A native of Vermont, Mr. Watts was born in Peacham, Caledonia county, November 7, 1816, and is a son of Thomas Watts, who was born in New Hampshire, of Scotch-Irish ancestry. Being naturally a bright boy and possessing a mathematical turn of mind, our subject early acquired a good education, and by constant reading and close application in later years, he became a well-informed man. When quite young he studied surveying, and at the age of nineteen years started out in life for himself. Believing that the west offered more advantages to an ambitious young man than the older states of the east, he came to Iowa at that time, by way of Detroit and Chicago. He first located, however, near Peoria, Illinois, where he took up a government claim, and afterward entered the land, which he at once began to improve and cultivate, first erecting thereon a house. Having no family and hoping still further to benefit his financial condition, Mr. Watts came to Clinton county, Iowa, April 15, 1838, and took up his residence in Deep Creek township. Several years later he disposed of his real estate in Illinois, and invested in this county. On his arrival here there were only six men residing in Deep Creek township. He squatted upon one hundred and sixty acres of government land which he entered when it came into market and which continued to be his home throughout life. He surveyed the principal roads which now cross the county, and the road running from Bloomfield to Lyons was laid out by him, it being changed but little from the original survey. He was familiar with all the boundary lines throughout the county, and was very closely identified with its early development. In his farming operations Mr. Watts was eminently successful, and besides his fine farm in Deep Creek township, he and his son owned four hundred acres of land in Clay county, Iowa, which they improved and converted into good stock farms. He also carried on stock-raising quite extensively in this county for many years. On the 8th of January, 1844, in Deep Creek township. Mr. Watts was united in marriage with Miss Emeline Hunter, who was born in Cortland county, New York. Mrs. Watts was an active and consistent member of the Congregational church. Mr. Watts was a supporter of the Republican party. As one of the most popular and influential citizens of his community, he was elected to several public positions of honor and trust, being a member of the general assembly during the session of 1858-59, which was the first Republican legislature of the state. He was elected to that office by a large majority, and was a member of the committee on constitutional amendment and on elections. He was one of the first to serve as county supervisor in this county, which office he filled for four years, and also acted as local surveyor for over thirty years.