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Notes for Luke (Spouse 1) | ||||||||||
First Settlers of Ye Plantations of Piscataway and Woodsridge Olde East New Jersey part 5 VII. LUKE WATSON, COMMONWEALTH BUILDER This renowned, distinguished, original patentee of the Elizabethtown grant belonged to many colonies of the Period, notably, Connecticut, Long Island, (N. Y.), New Jersey, Delaware and Pennsylvania, and as an influential citizen, during each place of residence, and a public official of prominence, he made a definite and certain contribution to those Great Beginnings of American History, in all of which his career shown forth most brilliantly in New Jersey and Delaware. Balanced against his popularity at E., he can be justly called the founder of Whorekill, (Delaware). He received a conveyance of land, at E., under survey, "Jan. 21, 1676, LUKE WATSON, 400 acres." In 1666, he was made Constable of Middlesex County, which entitles him to be designated as sheriff of that jurisdiction. (CLAYTON, U. & M. pp. 58 and 177). "Aug. 24, 1668, LUKE WATSON, was commissioned Lieut. of military company, at E., then organized of which John Woodruff was Ensign," (idem, p. 52). He gave the name to "LUKE WATSON'S POINT," near E. to which many references in the records, (idem, pp. 26, 29, 31, 34 and 37). Of course, the best story of his career at E. is in HATFIELD, (sev. ref., and partic. p. 62), which shows that before 1673 his wife was named Sarah). LUKE WATSON'S ORIGIN: LUKE WATSON, of Connecticut, Long Island, Elizabeth, New Jersey, Delaware and Pennsylvania, was undoubtedly a son of JOHN WATSON, dec'd. bef. 1638, and who had a dau. ANNA WATSON, by a former wife, because his then wife, ELIZABETH, was called "mother-in-law" (step-mother) to ANNA WATSON in 1639, and brother, THOMAS WATSON, since ANNA WATSON was called latter's "niece." In 1639 the mother, ELIZABETH, was the wife of JOHN GRAY at Quinapeage (L), i.e. New Haven, Conn. THOMAS WATSON was a planter, at Duxbury, Mass., Nov. 28 (7) 1639, when about to embark for England. Nov. 8, 1638, ELIZABETH WATSON, widow, Plymouth, assigned her servant Henry Blagge to THOMAS WATSON, (POPE, p. 482). LUKE WATSON'S WIVES: (It is said there was a first one, dau. of BARNABAS WINES, of E., not found by the writer.) Since LUKE WATSON was certainly m. bef. 1673, in E. N. J., to SARAH, and m. (2) to MARGARET SMITH, dau. of Captain Henry Smith of Delaware, before he m. (3), the widow, of RICHARD PAINTER, formerly of E., he must have had a first (or second) wife, SARAH, now discoverable by the writer to have been an unknown dau. of ISAAC WHITEHEAD, "CLARKE" of E., who died there and was probably buried in the WHITEHEAD burial plot at E. But, when he reached Delaware, LUKE WATSON, m. (2) before 1682, MARGARET SMITH, dau. of CAPTAIN HENRY SMITH, for, in RECORDS OF SUSSEX COUNTY, (p. 79, foot-note), as "the deft pleads that the Land is his father-in-law, HENRY SMITH." By her he had a dau., Mary, b. as late as 1685, "daughter of Luke and Margaret Watson," (idem, p.137). In 1687, "SARAH" was SARAH PAINTER, (widow of RICHARD PAINTER, senior). (Idem, p. 137), but soon she became the 3rd wife of LUKE WATSON, for-- "May 9th, 1706. SARAH WATSON, late Widow & Exec of CAPT. LUKE WATSON, Decd and former Widow and Adminx of RICHARD PAYNTER, Senr. Taylor, Decd (Intestate) being Sumoned to this Court at the Complaint of her son, RICHARD PAYNTER * * * (mention made of his Eldest brother JOHN." (Idem, p. 129.) It is very probable that it was this SARAH, who was a dau. of BARNABAS WINES of E., (supra). It is not difficult to trace the PAYNTER (or PAINTER) relationship, as RICHARD PAYNTER was one of the orig. 80 "Associates" of Elizabethtown, (vide, ante, PART ONE, p. 102), in 1665, together with LUKE WATSON, JOHN GRAY and BARNABAS WINES, all four of whom were interrelated by both blood and marriage. See account of RICHARD PAYNTER in HATFIELD, (p. 88), where he is called "TAILOR," identifying him with the above. (Vide, post, under each of the above names, for further particulars, pp. indic.) The JOHN WINES (or VINES), who appears in the Delaware records was related, a son of BARNABAS WINES of E. Also, the SAMUEL GRAY was a half-brother to LUKE WATSON. By his first wife, SARAH WHITEHEAD, LUKE WATSON, had, at least four sons, LUKE WATSON, JR., JOHN WATSON, SAMUEL WATSON and ISAAC WATSON (vide, his will, post, p. indic.). By his sec. wife, MARGARET SMITH, he had a dau., MARY WATSON, (supra), and by his third wife, SARAH, he had a dau., ELIZABETH WATSON, (supra), and no doubt, other children, deceased in 1705. This ELIZABETH WATSON, (supra), became first wife of Thomas Coddington, and as his widow, m. 1700, ANTHONY MORRIS, 2d., of Burlington, N. J., and Phila., (ABRIDG. COMPEND., Vol. I, p. 985; Vol. II, p. 408; and, Vol. III, p. 759). LUKE WATSON'S WILL: Though certain children may have previously deceased, the six living are shown by the 1705 "Last Will and Testament of Luke Wattson, Snr., Esq. In the Name of God, Amen: I Luke Wattson Senr Esq of Lewis Town in the County of Sussex in the Territories of the Province of Pennsylvania being sick and weak of body, but of sound and perfect mind and memory, praise be therefore given to Almighty God for the same, doe make this my last will and Testament in manner and form following vizt First and above all I give and bequeath my Immortall Soul into the hands of Almighty God that give it me Trusting and assuredly believing that in and through the Meritorious Death and