John Sebrie Watts

John Sebrie Watts (born January 19, 1816 in Boone County , Kentucky , † June 11, 1876 in Bloomington , Indiana ) was an American politician . Between 1861 and 1863 he represented the New Mexico Territory as a delegate in the US House of Representatives .

Early years and political advancement

Watts came to Indiana while still in school. He then studied at Indiana University in Bloomington. After studying law, he began working as a lawyer. Watts became a member of the Republican Party . Between 1846 and 1847 he was a member of the Indiana House of Representatives . He served as a judge in the New Mexico Territory from 1851 to 1854. Then he worked again as a lawyer.

Congress delegate and further curriculum vitae

In 1860, John Watts was elected a New Mexico Territory Delegate to the US House of Representatives. There he replaced Miguel Antonio Otero on March 4, 1861 . In Congress Watts completed only one legislative term as a delegate until March 3, 1863. As such, he did not have full voting rights there, because New Mexico was not yet an official state of the United States at the time.

In 1864 Watts was a delegate to the Republican National Convention , at which President Abraham Lincoln was nominated for a second term. During the civil war , Watts took an active part in equipping Union troops. On July 11, 1868, John Watts was named Chief Justice in the New Mexico Territory by President Andrew Johnson . He held this office for a year. He then worked as a lawyer in Santa Fe . He later returned to Bloomington, Indiana, where he died in 1876.

Web links

• John Sebrie Watts in the Biographical Directory of the United States Congress (English)

• John Watts Sebrie in the database of Find a Grave (English)