Charles E. Watters was a native of Maryland, where he was born on November 27, 1821; after leaving that State, in 1833, he settled in Portland, Jefferson County, Ohio, where he remained until 1847. He crossed the mountains between Maryland and Ohio by the team, which at that time was a very perilous journey.
Charles E. Watters arrived at Proctorville in 1848, where he sold goods from a boat; he then went to Bradockville [Bradrick?-mm] and set up a general merchandising business, continuing the same for three years; he then returned to Proctorville and ran the ferry between that place and Guyandotte; while thus engaged he was taken prisoner by the rebels in 1862, but was shortly afterward released.
In 1864 he started a general merchandising store in Proctorville, which he was very successful in the start, but afterward failed in the panic of 1873; he closed up his business in 1873. Mr. Watters was appointed postmaster by Buchanan and has held the office ever since with the exception of two years. He has always been a true Republican.
Charles E. Watters was married to Mary Smith in Proctorville, on August 11, 1850; she was born in the same town, on September 4, 1829. Their children are:
- Alice E., born July 3, 1851, died October 9, 1852;
- William A., April 14, 1853; William A. is a head clerk on the “Fannie Dugan” between Portsmouth and Pomeroy;
- Rachel C. (Mauck), November 23, 1854;
- Eldon P., March 15, 1857, died October 29, 1880;
- Henry C., July 29, 1859; Henry C. is now engaged in the mercantile business with Mr. Mauck as a junior partner;
- C. E., junior, November 10, 1862.
Charles was a clerk for Harrison, Bell, & Co., of Ironton, but recently engaged himself as a clerk with Mauck & Watters. They are all gentlemen of high standing. The parents of Mr. Watters are John and Rachel C. (Presbury) Watters, the former deceased.
The parents of Mrs. Watters settled in this county in 1806; their names are Abner Smith, born May 6, 1802, in Virginia, and Elizabeth (Johnson) Smith, born, in New York, September 29, 1809.
Charles E. Watters is the postmaster and an insurance agent and should be addressed at Proctorville.
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