By Jared L. Olar
July 2013
http://jskent.blogspot.com/2010/06/george-watson-family-us-1631-to-current.html
(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.)
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. 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).
The children of George and Phebe Watson were:
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;
2. Deacon JONATHAN SHAW, son of John and Alice Shaw, born according to tradition on 2 March 1629 (though it may rather have been as late as circa 1631) at Plymouth Colony, Massachusetts; died at age 72 in July 1701 at Plymouth, Massachusetts; buried perhaps in Lakenham Cemetery, or Nemasket Cemetery, or in Plympton (now Carver), all in Plymouth County, Massachusetts. It is thought that Jonathan may have been born at Plain Dealing (present day Cordage Park) in Plymouth, Massachusetts.
On 22 Jan. 1656/57 in Plymouth, Massachusetts, Jonathan married PHEBE WATSON, born 1637 in Plymouth, Massachusetts, died perhaps circa 1682, daughter of George and Phebe (Hicks) Watson of Plymouth Colony. (A duplicate marriage record of Jonathan and Phebe gives the erroneous date of 22 Jan. 1649/50.) Jonathan and Phebe had four sons and four daughters. Shaw genealogical researcher Kenneth Linwood Shaw III is seventh in descent from LT. JOSEPH SHAW (1749-1804), who married his third cousin LYDIA SHAW (1755-1813). Lt. Joseph was third in descent from LT. JONATHAN SHAW JR., eldest son of Deacon Jonathan Shaw, while Lydia was third in descent from GEORGE SHAW, second son of Deacon Jonathan Shaw.
Kenneth Shaw indicates that the children of Deacon Jonathan and his wife Phebe were probably all born in Middleboro, though he says their daughter Lydia may rather have been born in Old Plympton. The early town records of Middleboro were burned in a raid by American Indians, so we must speculate or rely upon gravestone inscriptions and Shaw family tradition for the dates and places of birth of Jonathan and Phebe. Jonathan's wife Phebe died at some point after the birth of her twin sons BENONI and BENJAMIN, who were born circa 1672. In August 1683, Jonathan married secondly in Plymouth, Massachusetts, to a widow named PERSIS (DUNHAM) PRATT, born circa 1630-35 in Leiden, Holland, died after 1 Oct. 1702 probably in Plymouth County, daughter of Deacon John and Abigail (Barlow) Dunham. Jonathan and Persis had no children, but Persis had 10 children by her former husband, the late Benajah Pratt, ancestor of the Pratts of Carver, Massachusetts.
When Jonathan and Persis decided to marry, they prepared a prenuptial agreement just prior to their marriage in August 1683. In the agreement, which was witnessed by Joseph Dunham and Eleazer Dunham, Jonathan agreed to raise "her two youngest children namely Joseph and Daniel Pratt . . . as if they were his owne Naturall Children." The agreement was signed by "Jonathan Shaw Senr," while "Percis Prat" made her "P." mark. The agreement also stipulated that in the event that Jonathan predeceased Persis, she would have the right to live in house and control its 20-acre lot until she died. The exact date of her death is not known, but since it is known that on 1 Oct. 1702, Persis and her stepson, Jonathan Shaw Jr., were called upon to give an account of their administration of Deacon Jonathan Shaw's estate, Persis must have died at some point after that date. (Shaw, NEHGR 251:276)
Shurtleff and Drake state that "Jonathan Shaw, with John Waterman, were the first deacons of the Plympton Church and were ordained to that office on Sunday, November 27, 1698." (John Shaw of Plymouth, Massachusetts, page 6) Kenneth Shaw reports that the First Church of Plympton (now Carver) was located on the north side of Lakenham Cemetery. According to Kenneth, the Plympton townspeople had a disagreement about the distance between the church and the location of their homes, so they decided to let the First Lakenham Church go to "shambles" because it was too far south for them to walk. A second church was built at the location where the present day Lakenham Green is.
Deacon Jonathan Shaw was the first permanent resident of what is today known as North Carver. "He lived in a house between Deacon [Thomas] Savery and the Old Meeting House, according to Shurtleff and Drake. According to Kenneth Shaw, "Jonathan and Phebe Shaw lived at the site where the old Sturtevant House now stands. This house is believed to be the third house erected on the site since their lifetimes. This old Sturtevant house is located on the South side of the Lakenham Green in North Carver." Jane Kent also notes that Jonathan Shaw's "house at Lakenham, north side, was there as early as 1660. The exact location was on the site of the present Sturtevant house south of the Green. (The present house was built about 1750 and traditionally it is known as the third house built on that site. The Shaws' residence was known to stand midway between Plymouth and Middleboro. By 1700 the Shaws and the Watsons held possession in the west section of Carver. Before moving to now Carver, Plymouth, MA, [Jonathan] was one of many who received forty year grants of various dimensions along the South Meadow River, and he also received a land grant at Lakenham."
