I am trying to learn about the James Watson family. According to a family narrative that was discovered, my ancestor is James Riddle Watson, a "pioneer farmer" of Centre County who settled in Centre County by 1789. He was a Scots-Irish Presbyterian who came from Scotland, according to the narrative, but I believe he emigrated from Ireland. His son Robert Lewis Watson married Matilda Williams and they were the parents of James Watson, a farmer in Centre County. James married Elizabeth Hess, daughter of Lewis Hess and Elizabeth Shirck. They were the parents of my great-grandfather Robert Lewis Watson who moved away from the area. My grandfather, father and brother are all named Robert Lewis Watson. According to accounts I have found, the original James Watson had the following children: John Thomas William James Lot Ann aka Nancy (Irvin) Margaret (Johnston) Hannah (Campbell) Robert Joseph Elizabeth Riddle Ellen aka Eleanor or Nelly (Pennington) Hattie According to the information I have, Robert, Joseph, Elizabeth, Ellen and Hattie were born to a second wife, Agnes. I am interested in any and all information about the Watson, Williams, Hess and Shirck families as well as the family of Agnes. I have found information about James' children, William, Lot, Ann, and Ellen on the internet, but do not have information about the other siblings. I am also interested in the following: Family narrative indicates that James' middle name was Riddle, but I haven't found that anywhere else.Is this accurate? Family narrative (James' grandson) says that he came to Penn's Valley in 1765. Is there any information about the date that he settled in the area? Is there any information about James Watson's life before he came to Centre County and his life in Centre County? Who inherited his farm and is a house still standing? Where was James buried? Are there any descendants of James Watson who received this email? This story and the history of Centre County have become very alive for me. I hope to travel to Bellefonte in the spring and do some research in the library and find the burial sites of these ancestors. I am a novice at genealogical research and would appreciate the help of the experts. Thank you.

The son of your James Watson, James the younger. James Watson married Nancy Culbertson of Harris Township 26 June 1810. Ref: William Stuart, A Register of Marriages and Baptism by William Stuart From the Begining (sic) of His ministry A.D. 1801, original, unpaginated, counted page 5, Pattee Library, Rare Books Room, Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA. Children: Ann Watson, John Watson, Mary Watson, Eliza Watson, William Watson. Nancy Culbertson Watson had died by 1833 when her mother Mary Culbertson's probate was processed. The children each received a one twelfth undivided portion of real estate. Ref: Mary Culbertson probate no. 847, original loose paper file, Centre County Library and Historical Museum, Bellefonte, PA. Betty Lou Albright bettylou@nm.net http://www.technet.nm.net/~bettylou -----Original Message----- From: jwatson [mailto:jewatson@mediaone.net] Sent: Tuesday, January 15, 2002 4:35 PM To: PACENTRE-L@rootsweb.com Subject: [PACENTRE] James Watson family history I am trying to learn about the James Watson family. According to a family narrative that was discovered, my ancestor is James Riddle Watson, a "pioneer farmer" of Centre County who settled in Centre County by 1789. He was a Scots-Irish Presbyterian who came from Scotland, according to the narrative, but I believe he emigrated from Ireland. His son Robert Lewis Watson married Matilda Williams and they were the parents of James Watson, a farmer in Centre County. James married Elizabeth Hess, daughter of Lewis Hess and Elizabeth Shirck. They were the parents of my great-grandfather Robert Lewis Watson who moved away from the area. My grandfather, father and brother are all named Robert Lewis Watson. According to accounts I have found, the original James Watson had the following children: John Thomas William James Lot Ann aka Nancy (Irvin) Margaret (Johnston) Hannah (Campbell) Robert Joseph Elizabeth Riddle Ellen aka Eleanor or Nelly (Pennington) Hattie According to the information I have, Robert, Joseph, Elizabeth, Ellen and Hattie were born to a second wife, Agnes. I am interested in any and all information about the Watson, Williams, Hess and Shirck families as well as the family of Agnes. I have found information about James' children, William, Lot, Ann, and Ellen on the internet, but do not have information about the other siblings. I am also interested in the following: Family narrative indicates that James' middle name was Riddle, but I haven't found that anywhere else.Is this accurate? Family narrative (James' grandson) says that he came to Penn's Valley in 1765. Is there any information about the date that he settled in the area? Is there any information about James Watson's life before he came to Centre County and his life in Centre County? Who inherited his farm and is a house still standing? Where was James buried? Are there any descendants of James Watson who received this email? This story and the history of Centre County have become very alive for me. I hope to travel to Bellefonte in the spring and do some research in the library and find the burial sites of these ancestors. I am a novice at genealogical research and would appreciate the help of the experts. Thank you. ==== PACENTRE Mailing List ==== Much info which has been posted on the list already may be found in the PACENTRE Archives. View them at: http://searches.rootsweb.com/cgi-bin/listsearch.pl