Prevatte
Historical
Society

Watus Prevatt

Woodrow Watus Prevatt was born in Robeson County, NC, October 21, 1898 to Mary Adelaide Barnes and Elias Johnson Prevatt. (In some sources there was an “e” at the end of Prevatt and some without. Not unusual even today to have it both ways depending on the source.) Watus’ paternal grandparents were Charles Prevatt and Temperance Ivey. Their lineage is through John Prevatt the son of Thomas Prevatt and Sally West. Watus was the second of four siblings and the only son. He had four sisters, Lola, Bessie Elva and Lila. Watus, as a Pvt. in the US Army, sailed on the ship Miltiades from Boston, MA on May 17, 1918 to the war front in France. His remains were brought home on the U.S.A.T. Cambriai sailing from Antwerp on March 21, 1921 and arriving in Hoboken, NJ on April 3, 1921. His funeral was in the home of his mother. (Mary Adelaide was also known as Addie or Ada. She had remarried prior to the return of Watus) The funeral was presided by Rev. E.A. Paul, pastor of East Lumberton Baptist Church followed with the Lumberton Post of the American Legion conducting full military honors at Meadowbrook cemetery in Lumberton, NC.

Note: Sources for this article are from his niece Norma Rattelade’s research and Newspapers.com.  Lola Prevatte was Norma’s mother.

Sidebar on Watus Prevatt from the book, North Carolina and the Great War, by Jessica A. Bandel.