WANTED: Elusive Watson Family of Southwestern, PA!
ATTN: Watson Family Genealogists
I’ve been working on my WATSON family history for around eight years. Presently, I have hit a brick wall on my great, great grandfather, Henry R. WATSON. I know that Henry R. WATSON was born in the year of 1831 in Pennsylvania. Around 1859 Henry was married to Caroline MATTHEWS/MATHEWS (d/o John MATTHEWS/MATHEWS and Rebecca WHITE.) Around that same year, Henry and Caroline WATSON moved from Pennsylvania to Champaign County, Illinois. The following is supplied from the 1860 Champaign County, Illinois census:
Here is the census format:
-NAME-
-AGE-
-SEX-
-OCCUPATION-
-ESTATE WORTH-
-PLACE OF BIRTH-
HENRY WATSON-28-M-Blacksmith-50-Pennsylvania
CAROLINE-----26-F---------------Pennsylvania
MARGRET------1 1/2 F------------Illinois
Around 1868, Henry and Caroline WATSON returned to Pennsylvania. In 1878, at age 10, Henry and Caroline’s daughter Minnie dies, and is buried at Chartiers Hill United Presbyterian Church Cemetery, Washington County, Canonsburg, Pennsylvania (On-line cemetery transcript source: http://www.irishgenealogy.com/us/pa/washington/articles/hillchurchcem.pdfhttp://www.irishgenealogy.com/us/pa/washington/articles/hillchurchcem.pdf ).The following is the family in the 1880 Houstonville, Chartiers Township, Washington County, Pennsylvania census:
Here is the census format:
-NAME-
-AGE-
-SEX-
-OCCUPATION-
-PLACE OF BIRTH-
-PLACE OF BIRTH OF FATHER-
-PLACE OF BIRTH OF MOTHER-
HENRY WATSON-49-M-Blacksmith-Pennsylvania-(Unmarked)-Ireland
CAROLINE-46-F-Housewife-“-Pennsylvania-Pennsylvania
GEORGE---18-M-Laborer-Illinois“ “
ELLA-------11-F-Pennsylvania“ “
SANDIE---9--M “ “ “
DOLLY-----6--F“ “ “
Henry R. WATSON was running a blacksmith shop around the 1880’s & 1890’s in Houstonville, Washington County, Pennsylvania (Source: http://www.savory.org/chartiers/beers-project/articles/hamilton-1077.htmlhttp://www.savory.org/chartiers/beers-project/articles/hamilton-1077.html ).
After the 1880’s, I cannot find anything(documents/records..etc.) on my WATSON family of Chartiers Township, Washington County, Pennsylvania. Although, I do know that Henry and Caroline WATSON are buried alongside daughter Minnie at Chartiers Hill United Presbyterian Church Cemetery, Washington County, Canonsburg, PA (Source:
http://www.geocities.com/bdahlstrom2002/watson3stone.JPGhttp://www.geocities.com/bdahlstrom2002/watson3stone.JPG ) . Plus, Henry and Caroline’s children are scattered throughout the United States, according to my great grandfather, George Elsworth Watson’s obituary, dated in January of 1945 (Source: http://www.geocities.com/bdahlstrom2002/georgewatsonobit.JPGhttp://www.geocities.com/bdahlstrom2002/georgewatsonobit.JPG ).
Their gravestones state the following at Chartiers Hill United Presbyterian Church Cemetery:
Henry R. WATSON 1831-1912
Caroline MATTHEWS WATSON 1841-1888
Minnie WATSON 1868-1878 (Daughter)
______________________________________________________
In the Chartiers Hill United Presbyterian Church Cemetery there are other WATSONs buried there. Thus, I strongly believe that they all/most are probably related. Cemetery transcript's state that Elizabeth WATSON, born in 1836 is buried at the Cemetery. Possibly, this could be a sister-in-law to my Henry R. WATSON. From other references, I have found that Elizabeth’s maiden name was Chubbic, and she married William A. Watson (Source:
http://www.savory.org/chartiers/beers-project/articles/chubbic-581.htmlhttp://www.savory.org/chartiers/beers-project/articles/chubbic-581.html
). Also, I notice that Rev. John WATSON is buried there. John WATSON was a Presbyterian minister and married Margaret McMillan (d/o Rev. John "The Apostle of Presbyterianism in the West” McMillan.)Plus, the first president of Jefferson College was Rev. John Watson, who died November 30, 1802 at age 81! I found a website that covers the KNOWN descendants of Rev. John WATSON, located at: http://www.geocities.com/~topolyp/frametest.htmlhttp://www.geocities.com/~topolyp/frametest.html
ANY information, especially on the ancestry of my Henry R. WATSON would be greatly appreciated!It's possible Henry R. WATSON was a son in the Chartiers Valley area to a Robert, or a George WATSON.Anyone knowledgeable on the WATSON family in the Chartiers-North Strabane Township areas in Washington County, please don’t hesitate on emailing me!
Awaiting your replies,
Blake B. Watson
[email protected]
More Replies:
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Re: WANTED: Elusive Watson Family of Southwestern, PA!
Jack Watson 10/23/12
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Re: WANTED: Elusive Watson Family of Southwestern, PA!
Blake B. Watson 1/05/14
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Re: WANTED: Elusive Watson Family of Southwestern, PA!
Blake B. Watson 1/06/14
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Re: WANTED: Elusive Watson Family of Southwestern, PA!