Jonathan Shaw was one of the principals named in the following deed, found on page 201 of the Middleboro Town Hall Municipal Records of Deeds:
An agreement made the 19th daye of of May 1697 between John Soule, Zack Howland and Jacob Tomson agents for the proprietors of the lands purchased by Benjamine Church and John Tomson: on the part: and Jonathan Shaw Seniour of the town of Plymouth on the other part: Whereas the said Jonathan Shaw produced a deed of purchase of Tispoquen the Black Sachem: and the two aforesaid purchases seeming to enterfere the one upon the other: we have mutually agreed that the bounds between the two said purchases shall be as we have now run the same: that is to say: from the place where the old Indian path crosseth Mehuchet brook: ranging due south by a range of marked trees unto two small cedar trees marked by the northerly side of a pond: and so cross the pond to a small pine tree marked by the Southerly side of said pond: and from said pine tree ranging northeast by a rang of marked trees unto a red oak marked on four sides with stones about it near the range of the outside of the aforesaid purchase purchased by Benjamine Church and John Tomson. This agreement was signed John Soule - X and Sealed by John Soule, Zack Howland - X Zack Howland and Jacob Jacob Tomson - X Tomson the day above said Jonathan Shaw - X Witness: John Wadsworth Joseph Vaughan This agreement was signed and sealed by Jonathan Shaw Senior the sixth day of December 1699: Witness: William Shurtleff Joseph Vaughan
The inventory of Jonathan Shaw's will was taken on 30 July 1701 at Lakenham, Old Plympton, Plymouth Colony, Massachusetts, showing that he had died shortly before. The will of "Deacon Jonathan Shaw, Sr., Esquire" was not proved until 25 Sept. 1701, however. Jonathan is also named posthumously in two deeds dated 20 June 1705 that address the disposition and distribution of his estate among his children and grandchildren. One of the deeds was recorded in the Plymouth Registry of Deeds on 18 Dec. 1706, but the other was not recorded until 10 June 1719 (though it had been acknowledged by Jonathan's family well before then).
The final resting places of Deacon Jonathan Shaw and his first wife Phebe are unknown. Kenneth Shaw discusses and speculates about this mystery as follows:
"At this time it is unknown where their bodies are laid to rest, and there are possibilities of several burial locations. Maybe the Old Burying ground in Plymouth? Or maybe the hill overlooking the Watson's Pond in Taunton, Massachusetts, New England? However one good strong possibility could be the Nemasket Hill Cemetery in Middleborough, Plymouth County, Massachusetts, New England, sometimes referred to as 'The Hill Cemetery' or 'Old Burial Hill' of 'Middlebury.' Nemasket Hill Cemetery was purchased from the Indians in 1662, a part of the 'Twenty-six Men's Purchase' (Deacon Jonathan Shaw's father John Shaw was one of the 26 men but never received his portion of land) and is in fact the oldest known Cemetery in the town of Middleborough. Maybe Deacon Jonathan and Phebe (Watson) Shaw are buried in the Lakenham Cemetery without stones or just large round cobblestones laid on top where they are located, or could they have had stones and just over hundreds of years deteriorated long ago? The land where the old graveyard is [was] formerly known by the name of Lakenham burying-ground. Now known today as Lakenham Cemetery and originally belonged to Benoni Shaw of Plympton (now present day North Carver) [who gave the land] for the purpose of that cemetery, whose daughter, Rebecca Shaw, who died at about 9 years old in April 1718, is the first person buried there, indicated by the record of her burial monument in this cemetery. Another possibility is a location at the Old Plympton burial ground on the side of Route 58 in Plympton across from the church? Or maybe even the Winslow Cemetery, Marshfield, Plymouth County, Massachusetts, New England."
The children of Deacon Jonathan Shaw and Phebe Watson were:
-- PHEBE SHAW, born Feb. 1657/8, died 11 June 1686
-- HANNAH SHAW, born circa 1661, died 24 July 1713.
-- LT. JONATHAN SHAW, born circa 1663, died 18 Jan. 1729/30.
-- MARY SHAW, born 1665, died 28 Nov. 1730.
-- GEORGE SHAW, born circa 1667, died after 8 Dec. 1714.
-- LYDIA SHAW, born say 1670, died after 8 Dec. 1714.
3. BENONI SHAW, born circa 1672, died 5 March 1751.
-- BENJAMIN SHAW, Benoni's twin, born circa 1672.
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