Back to Newsletters

The Watts On-line
Issue No. 25 Part 2
July 18, 1997



While I was in Moberly, MO a few weeks ago I went to the library and looked up obits in the newspaper.  This one of Mahala (Watts) Austin caught my eye.   Mahala was the daughter of John Watts and Lucy Dalton.  She must have been fairly close to his mother Lucy Dalton as Lucy spent the last years of her life in Moberly, MO near her daughter Mahala and son Elijah Watts.  Both Elijah Watts and his mother, Lucy (Dalton) Watts are buried in the Oakland Cemetery with stones side by side.  These stones were an exciting find while visiting Missouri.  Lori

Mahala H. Watts

1.  MAHALA H.7 WATTS  (JOHN6, JACOB5, THOMAS4, EDWARD3, EDWARD2, CORNELIUS1) was born 26 Apr 1798 in Albermarle, VA, and died 02 Nov 1879.  She married RENALTO W. AUSTIN 09 Feb 1830 in Albemarle , VA.

Notes for MAHALA H. WATTS:
1850 Census of Randolf County MO - Film #443619
Union Township

Mahala Austin age 45 Real Estate value $400 b. in VA
Lucy A. age 18 b. in MO
Elizabeth age 16 b. in MO
Martha age 14 b. in MO
Thomas age 12 b. in MO
Susan age 11 b. in MO
Sally age 9 b. in MO
William age 6 b. in MO

Moberly Daily Moniter - Tues. November 11, 1879

The Death of Mahala Austin

Mrs. Austin died in South Weber, Weber County, Utah Territory on Sunday morning Nov. 24, 1879.  Many in Moberly will remember Mrs. Austin.  She was born in Albemarle County, Virginia, April 26, 1798, and was just 81 years and six months old when she died.  With many other Virginians, she emigrated to Missouri in the early day of that State's history.  Mrs. Austin lived in Missouri many years, the most of her life being spent in Moberly.  On March 24th, 1879, much against the wishes of her friends, she came to Utah with her daughter, Miss Sarah Austin.  After remaining four weeks in Utah, Mrs. Austin went to Eagle Rock, Idaho, where she had a married daughter residing.  There she grew sick.  It was thought best for her health to return to Utah, which she reached on Sept. 24th.  On arriving at South Weber, Mrs. Austin slowly declined and on Sunday morning Nov. 2nd she died.  She was a devout Christian, having joined the Methodist Church in her early youth.  Being left a widow with eight young children, she was ever faithful to her duties as a mother, and with loving solitude trained her children in
the nurture and admonition of the Lord.  Mrs. Austin's death was quiet and peaceful.  She died happy in the faith of a glorious resurrection through Jesus Christ.  The few who knew her in Utah speak of her with profound respect, as one who exemplified in work and deed the religion which she professed.

A Friend
Ogden, Utah, Nov 6, 1879

Children of MAHALA WATTS and RENALTO AUSTIN are:
i. LUCY A.8 AUSTIN, b. 1832, Randolf County, MO.
ii. ELIZABETH AUSTIN, b. 1834, Randolf County, MO.
iii. MARTHA AUSTIN, b. 1836, Randolf County, MO.
iv. THOMAS AUSTIN, b. 1838, Randolf County, MO.
2. v. SUSAN FRANCIS AUSTIN, b. 16 Aug 1839, Cairo, Randolph, MO; d. 08 Apr
1921, Rexburg, Madison, ID.
vi. SALLY AUSTIN, b. 1841, Randolf County, MO.
vii. WILLIAM AUSTIN, b. 1844, Randolf County, MO.

Question:  Notice in the Obituary that Mahala goes to Utah with her unmarried daughter, Sarah Austin.  I do not have a Sarah listed as a child.  Could this have been Sally?    The obituary also states she was the mother of eight children.  I only have seven children listed.   One clue to an additional child would be in the will of her brother, Elijah D. Watts.  Who is Mary E. Carpenter?  Could this be another child of Mahala H. (Watts) Austin?  She clearly is residing in Randolf County and therefore is NOT one of the family living in Nelson County.  See Elijah's will below.

Last Will and Testament of Elijah Watts

I, Elijah D. Watts, of the County of Randolph and State of Missouri (a farmer by occupation) make his  my last will.  I give devise and bequeath my estate and property real and personal as follows that is to say, I give all my Real Estate to my two Nephews, George W. Watts and William O. Watts, residence of Nelson County, Virginia (said real estate  lies in the County of Randolph, State of Missouri, is the land on which I now reside)  I give deviseand bequeath unto my two heirs who are sisters of the above named George W. and William O. Watts (they reside in Virginia) to  wit.  To Eliza Watts the sum of seven Hundred dollars.  To Mary E. Watts the sum of seven hundred dollars.  I also devise give bequeath to my niece Sarah A. Austin of Randolph, State of Missouri seven hundred Dollars.  Also all other personal property I may be possessed of after paying my Burial expenses and any other just debts that I may  owe.  I appoint my niece Mary E. Carpenter of the County of Randolf, State of Missouri Executrix of this my will without her being required to give any bond.  In Witness whereof I have signed and sealed and published and declared this instrument as my will (at the residence of Thomas Myers in the state and county of my residence as state).  This the Twenty Eighth (28th) day of Dec 1883.
Elijah Watts  (Seal)

The said Elijah Watts at said place of the said day signed and sealed this instrument and published and declared the same as and for his Last Will and we at his request and in his presence and in the presence of each other have hereunto written our names as subscribing witnesses.
Jas. H. Wright
R. R. Hall
David Miers
********************************************

Watts’ Online:  compiled from E-mail and other sources.
Distributed by Lori Linnell   
lorlin@aol.com


Wattsline.org
Copyright © 2001.  All rights reserved.