Page:Encyclopedia of Virginia Biography volume 5.djvu/705

 VIRGINIA BIOGRAPHY

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ginia, where he graduated at the age of twenty years, in 1901. He pursued the study of law in the law department of the Univer- sit)' of North Carolina, receiving his diploma in 1903, and was admitted to the bar in Au- gust of that year. Thereafter he continued in practice at Raleigh until 1907, when he removed to New York City, and entered the office of Nicoll, Anable & Lindsay, one of the leading law firms of the metropolis. In October of the same year he became a part- ner in this firm, which is now Nicoll, Anable, Lindsay & Fuller. This firm occupies spacious offices in the Adams Express I^uilding, New York, and enjoys a very large practice, participating in most of the important litigation of the state. Mr. Fuller is a member of the Association of the Bar of the City of New York, New York County Bar Association, the American Bar Asso- ciation, and the North Carolina Bar Asso- ciation. He retains membership in the col- lege fraternity. Delta Psi ; is a member of the Sons of the Revolution, the Southern Society, and the Virginia Society of New York. He attends the Presbyterian church, and is an independent Democrat in politics. In 1908 he was a delegate, representing his district in New York at the National Demo- cratic Convention. He is a member of nu- merous clubs of the metropolitan district, including the Metropolitan, St. Anthony, Underwriters, Ardsley, Sleepy Hollow, Gar- den City and National clubs.

He married, February 17, 1904, Pearl Penn, at Reidsville, North Carolina, daugh- ter of Frank Reid and Anna (Spencer) Penn, of Henry county. North Carolina. Mr. and Mrs. Fuller have two children : Annie Margaret, born July 21, 1906, and Williamson Whitehead, born August 26, 1911.

Martin Sheeler Watts. The general origin of the Watts family, or of some of the families bearing the name, has been a matter of much speculation. The name seems to be connected with the personal liame Walter. Walter as a Christian name was introduced into Great Britain at the time of the Norman Conquest. Walter is common among the Domesday tenants, and has become the parent of several surnames, particularly Walters, Watts, etc. A differ- ent origin has been claimed in another case. The family of Watts, of Hawkesdale Hall,

county Cumberland, deduce themselves from Sir John le Fleming, Lord of Wath, county Yorkshire, who died fourteen Ed- ward II. His second son, Raynier, assumed the territorial name of De Wath, and his descendants modified the designation to its present form. At first the name was De Wath or Wathe, then Wattys, later Wattes, and subsequently Watts. The armorial bearings of this family are thus heraldically described: Arms: An oak tree proper; on a fesse azure a crescent between two mullets. Crest: A forearm forwards grasping an olive. Motto : Forti non deficit tetum.

The American progenitor of Martin Sheeler Watts was Allen Watts, of Tide- water, Virginia, who married Ann Camp- bell.

Gerard Snowden Watts, son of Allen and Ann (Campbell) Watts, was the founder of Charlotte College, North Carolina, and of other institutions both here and broad. He married Ann Elizabeth Wolvington, daughter of David and Maria Theresa (Bur- kett) Wolvington, of Woodstock, Virginia. Among their children were : James Henry, of further mention ; and George W., of Dur- ham, North Carolina, who is known as one of the greatest philanthropists of the South.

James Henry Watts, second son of Ger- ard Snowden and Ann Elizabeth (Wolving- ton) Watts, was born in Cumberland, Mary- land, December 28, 1854. He is a retired gentleman in Baltimore, Maryland, and mar- ried, October 25, 1877, Mary Belle Sheeler, daughter of Martin and Julia Ann (Ripple) Sheeler, and related to many of the older Maryland families.

Martin Sheeler Watts, only son of James Henry and Mary Belle (Sheeler) Watts, was born at Baltimore, Maryland, August 4, 1878. He was educated in the public, and later in preparatory, schools at Baltimore, and entered the University of Virginia in 1S96. He was a student there for three years, being graduated in 1899 with the de- gree of Bachelor of Laws. Later he was a student in the New York Law School, being admitted to the New York bar and the Ped- eral courts in 1900. Mr. Watts was con- nected with the law department of the American Tobacco Company for a number cf years. He is now associated in an advis- ory capacity with a Wall street banking house. Mr. Watts belongs to several clubs and societies. In politics he is independent,