Wife: Margaret McNeil
Occupartion: Coal Miner, Farmer
William & Margaret Watson Sr., had the following known children:
William Jr., Mary, Daniel, James, Margaret, Jane, Robert, Agnes, Euphemy/Euphany and David Watson.
____________________________________
WILLIAM WATSON
This venerable citizen and retired farmer of Auburn, Nebraska, is of Scotch birth and parentage. Mr. Watson first saw the light of day in the county of Edinburg, Scotland, January 12, 1824. His father, William Watson, a coal miner by occupation, was born in the same place, about 1791, and his mother, whose maiden name was Jane Shannon, was also a native of Edinburg county. In their family were nine children, all of whom married, except two daughters. The fourth in order of birth was William.
William Watson was reared and married in his native land, and was occupied in the coal mines of Scotland until 1851, when he emigrated to America, accompanied by his wife and four children. He had just money enough with which to purchase their passage to this country, the voyage was made in a sail vessel and they were six weeks and two days from Liverpool to New Orleans. Eight days later they landed in St. Louis. The first night on their trip up the Mississippi the boat sprang a leak, the passengers were put ashore at midnight, where they remained until the trouble was overcome and the journey could be continued. Arrived in St. Louis, Mr. Watson soon found employment mining coal near that city, and worked there six years receiving two to five dollars per day. In 1857 he, with one hundred others, came to Nemaha county, Nebraska, expecting to homestead land. Their plans were changed, however, and Mr. Watson bought eighty acres, four miles southwest of Auburn. He entered one hundred and sixty acres and by paying one hundred and sixty dollars to a land speculator and relinquishing eighty acres he was deeded eighty acres. He paid forty percent interest. His first work here was to build a little cabin of logs, hewing them on the inside, and into this humble home he moved his family. Some years later he built a substantial stone house, thirty-four by twenty-four feet in dimensions, two stories. He quarried the rock and dressed it and burned his own lime for building purposes doing all the work himself, alone, from the foundation to the roof. And the house is standing to-day as solid as ever. Mr. Watson added to his farm until he had two hundred acres, which he sold in 1901. He has done no farming, however, since 1898, when he retired, after forty years spent as a successful agriculturist. In 1898 he bought and moved into his present residence, which had just been built.
Mr. Watson married, in 1845, Miss Margaret McNeil, a native of Lanarkshire, Scotland, born April 9, 1825, daughter of Daniel and Mary (McCollins) McNeil. Her father, who was a coal miner, was accidentally killed in the mines, in the prime of life, and her mother kept the little family, two sons and two daughters, together and reared them by her own efforts. She died in Scotland at an advanced age.
The children all grew up and married and have children of their own, and all are still living. Mr. and Mrs. Watson have ten children, namely: William, who is married and has one son and one daughter and occupies a part of the old homestead; Mary, who resides with her parents, is the widow of Ephraim Milton Long, and has five children, all married and settled in life; Daniel, an Oklahoma farmer, has a wife and eleven children; James, also of Oklahoma, is a farmer and stone-layer, doing fine mosaic work, and is married and has ten children; Margaret, wife of Joseph Snurr, of Dawson county, Nebraska, has two sons and one daughter; Jane, wife of Robert Bryant, a furniture manufacturer of Omaha, Nebraska, has one son and two daughters; Robert, a blacksmith of Howe, Nebraska, has a wife, son and daughter; Agnes, wife of George Harmon, of Auburn, has one son and three daughters; Euphemy, wife of William Myers, a farmer of Bedford township, Nemaha county, has a son and a daughter; and David, engaged in farming in Nemaha
Politically Mr. Watson was for years a Republican, but recently his has affiliated with the Populist party. He and his good wife are devoted members of the Church of God; both were reared in the Presbyterian church. Mr. Watson inherited to a marked degree the strong constitution peculiar to his nationality. Some time ago while occupied in painting his building, he fell from a ladder and sustained severe injuries, from which he has never recovered, and he now goes about on crutches. Notwithstanding this, he is still remarkably active, both mentally and physically, for one of his years, since he has entered the octogenarian range.
