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Archiver > NCMECKLE > 2000-02 > 0949767665


From: "Louise Pettus" <>
Subject: Re: [NCMECKLE] Steele Creek Church/Bethel Church
Date: Sat, 05 Feb 2000 11:21:05 -0500


Queet,

I have some Watson information that I will post to
the
NCMECKLE site (though it is almost all York
County, SC)
because it relates to Watsons that Mecklenburgers
may
have a connection with. First, a column I did for
my
weekly "Nearby History" column in the York
Observer.
Second, Watson notes from my personal files. I
hope you
find something helpful in the combination of the
two.

COL. SAMUEL WATSON OF THE REVOLUTION
by Louise Pettus

One of the regions Revolutionary War heroes was
Col. Samuel Watson who was born in Ireland in
1731. Watsons family emigrated to York County,
Pennsylvania where they prospered. In 1871
Watsons grandson wrote that in Pennsylvania the
Watsons had a large brick dwelling house
finished from cellar to garret.
Watson was probably part of the great migration
southward of Pennsylvanians and Virginians at the
time of Indian attacks on the frontiersman during
the French and Indian Wars which ended in 1763. It
is known that Watson was first in Mecklenburg
County, N. C. where he married Elizabeth McDowell
(1738-1817).
On the 6th of April 1765 Watson registered two
plots of land totalling 760 acres , whereon
Watson now liveth, in Mecklenburg on Rockey
Allisons Creek . . . At this time much of
present-day York County was claimed by Mecklenburg
County, N. C. Watsons house, like his
Pennsylvania home, was constructed of brick. The
house was located about half way between the town
of York and the Catawba River on Hwy 49.
Whatever the date of his arrival, the Allison
Creek land grant places Watson in the heart of the
Bethel congregation, which was located in the
northeastern area of the part of York County west
of the Catawba. The Bethel congregation covered 10
miles in every direction. As a Bethel elder,
Watson became an influential member of the church
as well as highly respected in the community.
The Lyman Draper papers at the University of
Wisconsin describe Watson as a man 5 ft, 5 in. in
height, of compact build, and genial in
disposition. However, like most Scotch-Irishmen
of his time, he had no love for the English. When
talk of rebellion became general, Watson quickly
rose to the cause.
Watson was elected to the South Carolina
Provinicial Congress of 1775-1776, one of 46
delegates from the back country. In February of
1776 Watson participated in the framing of South
Carolinas first written constitution. The
British, naturally, saw this constitution as
defiance of their sovereignty. Watson volunteered
his services to the South Carolina Regulars. It
was not long before the S. C. troops were made a
part of the Continental Army of the newly-formed
Continental Congress.
By 1778 Watson was a lieut-colonel in Col. Thomas
Neels New Acquisition District Regiment of
Horsemen, a part of Thomsons Regiment of Rangers.
He went with Neel in what is called the Charleston
Expedition in the summer of 1779. Neel was killed
at Stono Ferry on June 20, 1779 and Watson took
his place.
In June 1780 nearby Hills Ironworks were burned
by the British. The terrified workers fled to
Watsons plantation which quickly became a center
of resistance. A commissary was set up there to
issue supplies to any Whigs who would carry a
musket against the British.
At the Battle of Hanging Rock in lower Lancaster
County, a musket ball hit Watsons sword, breaking
his ribs and knocking him off his horse. The
grandson wrote Draper that the family kept the
prized sword with the ball half buried in its
metal along with Watsons giant musket which
kicked mightily.
Watson was also at the skirmish at Williamson
Plantation near Brattonsville. The encounter is
also called the Battle of Hucks Defeat in some
of the literature. Other battles in which Watson
participated were Rocky Mount, Sumters Defeat and
Biggin Church.
Samuel Watson, Jr., born 12 August 1754 in York
Co., PA, also fought in the Revolution. He served
as a lieutenant under Col. Thomas Neel and Andrew
Pickens. He was with his father at Williamson
Plantation and Rocky Mount. Some time after the
war he moved to Missouri.
(There was another Samuel Watson who participated
in the Revolution who was apparently no kin to the
subject of this article. This Samuel Watson was
born in Virginia in 1740 and served as a
lieutenant in the Rangers under Capt. Ezekiel
Polk. He was at the battle of Kings Mountain and
Blackstocks and was killed in the battle of
Cowpens.)
In his old age Samuel Watson, Sr. was paralyzed.
He died November 25, 1810 at the age of 79 and is
buried in Bethel Cemetery in York County.
The Catawba Chapter Daughters of the American
Revolution erected a marker in honor of Watson at
the site of his Allison Creek home.

Watson

- William Watson, deceased; will written 23 Aug
1809, probated 6 April 1812 (Case 64, File 2985,
York County Estate Records). Legatees: wife Mary;
son James, grandson Thomas Watson; sons David,
Robert. Witnesses: Will Pettus, Samuel Smith,
Archibald Steele. Appraisers: William Dobie
(Doby), Henry Tally, Andrew Heron, Richard Ticer.

- Jean Watson Estate, Robert Hemphill & Aaron
Watson, admin. York Co. Estate Book B, p. 594, Jan
2, 1809.

