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My Watson FamilyJoseph Watson (c1825-c1852/60) and Sarah Jenkins (c1831) of NC (Onslow County) Introduction - A History of my research on this family My Watson Family - Data on my Watson ancestors IntroductionWhen I first started doing family history (in 1980), I began with my dad's side of the family, but very soon I turned to my mother's side. I knew she was a Campbell, and her mother was a Turner, and I also knew I had Edwards and Watson ancestors on her side also. That was about all I knew starting out. My mother (Alice Faye Watson Grant) told me about both of her grandmothers (Henrietta Edwards Campbell and Zadie Idell Watson Turner) whom she knew quite well. At this point in time (c1984) my own grandmother Turner was long dead, so my mother referred me to my Great Aunt "Dot" (Dorothy Turner Campbell) who was considered the authority on our family history. I was in the U.S. Air Force stationed in Grand Forks, North Dakota, so Aunt Dot and I carried on a correspondence by letter. In just one letter she gave me just about the entire Campbell (and Turner) family history that I now have. She knew it all mostly from her own knowledge, she hadn't been doing any research, this was just information she knew. Dot was my grandmother's sister (Gertrude Turner Campbell) and her husband Aubrey Campbell was a 1st cousin to my grandfather (Alva Gabriel Campbell) so she had data on both sides of my mother's family. I owe her a great deal for what she shared with me. Since her mother was a Watson, she gave me data on her family, but unfortunately she couldn't take the Watson's back as far as she did the Campbell and Turner families. She knew they originated in North Carolina, but wasn't sure where. I started with the name of my great grandmother Zadie Idell Watson (wife of Thomas Lide Turner) and tried to backtrack her from there. Aunt Dot had given me the name of some of her siblings, but not the names of their parents. I read the 1900 Marion County, SC census and did not find them. I read the 1910 Marion County, SC census and didn't find them, though in both cases I found many Watson families listed. On a visit to the Marion Court House I found the marriage record of Zadie and Thomas dated 1914, both were listed as residents of Mullins. I found the 1915 marriage record of their siblings Mary Watson and Alonzo Rudolph Turner who also were both listed as being from Mullins. I had read the 1910 census for Reaves Township (which is where Mullins is) and found the Turner's, but not the Watson's, so it occurred to me they moved to Mullins after 1910 but before 1914, so that meant they were probably in NC in 1910 and earlier. I started with Columbus County, North Carolina, since Aunt Dot told me the Watsons were from somewhere between Mullins, SC and Wilmington, NC. Columbus and Brunswick County, NC were the only two counties that fit that description. I got lucky and found them in Columbus. They were in Ransom Township. The household of William Watson and wife Mary C. Watson contained a daughter named "Zadie I. Watson" and others who matched the names given to me by Aunt Dot. This was my first big break. I then checked the 1910 census to see if they were still in that area, but I couldn't find them on the 1910 census (still haven't to this day). William Watson and Mary C. Watson were listed as having been married for 18 years, so in 1900 that would put their marriage date ca 1881/1882. I checked the 1880 census for Columbus Co, NC and did not find William listed there, though I had expected to find him still living with his parents. Since Ransom Township bordered Brunswick County, I thought I'd check there, and I didn't find him there either, though there were several Watson families there, including some in Northwest Township, which bordered Ransom Township in Columbus County. I figured there must be a connection. So, having no luck on the 1880 census, I backed up to the 1870 census. First I checked Columbus and found nothing there, and found no trace of Ransom Township. I checked some records and found out that the area known as Ransom Township was part of Brunswick County prior to 1877, and in that year it was annexed to Columbus. So that means the area they lived in was Brunswick County in 1870. So I checked Brunswick and found a widow Margaret Watson who had a son named William Watson age 17 (born ca 1852/53). This was a near perfect match with my William Watson who was born March 1852 (per the 1900 census). This family was in Town Creek Township. I rechecked the 1880 listings for Brunswick and found the widow Margaret Watson still there but living with her son Thomas B. Watson, but no trace of William in 1880. I back tracked to the 1860 census and found that Margaret's husband was also named William Watson (born ca 1805). They were listed in North West township (the right area!) and their son William was with them, age 6 (born ca 1853/54), though here he was listed as "William F. Watson". I did a little more research and found the marriage record of William Watson and Margaret Skipper in Brunswick County. A little more research and I found that William Watson (c1805) was the son of yet another William Watson (c1770/75) and his wife Rebecca. I had no idea at the time, but I was totally off track, and none of these Watsons were mine (except the ones in Columbus Co, NC in 1900). I finally got to the Columbus County Court House and found the marriage register, and right away realized my mistake. I found the marriage of my William Watson and his wife Mary. It was dated 16 Nov 