message from Ken Naysmith on 2 Nov 2015
Dear Carlene;
I really want to thank you for the e-mail about William Watson, however there is one "glaring" error in that information, which is the year that they sailed up the Missouri river to settle in Nebraska Territory? I have a copy of the deed to the land my great grandfather purchased in Nebraska Territory, and the year was 1856 not 1857. William Watson along with his oldest son William Watson Jr., my great grandfather Henry Naysmith & James Adamson, all came to America together in 1852. My great grandfather also worked in the coal mines, near St. louis for about two years, then went to McKeesport, PA living with his older brother & his family. He was a coal miner there for about 2 years, then went back to St. Louis, then married my great grandmother in March of 1856 and shortly therafter boarded the steamboat with the nearly 100 Scottish & English settlers heading for Nebraska Territory. The farms of Mr's Watson & Adamson, were very close to my great grandfathers farm, consequently my great uncle attended school with William Watson Jr's daughter Dollye. So after both had lost their first spouse, they got to gather, and were married in 1937. When growing up, we stayed with them in their home a couple times & remember both of them!
Love Ken
Occupartion: Coal Miner, Farmer
William & Margaret Watson Sr., had the following known children:
William Jr., Mary, Daniel, James, Margaret, Jane, Robert, Agnes, Euphemy/Euphany and David Watson.
____________________________________
WILLIAM WATSON
This venerable citizen and retired farmer of Auburn, Nebraska, is of Scotch birth and parentage. Mr. Watson first saw the light of day in the county of Edinburg, Scotland, January 12, 1824. His father, William Watson, a coal miner by occupation, was born in the same place, about 1791, and his mother, whose maiden name was Jane Shannon, was also a native of Edinburg county. In their family were nine children, all of whom married, except two daughters. The fourth in order of birth was William.
William Watson was reared and married in his native land, and was occupied in the coal mines of Scotland until 1851, when he emigrated to America, accompanied by his wife and four children. He had just money enough with which to purchase their passage to this country, the voyage was made in a sail vessel and they were six weeks and two days from Liverpool to New Orleans. Eight days later they landed in St. Louis. The first night on their trip up the Mississippi the boat sprang a leak, the passengers were put ashore at midnight, where they remained until the trouble was overcome and the journey could be continued. Arrived in St. Louis, Mr. Watson soon found employment mining coal near that city, and worked there six years receiving two to five dollars per day. In 1857 he, with one hundred others, came to Nemaha county, Nebraska, expecting to homestead land. Their plans were changed, however, and Mr. Watson bought eighty acres, four miles southwest of Auburn. He entered one hundred and sixty acres and by paying one hundred and sixty dollars to a land speculator and relinquishing eighty acres he was deeded eighty acres. He paid forty percent interest. His first work here was to build a little cabin of logs, hewing them on the inside, and into this humble home he moved his family. Some years later he built a substantial stone house, thirty-four by twenty-four feet in dimensions, two stories. He quarried the rock and dressed it and burned his own lime for building purposes doing all the work himself, alone, from the foundation to the roof. And the house is standing to-day as solid as ever. Mr. Watson added to his farm until he had two hundred acres, which he sold in 1901. He has done no farming, however, since 1898, when he retired, after forty years spent as a successful agriculturist. In 1898 he bought and moved into his present residence, which had just been built.
Mr. Watson married, in 1845, Miss Margaret McNeil, a native of Lanarkshire, Scotland, born April 9, 1825, daughter of Daniel and Mary (McCollins) McNeil. Her father, who was a coal miner, was accidentally killed in the mines, in the prime of life, and her mother kept the little family, two sons and two daughters, together and reared them by her own efforts. She died in Scotland at an advanced age.
