Samantha Jane Watts was born in Clark County, Kentucky on December 25, 1853. She was the daughter of Beverly Daniel Watts (b. May 24, 1824, d. August 3, 1871) and Josephine Fisher (b. July 27, 1841, d. July 12, 1919). The family moved to Indiana when she was a small child, and still later she was by her parents to a farm near Charleston, where she grew to young woman hood. Samantha Jane first married Stephen Bernhard Heinrich Heinemann (b. August 25, 1849, in Wildeshausen, Germany, d. June 24, 1884 after being struck by lightning at their home in Coles County, Illinois) on February 27, 1873 (Ashmore, Illinois). After Stephen died she later married Richard B. Tate on June 30, 1887. To Samantha and her first husband Stephen they had 4 children: William Beverly Heinemann (b. December 19, 1873, Coles County, Illinois, d. abt. 1960), Josephine Pearl Heinemann (b. May 22, 1879, Homer, Coles County, Illinois, d. June 11, 1970, Arlington, Fairfax County, Virginia), Charles Brunk Heinemann (b. October 26, 1882, Shelby, Illinois, d. abt. 1955), Anne Elizabeth Heinemann (b. March 13, 1884, Coles County, Illinois, d. April 07, 1886, Coles County, Illinois). There were no children by the second marriage. Samantha was known to the family as "Granny Tate" after her second marriage. Samantha died on Saturday, November 27, 1926 in the Grady Hospital, Atlanta, Georgia of cancer of the stomach. Previous to be taken to the hospital she had been making her home with her daughter Mrs. Josephine Pearl Wilson, who went to Atlanta in December 1923. The remains of Samantha were taken home to Lerna, Illinois for burial. The funeral services were held at the M.E. Church and were conducted by Rev. W. H. Higgins of Neoga in the presence of a large number of mourning relatives and friends. Interment was held at the Old Camp Ground Cemetery, southwest of Matoon. She was survived by Mr. and Mrs. G. G. Heinemann, A. B. Heinemann, Mr. & Mrs. W.B. Heinemann, C. B. Heinemann, Mrs. Josephine Pearl Heinemann Wilson, Mrs. J.M. Carlos, Mr. and Mrs. William Watts, Mrs. Phoebe Wallace, Mr. and Mrs. George Watts and Mrs. And Mrs. Ray Carpenter. She was a member of Leah Chapter, No. 889, Q.E.S. and the members of this order performed their lat sad rite at the grave. She had been a member of the M.E. Church for many years. The original information and records are in the possession of Charles Duane Wilson, Sr., the submitters cousin.