1882, he was listed as "W.H. Watson" son of Joseph and Sarah Watson and his wife was "Mary C. Davis" daughter of unknown and Mahala Davis. They were married at the home of Neil Davis (Mary's grandfather). I also found deeds from Cornelius Davis to Mary and William, and also deeds where William H. Watson and wife Mary C. Watson sold the same land. Well, I had been barking up the wrong tree with the Brunswick County Watson family. The William F. Watson (son of William Watson and Margaret Skipper) was not mine at all. Now I needed to find Joseph and Sarah Watson. I made an assumption that they had to be from eastern NC somewhere, probably not too far from Columbus County. I checked the 1870 census index, and found a couple of "Joseph Watson" listings. None were the ones I wanted. I checked the 1860 census, and again, no luck. I did find a Joseph Watson in 1860 with a wife named Sarah (in New Hanover County), but they were not the ones. He was born in Sweden, and they had no children named William, or any close to the right age. This was really getting frustrating! So, I checked the 1850 census, knowing full well that my William H. Watson was born in 1852, so wouldn't be listed, but if I could find a Joseph and Sarah then, well, perhaps I could figure out if they were mine some other way. I found only one Joseph Watson who met my criteria. He was in Onslow NC and he was age 25 and living with another family as a laborer! So this didn't seem too promising. However, on a hunch I checked the Onslow County marriage records and found a marriage bond dated 28 Jan 1851 between "Joseph Watson" and "Sarah Jinkins". This was quite promising! I checked the 1860 census index to see if they were still there, but no Joseph Watson was listed in Onslow, but I did find a "S.J. Watson", so I checked it out, and there she was, a widow, "S.J. Watson" living with her mother Ann Jenkins, and with her was a son William H. Watson age 8 (born ca 1851/52). I found them! I still have the problem of not having any record of them on the 1870 or 1880 census. I found a marriage record between Sarah Watson and George H. Jenkins dated 14 Sep 1862 in Onslow Co, NC. It looks like Sarah remarried (and to one of her cousins apparently). I didn't find them listed on the 1870 census or 1880 census in Onslow County, nor did I find them in any other nearby counties. My belief is that her 2nd husband George died (perhaps in the Civil War) and she married again to someone else, and that she is listed with her new husband, and her son William H. Watson is with them, but listed under his name (as the census takers often did). If only I could find them in 1870 and 1880! So the next task (besides locating William in 1870 and 1880) is to find the parents of Joseph Watson (c1825). Unfortunately, for the 1850 census, Joseph Watson was living with a different family (Asa Sadbury and Lucrisa Sadbury, both age 46). Their oldest child was only 19 then, and Joseph was 25, so it has occurred to me that Lucrisa could be Joseph's mother, and that Asa Sadbury is her 2nd husband. I've not found any records to confirm or refute this theory. Backing up to the 1840 census, there were only three Watson households: Jeremiah (no children listed), John Watson (lots of children, but none Joseph's age), and Asa Watson. Asa Watson had a male age 15-19 (born ca 1820/25) with him on the 1840 census. Asa Watson was listed on the 1850 census in Onslow County, but had no children with him at that time. He wasn't listed near Joseph Watson in 1850 though. He was my prime candidate for Joseph's father, but newer evidence tells me he is probably not Joseph's father. More work needs to be done on this family, but I'm convinced the answers are in Onslow County, NC or in one of the neighboring counties of Carteret, Jones, etc. So, I'd like to give a special "thank you" to my mother (Faye Campbell Grant) and my Great Aunt Dot (Dorothy Turner Campbell 1927-1994) for their help on this family. My Watson ancestorsMy earliest known ancestor Joseph Watson was born ca 1824/25 in Onslow County, NC, probably in Stump Sound Township. His parents aren't yet known. He married Sarah Jenkins in 1851 in Onslow Co, NC, and he died sometime after that, but before 1860. His son William H. Watson was born March 1852 in Onslow Co, NC, presumably in Stump Sound Township. He left this area sometime prior to 1882 and married Mary Catherine Davis in Columbus County, NC that year. William H. Watson and Mary. C. Davis Watson lived on Livingston Creek near the Delco community in Columbus Co, NC, on land deeded to them by her grandfather Cornelius Davis. They were still there by 1900, though sometime ca 1914 they moved to Mullins, Marion County, SC for a little while, but apparently went back to NC after that. Their daughter Zadie Idell Watson (1896-1963) married Thomas Lide Turner in 1914 in Mullins, SC and they are my Great Grandparents. Both died before I was born. They are buried at the McMillan cemetery, near Mullins, SC. I have set up several web pages, each containing documentation, for different branches of this family. Follow the links below for more information. For information on other Watson families within my area of interest (Eastern NC and Marion County, SC and nearby counties) but who are not related to my Watson family, go to my Watson Families page My Watson Family:Joseph Watson (c1825) and Sarah Jenkins (c1831) Last Updated January 16, 2006 Watson Page (Main) | Watson Families | What's New? Home | Surnames | Christian Pages | Search this Site | Contact Me
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