Rebecca Peters was born in about 1750.
She was about 36 years of age when she married Scottish-born William Watson (the son of Thomas Watson and Euphan Scott) on 21 August 1785 in Nassau, Island of New Providence, Florida, United Sates.
Her husband had sailed to East Florida as a young man, where he was employed as a carpenter for Andrew Turnbull, the Scottish physician who started the New Smyrna colony in East Florida in 1768. William actually built Andrew Turnbull's own house four miles north of the Colony's harbour. By 1777 he had built 145 houses valued at £45 each, using frame construction. William later fled Florida in about 1783 when the British Government handed control of East Florida to the Spanish.
Rebecca and her husband William spent a year endeavouring to build a life in the Bahamas. However the soil of the Bahamas was thin and rocky and the air unhealthy with disease and pestilence undoing much of the little success they had. Finally they resolved to return to England in the autumn of 1785. They secured a berth on the ship Polly. For three weeks they tied all their monies into bags and placed them securely in 3 iron-bound chests which were loaded onto the ship. No insurance was purchased which was a mistake as after a harrowing journey of many weeks through some terrible storms, the ship was wrecked on Portland Beach, Weymouth, England. Their iron bound trunks survived the wrecking and came ashore whole, but the villains on the beach smashed them in and snatched all their belongings, so nothing was saved.
The following account of the ship wreck appeared on Page 3 of the Leeds Intelligencer, dated 14 February 1786:
Once recovered they made their way from Weymouth to London, staying in Little Argyle Street for a time. Her husband worked tirelessly to recoup their losses, and they went on to have a family of at least three children.
On 3 August 1807 their 17 year old daughter Rebecca married 29 year old William Prole at Barnstaple, Devon, England.
On 30 June 1818 her son William Watson Jr. married Bridget Bowles Abraham (the daughter of the late William Abraham) at Bathwick St Mary, Somerset, England. They would have four children, one of whom died young, but sadly Bridget died in 1828 at the age of 30.
Her husband William died on 3 July 1818 at the age of 80.
Three years later, her other daughter Margaret married Lieutenant Richard Greening on 22 May 1821 in St James Parish, Bristol, Gloucester, England. They remained childless, and Margaret passed away in February 1830 at age 41.
1841 UK Census
Croyde, Georgeham, Barnstaple, Devon, England:
Household Members | |||||
Name | Sex | Age | Birth Year | Profession | Birth Place |
William Prole | Male | 60 | 1781 | Farmer | Devon, England |
Rebecca Prole | Female | 50 | 1791 | - | Devon, England |
Lucy Prole | Female | 25 | 1816 | - | Devon, England |
Richard Prole | Male | 10 | 1831 | - | Devon, England |
Charlotte Prole | Female | 20 | 1821 | - | - |
Ronald Prole | Male | 0 | 1841 | - | - |
Rebecca Watson | Female | 90 | 1751 | Independant | Devon, England |
William Gammon | Male | 25 | 1816 | Male Servant | Devon, England |
John Hopkins | Male | 10 | 1831 | - | Devon, England |
Richard Gammon | Male | 10 | 1831 | - | Devon, England |
Mary Grier | Female | 20 | 1821 | Female Servant | Devon, England |
Mary Davy | Female | 20 | 1821 | Female Servant | - |
Sarah Hopkins | Female | 35 | 1806 | Female Servant | Devon, England |
Rebecca passed away on 25 June 1845 at the grand old age of 95[2]. Cause of death on her Death Certificate was recorded as "Old Age". The informant was W. Prole, present at death.
She was buried on 29 June 1845 at St. George's Churchyard, Georgeham Churchyard, the Ceremony performed by Rev. F Hole (Rector)[5].
Inscription:
Note: Altar Tombstone (the larger of the two) on the left of the path from the Lychgate to the Porch by the Yew tree
See also:
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Categories: St George's Churchyard, Georgeham, Devon | Georgeham, Devon