The children all grew up and married and have children of their own, and all are still living. Mr. and Mrs. Watson have ten children, namely: William, who is married and has one son and one daughter and occupies a part of the old homestead; Mary, who resides with her parents, is the widow of Ephraim Milton Long, and has five children, all married and settled in life; Daniel, an Oklahoma farmer, has a wife and eleven children; James, also of Oklahoma, is a farmer and stone-layer, doing fine mosaic work, and is married and has ten children; Margaret, wife of Joseph Snurr, of Dawson county, Nebraska, has two sons and one daughter; Jane, wife of Robert Bryant, a furniture manufacturer of Omaha, Nebraska, has one son and two daughters; Robert, a blacksmith of Howe, Nebraska, has a wife, son and daughter; Agnes, wife of George Harmon, of Auburn, has one son and three daughters; Euphemy, wife of William Myers, a farmer of Bedford township, Nemaha county, has a son and a daughter; and David, engaged in farming in Nemaha
Politically Mr. Watson was for years a Republican, but recently his has affiliated with the Populist party. He and his good wife are devoted members of the Church of God; both were reared in the Presbyterian church. Mr. Watson inherited to a marked degree the strong constitution peculiar to his nationality. Some time ago while occupied in painting his building, he fell from a ladder and sustained severe injuries, from which he has never recovered, and he now goes about on crutches. Notwithstanding this, he is still remarkably active, both mentally and physically, for one of his years, since he has entered the octogenarian range.
message from Ken Naysmith on 2 Nov 2015
Dear Carlene;
I really want to thank you for the e-mail about William Watson, however there is one "glaring" error in that information, which is the year that they sailed up the Missouri river to settle in Nebraska Territory? I have a copy of the deed to the land my great grandfather purchased in Nebraska Territory, and the year was 1856 not 1857. William Watson along with his oldest son William Watson Jr., my great grandfather Henry Naysmith & James Adamson, all came to America together in 1852. My great grandfather also worked in the coal mines, near St. louis for about two years, then went to McKeesport, PA living with his older brother & his family. He was a coal miner there for about 2 years, then went back to St. Louis, then married my great grandmother in March of 1856 and shortly therafter boarded the steamboat with the nearly 100 Scottish & English settlers heading for Nebraska Territory. The farms of Mr's Watson & Adamson, were very close to my great grandfathers farm, consequently my great uncle attended school with William Watson Jr's daughter Dollye. So after both had lost their first spouse, they got to gather, and were married in 1937. When growing up, we stayed with them in their home a couple times & remember both of them!
Love Ken
Wife: Margaret McNeil
Occupartion: Coal Miner, Farmer
William & Margaret Watson Sr., had the following known children:
William Jr., Mary, Daniel, James, Margaret, Jane, Robert, Agnes, Euphemy/Euphany and David Watson.
____________________________________
WILLIAM WATSON
This venerable citizen and retired farmer of Auburn, Nebraska, is of Scotch birth and parentage. Mr. Watson first saw the light of day in the county of Edinburg, Scotland, January 12, 1824. His father, William Watson, a coal miner by occupation, was born in the same place, about 1791, and his mother, whose maiden name was Jane Shannon, was also a native of Edinburg county. In their family were nine children, all of whom married, except two daughters. The fourth in order of birth was William.
William Watson was reared and married in his native land, and was occupied in the coal mines of Scotland until 1851, when he emigrated to America, accompanied by his wife and four children. He had just money enough with which to purchase their passage to this country, the voyage was made in a sail vessel and they were six weeks and two days from Liverpool to New Orleans. Eight days later they landed in St. Louis. The first night on their trip up the Mississippi the boat sprang a leak, the passengers were put ashore at midnight, where they remained until the trouble was overcome and the journey could be continued. Arrived in St. Louis, Mr. Watson soon found employment mining coal near that city, and worked there six years receiving two to five dollars per day. In 1857 he, with one hundred others, came to Nemaha county, Nebraska, expecting to homestead land. Their plans were changed, however, and Mr. Watson bought eighty acres, four miles southwest of Auburn. He entered one hundred and sixty acres and by paying one hundred and sixty dollars to a land speculator and relinquishing eighty acres he was deeded eighty acres. He paid forty percent interest. His first work here was to build a little cabin of logs, hewing them on the inside, and into this humble home he moved his family. Some years later he built a substantial stone house, thirty-four by twenty-four feet in dimensions, two stories. He quarried the rock and dressed it and burned his own lime for building purposes doing all the work himself, alone, from the foundation to the roof. And the house is standing to-day as solid as ever. Mr. Watson added to his farm until he had two hundred acres, which he sold in 1901. He has done no farming, however, since 1898, when he retired, after forty years spent as a successful agriculturist. In 1898 he bought and moved into his present residence, which had just been built.
