Watts Marks, Jr. was the son of Watts Marks, Sr. and Susan Miller and the brother of Lydia Marks Badgley-Potter, who was born in Kentucky in 1830. Watts, Jr. was born in Illinois. The family came by ox-cart to Dallas County, Texas from Shreveport, Louisiana by in 1852.

Watts Marks, Jr. and Dosia Delilah Bennett, the daughter of William Hardy Bennett and Sydney Mnnning, were married March 19, 1861 in Dallas County. A year later Watts and his father-in-law were serving the Confederat States of America as privates on March 21, 1862 in Company B of the 19th Regiment of Texas Cavalry commanded by Col. Nathaniel M. Buford.

After the war Watts and "Lilah" became the parents of the following 10 children born in Dallas County: Ellen N. (m. Will Leach); Martha J. (m. Brent Leach); Mary Elizabeth (m. Jay Dee Brisendine); Albert M. (m. Ella ???); Jasper W. M. (m. Blanche E. Warren); Sarah L.; Lydia Ann (m. James Redden Paschall); Sidney F. (m. James T. Henshaw); Mae D. (m. Ernest Smith); and Rhoda O. (m. William F. Murphy).

Watts Marks, Jr. died in 1885 near Mesquite, Texas. He abd his wife Dosha were buried in the Old Bennett Cemetery in Balch Springs, Dallas County, Texas. It is now enclosed within the Laurel Oaks Memorial Park Cemetery.

The following information about the 17th Cavalry comes from Windows Internet Explorer "Civil War Soldiers and Sailors System"

19th Regiment, Texas Cavalry (Burford's)
19th Cavarly Regiment was organized by Colonel N.M. Buford during the spring of 1862 with about 850 men. Many of the men were recruited at Dallas, Tyler, and Hillsboro, and in Ellis and Dallas counties. The unit was attached to Hawes', G.W. Carter's, Flourney's, W. Steele's, and W.H. Parsons' Brigade, Trans-Mississippi Department. During Marmaduke's Missouri Raid, the unit reported 5 killed, 19 wounded, and 9 missing. It went on to skirmish in Arkansas, then was involved in the operations against Banks' Red River Campaign. Later it was again active in Arkansas and ended the war at Marshall, Texas, where it disbanded in May, 1865. Colonel Nathaniel M. Buford, Lieutenant Colonel Benjamin W. Watson, and Major Joel T. Davis were in command.