Lewis Watson (1749)

Born 1749 in SC

Descendants

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Biography

Married twice. First wife is unknown? Second wife was Celia Williams.

He and his family show up in a lot of genealogies floating around the internet but with varying facts and not a lot of sources.

In a record from the Clinton, LA Notarial Record Book D, p. 328, 18 Jan 1835 transcribed in Charles Owen Johnson's book, A Genealogy of Several Allied Families, a Lewis Watson Senior is described at the family meeting following the passing of Charity Palmer nee Watson:

"State of Louisiana. Parish of East Feliciana; Be it remembered, etc. personally came and appeared the following persons who are heirs and representing heirs of Mrs. Charity Palmer, late of State and Parish aforesaid deceased late wife of Archibald Palmer, to-wit: Lewis Watson, Senior, Michael Watson, Elizabeth Sibley, wife of William Sibley; Samuel Watson, Junior, Lewis Watson Junior, Wini-ford Vincent wife of James Vincent, Celia Jones, wife of Isaac Jones, Winiford Morgan, minor Rep. by her tutor Daniel Morgan and her undertutor Robert Allison; Rachel Morgan, wife of Daniel Morgan, Elizabeth Morgan by her husband Thomas F. Morgan, Ephraim Smith, Junior, William W. Smith, and Putnam Powell; Edney Harrison, Lewis Watson, and Elizabeth Brown absentees represented by William Dunn esq. All agree to previous agreement between Archi-bald and Charity Palmer, signed by those mentioned. Test. C.M. Smith B.M.G. Br(own)".

This Lewis Watson Senior seems to be the same Lewis Watson whose will was written and estate settled in Talladega County. In his will:

"State of Alabam Talladega Cty, I Lewis Watson of the State & Cty aforesaid do make & publish this my last will & testament, hereby revoking and making void all other wills by me at any time made (viz) firs I direct that my funeral expenses & all my just debts be paid, as soon as possible after my death out of any money that I may die possessing of, or that may first come in to the hands of my excecutor--And I will that my son Lewis Watson have the sum of five dollars--And I will that the heirs of my daughter Winnefred Smith have the sum of five dollars, I will that my daughter Elizabeth Brown have the following negroes viz my negro boy Jesse who is about ten years old & my negro girl Eleanor who is about seven years old--I will that my daughter Patience Powell have the sum of five hundred dollars in cash to be paid her by my executor out of the effect of my estate--I will that my daughter Edney Harrison have my negro girl Amanda who is about fourteen years of age--for & during the term of her natural life & at her death I will her son who is my grandson Garrison Harrison have the [?] negro girl Amanda together with her increase--I will that any & all other property that I may die possessed of be sold & the money alabama digital archivesequally divided between my three daughters viz Patience Powell, Elizabeth Brown and Edney Harrison. Lastly I do herby nominate John N. Wills & Benjamin S. Wilson my executors in testimony whereof I do to this my last will & set my hand & seal this 19th day of September 1846."

His will makes explicit his son Lewis and 4 of his daughters, namely Winnifred Smith, Elizabeth Brown, Patience Powell, and Edney Harrison. The listing of Lewis, Elizabeth, and Edney as well as Powells and Smiths makes it seem very likely that the Lewis Watson Senior present was the same Lewis who died in Talladega County.

Based on Bureau of Land Management records, I believe Lewis lived in Bibb County before Talladega and in Autauga County before that, as a Lewis Senior of both is listed in land grants issued in the mid-late 1830s that specify the county of residence.

Sources

• *Ancestors and Descendants of the Dearman-Deerman and Related Families. Thompson Print Company. 1988.
• Will of Lewis Watson. 19 September 1846. Retrieved via the unindexed Talladega County images present in FamilySearch's Alabama Estate Files 1830-1976 record set. It was found in the image set for Walker, Francis Bama-Watters, Robert Preston set. Image number 2771. Retrieved 27 Oct 2017.
• Charles Owen Johnson. Genealogy of Several Allied Families. P. 378.