Mr. Watson married, in 1845, Miss Margaret McNeil, a native of Lanarkshire, Scotland, born April 9, 1825, daughter of Daniel and Mary (McCollins) McNeil. Her father, who was a coal miner, was accidentally killed in the mines, in the prime of life, and her mother kept the little family, two sons and two daughters, together and reared them by her own efforts. She died in Scotland at an advanced age.
The children all grew up and married and have children of their own, and all are still living. Mr. and Mrs. Watson have ten children, namely: William, who is married and has one son and one daughter and occupies a part of the old homestead; Mary, who resides with her parents, is the widow of Ephraim Milton Long, and has five children, all married and settled in life; Daniel, an Oklahoma farmer, has a wife and eleven children; James, also of Oklahoma, is a farmer and stone-layer, doing fine mosaic work, and is married and has ten children; Margaret, wife of Joseph Snurr, of Dawson county, Nebraska, has two sons and one daughter; Jane, wife of Robert Bryant, a furniture manufacturer of Omaha, Nebraska, has one son and two daughters; Robert, a blacksmith of Howe, Nebraska, has a wife, son and daughter; Agnes, wife of George Harmon, of Auburn, has one son and three daughters; Euphemy, wife of William Myers, a farmer of Bedford township, Nemaha county, has a son and a daughter; and David, engaged in farming in Nemaha
Politically Mr. Watson was for years a Republican, but recently his has affiliated with the Populist party. He and his good wife are devoted members of the Church of God; both were reared in the Presbyterian church. Mr. Watson inherited to a marked degree the strong constitution peculiar to his nationality. Some time ago while occupied in painting his building, he fell from a ladder and sustained severe injuries, from which he has never recovered, and he now goes about on crutches. Notwithstanding this, he is still remarkably active, both mentally and physically, for one of his years, since he has entered the octogenarian range.
message from Ken Naysmith on 2 Nov 2015
Dear Carlene;
I really want to thank you for the e-mail about William Watson, however there is one "glaring" error in that information, which is the year that they sailed up the Missouri river to settle in Nebraska Territory? I have a copy of the deed to the land my great grandfather purchased in Nebraska Territory, and the year was 1856 not 1857. William Watson along with his oldest son William Watson Jr., my great grandfather Henry Naysmith & James Adamson, all came to America together in 1852. My great grandfather also worked in the coal mines, near St. louis for about two years, then went to McKeesport, PA living with his older brother & his family. He was a coal miner there for about 2 years, then went back to St. Louis, then married my great grandmother in March of 1856 and shortly therafter boarded the steamboat with the nearly 100 Scottish & English settlers heading for Nebraska Territory. The farms of Mr's Watson & Adamson, were very close to my great grandfathers farm, consequently my great uncle attended school with William Watson Jr's daughter Dollye. So after both had lost their first spouse, they got to gather, and were married in 1937. When growing up, we stayed with them in their home a couple times & remember both of them!
Love Ken
Occupartion: Coal Miner, Farmer
William & Margaret Watson Sr., had the following known children:
William Jr., Mary, Daniel, James, Margaret, Jane, Robert, Agnes, Euphemy/Euphany and David Watson.
____________________________________
WILLIAM WATSON
This venerable citizen and retired farmer of Auburn, Nebraska, is of Scotch birth and parentage. Mr. Watson first saw the light of day in the county of Edinburg, Scotland, January 12, 1824. His father, William Watson, a coal miner by occupation, was born in the same place, about 1791, and his mother, whose maiden name was Jane Shannon, was also a native of Edinburg county. In their family were nine children, all of whom married, except two daughters. The fourth in order of birth was William.
