At twenty-five years of age he was appointed royal recorder of the city of New York, 1774. and was the last to hold the position. From 1791 to 1794 he was Speaker of the Assembly of New York, and afterwards he became a member of Congress. His home was at No. 3 Broadway, New York. He was one of the wealthiest men in New York City, and owned much property not only there, but also throughout the State. He had a fine residence in Westchester County, near the village of New Rochelle, on a slope overlooking Hunter's Island, and there lived in very good style- In person, he was remarkably finelooking. He married Jane, daughter of Peter De Lancey, of "The Mills," in the town of Westchester. In Mr. Watts' character, equanimity was the most

noticeable trait. As a writer and speaker, he possessed much conciseness of expression, and Samuel B. Ruggles once said of him, that "John Watts could express more on a page of note paper than most men could on a sheet of foolscap." Mr. Watts died September 3, 1836, being then within three days of eightyseven years of age. Of his family of eight or nine children, but one survived him, and that one was childless. He had three grandchildren, however, one of whom, John Watts De Peyster, now living in New York, was his chief legatee. Mr. AVatts was the founder and endower of the Leeke and Watts Orphan House, corner One Hundred and Tenth Street and Ninth Avenue, New York.