Starting at 5th & Griffin St.

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This is the general area of Nelson Watts' home. Nelson Watts and his father William were river captains and slave traders. They bought 145 acres in 1843, which included all of the land that is now the town of Elsberry. They built the first brick home in the County (that's Lincoln county, established 1818 and named for Benjamin Lincoln - A Revolutionary War soldier) at about this spot. They had extensive orchards and livestock holdings. Mr. Watts is said to be buried on this block, now covered by pavement and street. Mr. Watts sold his land to Robert Elsberry. Mr. Elsberry, in turn, allowed the railroad to have land and put a depot here and thus Elsberry got its start and was incorporated as a town in 1883.