**Connected to the Leonard Family at Thomas Leonard (1641-1713) **
**Connected to the John Shaw Family at Jonathan Shaw (1631-1701) **
Generation One:
George Watson- b. abt 1602 at England; m. abt 1635 Phoebe Hicks at Plymouth, Plymouth, MA; d. 31 January 1688 at Plymouth, Plymouth, MA, aged 87 years.
Their Children:
1. John b. 1636 at Plymouth, Plymouth, MA
2. Phoebe b. abt 1638 at Plymouth, Plymouth, MA; m. Plymouth 22 January 1657 Jonathan Shaw at Plymouth, Plymouth, MA;
3. Mary b. 1642 at Plymouth, Plymouth, MA; m. 21 August 1662 Thomas Leonard at Plymouth, Plymouth, MA; d. at Taunton, Bristol, MA
4. Samuel b. 18 January 1648 at Plymouth, Plymouth, MA; d. 20 August 1649 at Plymouth, Plymouth, MA, aged 19 mos.
5. Elizabeth b. 18 January 1648 at Plymouth, Plymouth, MA; m. 28 November 1667 Joseph Williams at Plymouth, Plymouth, MA; d. 1723, aged 74 years.
6. Jonathan b. 9 March 1652 at Plymouth, Plymouth, MA;
7. William b. 1654 at Plymouth, Plymouth, MA; m. 6 December 1670 Sarah Perley at Ipswich, Essex, MA; d. 27 June 1710, aged 56 years.
8. Elkanah b. 25 February 1656 at Plymouth, Plymouth, MA; m. 26 November 1677 Mercy Hodge; d. 8 February 1690, aged 33 years.
9. Jonathan b. 1659 at Plymouth, Plymouth, MA;
Captain George Watson is purportedly born about 1602 in Holme on Spaulding, Yorkshire, Grantham, Lincoln or in London according to various sources. Charles Edward Banks recorded his origin as Dedham, Essex, England. George became a Freeman March 1633/34 in Plymouth, although he did not appear on the Freeman List. It is possible that he emigrated from Dedham, Essex, England in 1631 and lived in Penobscot from 1631 to 1633, when he removed to Plymouth. He was a mariner, “Impressed with the barque of which he was master, 2 May 1653.” (PCR 3:29)
11th Feb 1632: "Examinations of John Deacon, Henry Sampson, George Watson and OliverGallow before Captain Walter Neale in New England; of Thomas Willett and William Phipps before Captain Henry Keye; and of Edward Astley before Attorney - General Noye in the case of Edward Astley. (CSPC).”
He was listed in 1633 on the Plymouth list of freemen admitted between 1 January 1633 and 1January 1634 (PCR 1:3). He is listed on other Plymouth dates as well: 7 March 1636/7 list of freemen (PCR 1:52), and in the Plymouth section of the 1639, 1658, 29 May 1670 and 1 (blank) 1683/4 Plymouth Colony lists of freemen (PCR 5:274, 8:174, 197, 202). He is also thought to be educated for he signed the coroner's inquest into the death of James Glasse (PCR 3:16) and other documents. His inventory included "books" valued at 13s.
In 1635 he bought a house and garden in Plymouth, Plymouth, MA from John Jenny (PCR 12:511) On 4 March 1635 George was allowed the rest of the meadow at Island Creek with Mr. Hicks, as well as the following year. (PCR 1:40, 56) On 5 February 1637 he was granted four acres (PCR 1:76) and 7 May 1638 he with others petitioned for land towards the Six Mile Brook (PCR 1:83). He also purchased three acres from William Bradford in 1639 (PCR 12:51). On 20 November 1640he was granted six acres of marsh meadow in Greens Harbor (PCR 1:167). In March 1651 George Watson was one of those with interest in the town's land at Punckateesett over against Rhode Island (PTR 1:37). On 17 March 1654 Goodman Watson was granted "a little slip of meadow above the bridge ... at the South meadows" (PTR 1:208). On 24 May 1662 George Watson's request for land at Mannomett Ponds caused Plymouth to select men to take charge of disposing of lands (PTR 1:47). 27 October 1662 he was on a list of men requesting meadow at the lower south meadow (PTR 1:49). On the same day he was granted fifty acres of upland at Mannomett Ponds (PTR 1:51). George Watson shared lot twenty-two at Puncateesett Neck with John Shaw Sr., 22 March 1663 (PTR 1:67). On 14 April 1664 the six acres belonging to George Watson, which he bought of George Bonum, was acknowledged to him and an exchange of three acres for two acres was ordered (PTR 1:75). Also on 14 March 1663 "Gyles Gilbert of Taunton," yeoman, sold to George Watson of Plymouth, yeoman, the land that had been bequeathed to him by his father Mr. John Gilbert (MD 34:23, citing PCLR 3:1:19). James Davis, sometimes of Plymouth, seaman, sold to George Watson of Plymouth, seaman, "five acres of upland ground lying on the south side of the town of Plymouth"; Mr. Nathaniel Souther, yeoman, sometimes of Plymouth, sold to George Watson of Plymouth, seaman, half an acre of marsh meadow in Plymouth; these two instruments were recorded on 18 November 1664 (MD 34:22, citing PCPR 3:1:18). In a deed acknowledged on 29 October 1670 "Nathaniell Masterson living at York in New England" resigned to George Watson of Plymouth "all my right of a house and garden which was my father's at Plymouth" (PCLR 3:181).
