.

Walter and his brother, Charlie, served in World War I. Chester and Jewel served in World War II.

The family have been strong in their belief in God and His Church through the years.

Ada and Walter celebrated their Fiftieth Wedding Anniversary in 1967. Walter expired in 1970 in Henderson.

Ada celebrated her eighty-eighth birthday November 8, 1981. She makes her home with her daughter, Sudie, and is an inspiration to her family and friends.

Submitted by Sudie (Watts) Goodwin