William Watson was reared and married in his native land, and was occupied in the coal mines of Scotland until 1851, when he emigrated to America, accompanied by his wife and four children. He had just money enough with which to purchase their passage to this country, the voyage was made in a sail vessel and they were six weeks and two days from Liverpool to New Orleans. Eight days later they landed in St. Louis. The first night on their trip up the Mississippi the boat sprang a leak, the passengers were put ashore at midnight, where they remained until the trouble was overcome and the journey could be continued. Arrived in St. Louis, Mr. Watson soon found employment mining coal near that city, and worked there six years receiving two to five dollars per day. In 1857 he, with one hundred others, came to Nemaha county, Nebraska, expecting to homestead land. Their plans were changed, however, and Mr. Watson bought eighty acres, four miles southwest of Auburn. He entered one hundred and sixty acres and by paying one hundred and sixty dollars to a land speculator and relinquishing eighty acres he was deeded eighty acres. He paid forty percent interest. His first work here was to build a little cabin of logs, hewing them on the inside, and into this humble home he moved his family. Some years later he built a substantial stone house, thirty-four by twenty-four feet in dimensions, two stories. He quarried the rock and dressed it and burned his own lime for building purposes doing all the work himself, alone, from the foundation to the roof. And the house is standing to-day as solid as ever. Mr. Watson added to his farm until he had two hundred acres, which he sold in 1901. He has done no farming, however, since 1898, when he retired, after forty years spent as a successful agriculturist. In 1898 he bought and moved into his present residence, which had just been built.
Mr. Watson married, in 1845, Miss Margaret McNeil, a native of Lanarkshire, Scotland, born April 9, 1825, daughter of Daniel and Mary (McCollins) McNeil. Her father, who was a coal miner, was accidentally killed in the mines, in the prime of life, and her mother kept the little family, two sons and two daughters, together and reared them by her own efforts. She died in Scotland at an advanced age.
The children all grew up and married and have children of their own, and all are still living. Mr. and Mrs. Watson have ten children, namely: William, who is married and has one son and one daughter and occupies a part of the old homestead; Mary, who resides with her parents, is the widow of Ephraim Milton Long, and has five children, all married and settled in life; Daniel, an Oklahoma farmer, has a wife and eleven children; James, also of Oklahoma, is a farmer and stone-layer, doing fine mosaic work, and is married and has ten children; Margaret, wife of Joseph Snurr, of Dawson county, Nebraska, has two sons and one daughter; Jane, wife of Robert Bryant, a furniture manufacturer of Omaha, Nebraska, has one son and two daughters; Robert, a blacksmith of Howe, Nebraska, has a wife, son and daughter; Agnes, wife of George Harmon, of Auburn, has one son and three daughters; Euphemy, wife of William Myers, a farmer of Bedford township, Nemaha county, has a son and a daughter; and David, engaged in farming in Nemaha
Politically Mr. Watson was for years a Republican, but recently his has affiliated with the Populist party. He and his good wife are devoted members of the Church of God; both were reared in the Presbyterian church. Mr. Watson inherited to a marked degree the strong constitution peculiar to his nationality. Some time ago while occupied in painting his building, he fell from a ladder and sustained severe injuries, from which he has never recovered, and he now goes about on crutches. Notwithstanding this, he is still remarkably active, both mentally and physically, for one of his years, since he has entered the octogenarian range.
message from Ken Naysmith on 2 Nov 2015
Dear Carlene;
I really want to thank you for the e-mail about William Watson, however there is one "glaring" error in that information, which is the year that they sailed up the Missouri river to settle in Nebraska Territory? I have a copy of the deed to the land my great grandfather purchased in Nebraska Territory, and the year was 1856 not 1857. William Watson along with his oldest son William Watson Jr., my great grandfather Henry Naysmith & James Adamson, all came to America together in 1852. My great grandfather also worked in the coal mines, near St. louis for about two years, then went to McKeesport, PA living with his older brother & his family. He was a coal miner there for about 2 years, then went back to St. Louis, then married my great grandmother in March of 1856 and shortly therafter boarded the steamboat with the nearly 100 Scottish & English settlers heading for Nebraska Territory. The farms of Mr's Watson & Adamson, were very close to my great grandfathers farm, consequently my great uncle attended school with William Watson Jr's daughter Dollye. So after both had lost their first spouse, they got to gather, and were married in 1937. When growing up, we stayed with them in their home a couple times & remember both of them!
Love Ken