On 22 August 1681 George Watson of Plymouth, seaman, sold to Joseph Bartlett Sr. of Plymouth, yeoman, a parcel of land at Mannomett Ponds in Plymouth being one-third of a tract granted by the town to George Watson, William Harlow Sr. and Nathaniel Morton Sr. (PCLR 5:158). 9 December 1681 George Watson of Plymouth, mariner, deeded to "Elkanah Watson my dear and natural son" the seventh lot in the Freeman's Land (PCLR 5:108). The final known transaction was on 28 October 1681 George Watson of Plymouth acknowledged that he had exchanged land with Mr. Edward Gray (PCR 6:76).
He also served in many offices. He was on Grand jury, 4 June 1639 ; Jury on highways, 1 February 1640; Arbiter, 5 March 1643; 6 October 1659, 29 October 1667; Jury, 2 January 1637/8, 1 September 1640, 1 September 1640, 2 March 1646/7, 8 June 1654, 6 March 1654/5, 5 March 1655/6, 7 March 1659/60, 6 March 1661/2, 2 October 1662, 3 March 1662/3, 5 March 1666/7, 1 March 1669/70, 7 June 1670, 29 October 1670, 29 October 1673; Coroner's jury on the body of James Glasse, 26 July 1652, 5 June 1678 on the body of Samuell Drew, 8 March 1678/9 on the body of Thomas Lucase of Plymouth and 28 October 1684 on the bodies of Joseph Truwant and Israell Holmes of Marshfield; Plymouth selectman, 5 February 1665, 13 October 1667; Constable, 6 June 1660, 5 June 1666, 5 June 1672; Overseer of surveying, 7 January 1638/9, 10 January 1661 and manager of exchange of Plymouth land, 21 February 1663. He was also listed in 1643 on Plymouth Colony list of men able to bear arms.
George was a captain in the Plymouth Militia. Also, he served in 1653 as Captain of the Bark Expedition under Captain Myles Standish, against the Dutch in New York. At the meeting of the Council of War at Plymouth, 12th May 1653, when public apprehension is aroused of armed conflict with the Dutch of New Amsterdam, two barques were pressed for the service, one the vessel in which George Watson sailed.
Various Court Records:
On 19 July 1631 George Watson testified regarding the activities of EDWARD ASHLEY at Penobscot (MHSP 45:495).
On 6 February 1636/7 George Watson and others were fined for trading with the Indians for corn (PCR 1:50).
On returning home with a load of wood, George Watson and his servant John Bond went to unload the wood, but Bond bumped the mare and she ran away with him on the cart, and he leapt from the cart in front of the wheel and was crushed, as the coroner's jury ruled 23 July 1661 (PCR 3:223).
On 3 May 1664, George Watson and others complained that the whole town of Taunton suffered as a result of James Walker neglecting to leave a sufficient passage for the herrings to go up river (PCR 4:57).
On 1 May 1660 George Watson petitioned the court in behalf of "his son John Watson and his nephew John Banges" that Samuel Hickes was entered in error as the purchaser of their land, when Mr. Robert Hickes should have been entered (PCR 3:186).
Phoebe and Mary are included as daughters of George Watson because there was no other Watson family in Plymouth at this time, the chronology is right, and Phoebe would have been named for her mother.
On 6 March 1665/6 George Watson was granted administration on the estate of Mrs. Margarett Hickes, deceased (PCR 4:117).
George was deeded 1/2 share in the Taunton Iron Works on 29th March 1663/64 from James Leonard, Sr., father of his son-in-law Thomas Leonard who had married (1662) his daughter Mary Watson. He is deeded another 1/3 share in the Taunton Iron Works on 8th December 1676 from his son-in-law Thomas Leonard. George Watson accumulated wealth in Plymouth in other transactions as well. He received a house and land from Thomas Hope on 29th April 1670. He is deeded a house on 26th October 1670 from Nathaniel Masterson. He received meadow land in Mattapoiset from Joshua Tizdell (Tisdale) on 3rd June 1685. Also, George deeded land on 9th September 1681 to his son Elkanah.
He died at age 87, and an inventory of his estate is taken on 2nd February 1688/9, was untotalled and included no real estate (PPR 1:37; Gen Adv 1:43).
(Note: Contrary to the long-held belief that George Watson is the son of Robert and Elizabeth Watson of London, there is no evidence that either person ever existed in the colonies. Therefore, the origins of George's birth and parents are yet to be identified. However, an unverified entry is found of a marriage 28th Jun 1602 for Robert and Elizabeth (Pye/Peye/Paye) Watson in Holbeach, Co. Lincoln, England. Their list of children included George, Samuel, Nathaniel, Frances, Thomas, John and Robert.)
1. Pilgrim Village
2. Great Migration Begins: Immigrants to New England 1620-1633
3. Plymouth County Court Records
4. Providence Rhode Island Records
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