Passion of my Lord and Savior Jesus Christ to receive full and free pardon of all my past sins and offences and as for my body I committ it to the earth from whence it was taken to be decently buried at the descretion of my Executrix hereafter named and my worldly estate wherewith it hath pleased Almighty God in this vain and transitory world to bless me with all I give and dispose thereof as followeth vizt. Imprimis I give and bequeath unto my Sons Luke, John, Samuel and Issac Wattson five shillings money of Pennsylvania and to my Daughter Elizabeth now wife of Antoney Morris Senr of Philadelphia The sum of five Shillings like money to be paid them within three months after my decease by my Executrix hereafter named Item whereas by a former covenant between myself and Johnothan Graves Senr late of this County deceased I am held and obliged to enfeoff him and his heirs &c' with a good right and title of in and to One Hundred Acres of Land being part of a tract of Five Hundred Acres of land situate Lying and being in Sussex County aforesaid and called by the name of Wattsons Choice which is not yett made over to him nor them, I hereby Therefore acknowledge to have received a full consideration for the Same and doe by this my last Will and Testament Give full power and authority to my Executrix to make over enfeoff and alienate One Hundred Acres of the said Tract of land unto the heirs of the said Johnothan Graves upon demand and on That side of the land next adjoining to the Plantation of Johnothan Winne, Taking in the plantation formerly cleared by said Graves, and as near as can bee to have it to their charge Laid out four square ITem As to the remaining part of the said five Hundred Acres of Land I give and bequeath it unto my well beloved Now wife Sarah and my Daughter Mary, that I had by my wife Margery Daughter of Capt. Henry Smith and all the rest and Residue of my now possessed Estate both real and personal of whatt nature quality or kind whatsoever any manner of wayes due, oweing or belonging and appertaining to mee I give and bequeath as well as the above recited four hundred acres of land after my funerall charges and just debts paid and discharged unto my said well beloved wife Sarah and my said Daughter Mary to be equally divided between them their heirs and assigns forever hereby Nominateing ordaining Constituteing & appointing my Sd. Loving wife Sarah Wattson my full and whole Executrix of this my last Will and Testament and my son in law Richard Paynter and Justice Phillip Russell both of Lewis Town above to be overseers of this my last will and testament to bee aiding and assisting to my said Executrix and Daughter Mary hereby revoking and Disannulling all other and former wills either by word of mouth or in writing by me heretofore made ratifying and confirming this onely to stand for and bee my last will and testament In Witness Whereof I have hereunto set my hand and seal the Sixth day of September in the Fourth of the Reign of our Soveraigne Lady Queen Anne over England ect Annog Dom 1705. Luke Wattson (SEAL) Signed sealed published and declared in the presence of us Phillip Russell, Dorethy (her mark) Givens, Sarah (her mark) Russell, Anna O (her mark) Corbett, Roger Corbett." "STATE OF DELAWARE | ss. SUSSEX COUNTY | I, Frank L. Joseph, Register for the Probate of Wills and Granting Letters of Administration, &c., for Sussex County, in the State of Delaware, do hereby certify that the foregoing is a true copy of the last Will and Testament of Luke Wattson, Senr., Esq., as recorded in Will Book No 1, on Page 52, etc. as the same remains on file and of record in this office. IN TESTIMONY WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand and official seal, at Georgetown, this 23rd day of July, in the year of our Lord one thousand seven hundred and thirty-two. (Signed) Frank L. Joseph, (SEAL) Register." The foregoing will is now published for the first time, but the full elucidation of his estate, widow and heirs is to be found in the title and text of "Petition (Feb. 24th, 1747), to divide the lands of SARAH, WIDOW OF LUKE WATSON OF DELAWARE," as given in exact language: (Notes and Queries: PENNA. MAG., Vol. 18, pp. 170-1). Plantation - "Fairfield" Information obtained from Dover Archives..."Capt. Luke Watson & His Descendants" by Charles Pettit A tract of 200 acres near the home plantation of 'Fairfield' was set aside for Samuel, son of Capt. Luke Watson, out of the Marsh Patent. Luke Watson and his family, consisting of wife Sarah and children, came to Lewes, DE between December 6, 1676 and November 6, 1677 First land purchase in DE was on November 6, 1677 and September 7, 1679 a grant was made to him of 1000 acres and to his four sons, John, Luke Jr., Samuel & Isaac, 250 acres each. A patent was granted him by William Penn , February 14, 1684, called the Marsh Patent, for 2049 acres of land and marsh, extending along Delaware Bay from Slaughter Creek to Prime Hook Creek and from 1 to 2 miles back from the bayside. Other patents: Fairfield on south side of Prime Hook Neck and tracts in the present Milford and Mispillion Hundreds, the town of Houston being on one of these sites. Capt. Luke Watson, along with three men, purchased land from the Indians in 1668 and founded Elizabethtown, New Jersey, the oldest city in NJ. Some data concerning Luke Watson can be found in the Historical and Genealogical Societies of Philadelphia, PA.. | ||||||||||
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