Watts, Lloyd W.

Lloyd W. Watts was born around 1836 in Carroll County, Maryland as the fifth son of Valentine and Violet Watts. The Watts family moved to Adams County around 1848. His older brother John enlisted in the United States Colored Troops in August 1863 and Watts joined for a one-year term while he was in Norristown, Pennsylvania on February 3, 1865. His records list him as five feet, seven inches tall with black eyes and black hair. Watts trained at Camp William Penn in Chelten Hills, Pennsylvania with Company B of the 24th United States Colored Troops and was promoted to sergeant on February 8, 1865. During his service he was stationed at Camp Casey near Alexandria, Virginia and guarded Confederate prisoners of war at Cape Lookout, Maryland. Watts “mustered out” in 1865 and returned to Gettysburg where he taught at the Colored School and served as a deacon of St. Paul African Methodist Episcopal Zion Church. In 1866 Watts became part of the Sons of Goodwill which helped found Lincoln Cemetery, a burial ground for black soldiers, in 1867. He is buried in Lincoln Cemetery in Gettysburg, Pennsylvania. (By Brenna McKelvey)