Formal Post on Family Tree about Lucinda Appleton and William Watts

The Problem:

There are two different Lucinda's married to William Watts that fit the right age. Lucinda Appleton may have been the mother of Thomas, Wyatt, Jennie, and Ethel.  However her marriage date would have made her the step mother of Lilly.  If that was the case, then William had to have been married to a different person before 1969.  On the other hand, if all the children had the same mother, then Lucinda Appleton was not the right person.

When I looked at William and Lucinda, I came up with a four different scenarios

1. Lucinda Appleton was NOT  the correct Lucinda on the census records rather Lucinda Downs was the correct Lucinda.
2. Lucinda Downs was NOT the correct Lucinda on the census records, rather Lucinda Appleton was the correct.
3.  There was one William Watts.  He married Lucinda Downs. She died. He remarried Lucinda Appleton
4. There are two different couples all together: 1) William Watts/Lucinda Downs who married in Crawford County, right next to Kentucky and 2) William Watts and Lucinda Appleton who married in Marion County, right next to Hendricks County where Lucinda Appleton was from and who had a previous wife.


Research on Lucinda Appleton:

* 1850 Census, Washington, Hendricks, Indiana.  Her father, James Appleton died in 1850.  She was living in her grandfather's home, Hugh P. Smith in 1850 when the census was taken and was age 6 making her birth year about 1844.

* 1860 Census, Washington, Hendricks, Indiana.  She is 16 years old and in the home of John Smith.  John Smith is from Ohio, the same place where her mother, Elizabeth Jane Smith (Appleton), was from.



Research on William Watts and Lucinda:

* 1880 Census, Elbridge, Edgar, Illinois: Head: William Watts, age 37; Wife: Lucinda Watts, age 37. Children:  Lilly, age 14; Thomas, age 10; Wyatt, age 8; Jennie, age 6; Ethel, age 3.

* 1900 Census, Otter Creek, Vigo, Indiana: Head: William Watts, age 57; Wife: Lucinda Watts, age 57; Ethel, age 22; Verna, age 16; Luella, 13.

* Marriage record for Lucinda Appleton and William Watts: groom's name: William Watts; bride's name: Lucinda Appleton, marriage date: 19 Aug 1869; marriage place: Marion Co., Indiana; indexing project (batch) number: M01331-7; system origin: Indiana-EASy; source film number: 499370 (from FamilySearch.org)

* Marriage record for Lucinda Downs and William Watts: groom's name: William Watts; bride's name: Lucinda J. Downs; Marriage Date: 20 Feb 1866; Marriage County: Crawford; Source Title 1: Crawford County Indiana; Source Title 2: Marriages 1818 - 1880 Books A - D; Source Title 3: Part I Grooms Part II Brides Compiled by Ruth M Sl; Book: C; OS Page: 248



Findings:

* Death Certificate for William Wyatt  Watts:  Death place and date: Terre Haut, Vigo, Indiana. Birthplace: Illinois. Father:  William Watts. Mother:  Lucinda Applegate (a common mistake for Appleton).  Information was provided by a niece.

* Birth Certificate for Verna Watts.  This certificate was a delayed recording. Birth place and date: Elbridge, Edgar, Illinois,  3 Jun 1883. Father: William Watts, living in Edgar, Illinois at time of her birth. Mother: Lucinda Appleton, living in Edgar, Illinois at time of her birth.

* Death Record for Lillie Watts: Name: Lilly Evelyn Pennington. Death place and date: Elbridge, Edgar, Illinois, 13 Feb 1932; Birthplace and date: Edgar, Illinois, 2 Nov 1865. Father: William Watts of Ohio; Mother: Jane Jinkins of Iowa.


Conclusion:

1. There are two separate couples: William Watts/Lucinda Appleton; William Watts/Lucinda Downs
2. The Lucinda who is in the census records in Elbridge, Edgar, Illinois and spouse of William Watts (b. May 1843 in Ohio) is Lucinda Appleton.
3. William Watts/Lucinda Downs never lived in Elbridge, Edgar, Illinois or Terre Haute, Vigo, Indiana