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John Watts
Date: 1749 - 1836
Remarks: John Watts, the son of John (1715-1789) and Ann (De Lancey) Watts, served as the last royal recorder in New York; at the outbreak of the Revolution his father returned to England, but the younger Watts remained and sided with the patriots. He was the first president of the New York City Hospital (1770-1784). He was three times speaker of the New York Assembly and from 1793-1796 was a member of the U. S. Congress. In 1796 Watts became part of the commission in charge of supervising the building of Newgate Prison, and from 1802-06 he was judge of Westchester County. He married his cousin, Jane De Lancey, and they had one son, Robert Watts. He was the founder of the Leake and Watts Orphan House and was buried in Trinity Churchyard.