- William Watson, deceased, inventory of estate in
hands of Samuel Watson, May 1793. (York Co.
Estates Book ABC, p. 82)

- George W. Pettus & others vs. Robert Watson,
Court of Common Pleas, Series 6, #102. Synopsis:
Around 1820 George Pettus largely in debt got
$1100 in notes from intimate friend Robert
Watson and put up 3 slaves as security. The slaves
ran off to Watson; George paid but Watson kept the
slaves. Stephen Pettus swore that William Watson,
defendant, was outside the state. David Patton
said William Watson was in Tenn. Robert Watsons
wife Elizabeth and sons Joseph, William and
daughter Mary who married George Cathey and Louisa
married Theodorick Webb.
[Mary Cathey Watson and George Cathey were the
parents of Robert A., William H., John H., James
J. and Sarah Ann Cathey, the first four being
children of Mary Cathey, the latter the child of
George Cathey before his marriage.]

- James Watson. Revolutionary soldier; born and
lived in Bethel Community, York County. Moved to
Andrew Pickens area in Anderson Co, SC. Buried at
Pickens Chapel Baptist (formerly Presbyterian)
church cemetery located on Co. Road S4-485 off SC
Hwy 88, Anderson Co. A son of Samuel Watson. James
Watson married the daughter of Capt. James
Anderson.

York County Watsons as heads of households in 1810
census:
John Watson Esq; David Watson; Hugh Watson; Robert
Watson; Samuel Watson; James Watson; William
Watson; Aron Watson; Katherine Watson; John Watson
(CF); Violet Watson, David Watson, Elias Watson,
William Watson, Sr., William Watson, Robert
Watson.

- Robert Watson, 1830, had land, formerly that of
John F. Kendrick, on west side of Catawba River
adj. William E. White and near James Perry and
William Ticer. Robert Watson died Nov. 1832

-Robert Watson estate in York Co. Estate Book O,
p. 254. Joseph J. Watson, exor, in 1833: Sale
bill, $4227.51 1/4. Cash at intestates death,
$27.50.

- William T. Watson, Sarah A. Watson, minors under
21 placed under guardianship of William Watson,
York Co. Probate Judge Case #35, File 1500. Year:
1856.
William T. Watson and Sarah A. Watson, the
children of Elizabeth Kenmore, Rock Hill.

-Mrs. Mary M. Watson, 83, died at Ft. Mill, 1918.
Born Gaston Co, NC 12 May 1835. Married Dec 1858
to John L. Watson & resided in Ebenezer a number
of years. Buried in Ebenezer. Children: Anna
Watson, Mrs. David Trainer, Dr. S. P. Watson, J.
Lyken Watson, all of N. Y. and W. A. Watson,
Charlotte, NC.

-Thomas Watson m. Miss Patsey Patterson, 3 Jan
1824. (Yorkville Pioneer, 17 Jan 1824)

1870 Fort Mill Census:
#311. J. J. Watson, 57, $4,000 real estate, $1700
personal est.; James, 19.

William McKee Bigger (May 14, 1797-ca 1840) m.
Mary Watson. William McKee was the son of James
McKee (1761-May 14, 1800) and Edith Wilson (d. Jan
28, 1833). William McKees brothers and sisters:
Moses, b. Jan 14, 1787 in NC; Matthew, Jan 28,
1789, d. June 30, 1827 who m. Erixeny Barnett (d.
Dec 15, 1826, Matthew drowned in Catawba River;
Mary Ann , b. Nov 27, 1790, m. William Neagle;
Elizabeth, b. Nov 25, 1793, m. Andrew Patterson;
and James, b. Dec 1, 1794.


----------
>From:
>To:
>Subject: Re: [NCMECKLE] Steele Creek
Church/Bethel Church
>Date: Sat, Feb 5, 2000, 8:52 AM
>

>Thought this might be of intererest to someone who has
>Rev S. L. Watson in
>ther line. It comes from a newpaper clipping written by
>Rev R A Webb at the
>death of Rev
>Watson.(this would be 1882)
>The Rev. S L Watson died this morning, November 13, at
>his residence, in York
>County ,SC. He lacked two months of being 85 years of
>age, had been preacher
>fifty six years: and forty two of those he had spent as
>pastor of Bethel
>church, Bethel
>Presbytery.
>Mr Watson was born Feb 5, 1798 at Bethel, SC. He pursued
>his literary course
>at South Carolina College, graduating in 1820. His
>theological course was at
>Princeton Seminary, where he graduated in 1823.
His early
>labors were those
>of a domestic missionary in what was then the "far south
>west", namely
>Alabama.In 1827 he began his labors at Steel Creek
>Church, Nc as stated
>supply. In 1828, he was ordained as an evangelist by the
>Presbytery of SC and
>in 1829 he was installed as pastor of that church. He
>labored there until
>1840 when he was called to the county of his nativity
>where he spent his long
>and useful pastorate of forty two years. A noble record
>is his.
>If anyone has additional info on Rev Watson
please let me
>know-I'd like to
>know how
>(or if )he ties into our line. This article was among
>papers saved by a
>grgrgrandmother.

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