James Watson Farm Cemetery
At Watson’s Corners
Southwold Township, Elgin County, Ontario, Canada
(Near Fingal, Ontario)
Gravestone Inscriptions
Revised and formatted for the Internet 24 January 2004 by Bruce C. Johnson Jr.
Latest Revision 21 August 2009 by Carol VanHarn
Copyright by the Ontario Genealogical Society, Elgin County Branch 1999
All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form, or by any means – electronic, mechanical, photocopying, microform reproduction, recording, or otherwise – without prior permission of the publisher.
Can anyone provide names and burial information for persons who may have been buried on the Watson Farm.
Author: Jim Thomas Date: 24 Jan 2004 6:06 AM GMT
I know from Lyla Best, wife of Mac Best that a small cemetery, perhaps 20 people, existed until the 1930’s-1940’s on the James Watson farm at Watson’s Corners. She told me that the farmer, at the time, had the cemetery vacated legally and took the stones and threw them into a nearby creek. Mrs Best told me,about 1984, that she remembered depressions in the ground in the numbers of 20 or so. The farmer plowed over the area. I have debated trying to walk the property but have not been back to Elgin County since 1986 or so.
I am a descendant of David and Sarah Watson buried in another abandoned burial ground on lot 11 as I recall (Burwell Private Burying Ground). Their stones lie along the Larry Knott farm driveway.
I would dearly love to know the names of the people buried in the old
cemetery on the James Watson farm. I believe my Great Great Grandfather,
Evan Thomas, may be buried there as I never have found his death date or place of burial.
Jim Thomas is researching the following WATSON / SMITH surnames.
John C. WATSON, b. 1806 in PA, d. ? Married Nancy LUMLEY 1822 in Ontario; sons George W. WATSON, John C. WATSON, James G. WATSON
Allen WATSON, b. 1807 in PA, d. 1855 in Buchanan County, IA, Married Charity Ann LOUCKS in Ont. ?, b. 1806 in NY, d. 1869 in IA. Their children born: William, 1829 Ont., Eliza A., b. 1833 Ont., Sarah “Sardy”, b. 1834 Ont., Nelson, b. 1836 Ont., Elisabeth, b. 1838 Ont., Mary, b. 1840 Ont., Martha, b. 1842 Ont., Louisa, b. 1845 Ont., John, b. 1846 Ont., Laura E. b. 1846 in Belvidere Township, Boone Co, IL. [I have tracked down many of Allen and Charity Ann’s children]
Hugh WATSON, b. 1808, in PA. d. 1858 in St. Louis, MO. Married Nancy BEST, on 28 Jan 1841 prob in Fingal, Ont. d. 1854. Their children: James Hugh, b. 1843 in Fingal, Ont., Alexander J. b. 1848 in Fingal, Ont. d. 1888 in Elgin, IL., Colin Christopher, b. 1850 in London, Ont. d. 1901 in Crystal Lake, IL.
Elizabeth B. WATSON, b1809 in Middlesex, Ontario, Canada, d 20 Dec. 18,1871 Belvidere IL She married Montgomery SMITH, b. Mar 5, 1809 in Hartford, CT. d. 1888, marr. 31 Jan 1826 Ont. Their children born Canada – Louisa 1830-1906; Elvira 1833-1921; Allan 1836-1897; Zenas W. 1840-? In California and Martha 1842-1897.
William WATSON, b. 1811 in PA. d. ? Married Rebecca BACON, in Ont. b. 1818 in Wentworth, NS, Canada. Their Children: James Craig WATSON, b. 1838 in Fingal, Ont. d. 1880 in Madison, WI (Famous Astronomer)., Edward WATSON, Kathlene WATSON, Elthan WATSON.
Mary Ann S. WATSON, b 19 Nov. 1817 Ont. d 26 Sept. 1889 Rockford IL. She married George Willis SMITH, of Dunwich, 18 Mar 1834, b. 1805 in Mass., d. 1887 in Rockford, IL. Their children born Ontario: Calvin Zenas SMITH 1835-1869; and Emeline SMITH 1836-1854.
Sarah WATSON, b. 1820, in PA, d. 1885 in Belvidere, IL. Married Peter Cruth THOMAS, on 18 Dec 1844, in Ont., b. 1811 in Utica, NY, d. 1852 in Belvidere, IL. Their Children John Allen THOMAS, b. 1845 in Ont. d. 1922 in Rockford, IL. Mary Ann THOMAS, b. 1849 in Rockford, IL, d. 1895 in Rockford, IL., Peter Byron THOMAS, b. 1852 in Boone County, IL., d. 1932 in Rockford, IL. [My Great Grandmother was Sarah WATSON]
Hugh WATSON, b. 1821 in Ont.
Ellen UNKNOWN, b. 1822, Married C. MOUSLEY and lived for a time in Fingal, Ont. This Ellen appears to be a half sister to my Great Grandfather, Peter Cruth THOMAS and his sisters Alice and Ann THOMAS. Ellen also had a sister Margaret who married John PEACOCK and had a son Thomas PEACOCK. I would like to find out the maiden name for Ellen and Margaret and how they tie into my THOMAS line
Eliza Jane WATSON, b. 1824 in Ont.
Allen, Elizabeth, Sarah, Hugh, Ellen, Eliza Jane and Mary where children of David & Sarah WATSON in the area of Fingal and Watson’s Corners, arriving about 1811. David WATSON d. 1825 at Watson’s Corners and is buried in the Burwell Cemetery nearby on Lot 11. Sarah (mother) remarried to David PALMER in 1827. She d. 1836 and is buried with David WATSON.
Montgomery and George Willis SMITH were the children of Grove SMITH and Rebecca TOBYNE of Dunwich. Still trying to trace down all of their family.
Also looking for family of James WATSON, b. ? d. 1841 at the farm and is probably buried in this cemetery. Married Mary BODINE, b. 1782 in NJ, d. ?, Their Children are some of the above. I am not entirely sure of which ones belong to David or James Watson.
Jim Thomas, jhthomas47@comcast.net