WATSON, William [of Southwell and Farnsfield]
Farnsfield Hall
Died 1815
William Watson's great-great-great-great-grandson now lives in New Zealand and is researching the family history.
Here are some initial findings about William Watson. Can anyone else help? If so, please leave information via the 'Comment' link at the bottom of this page.
William Watson was long term resident of Farnsfield and was the grandson of Sir Beaumont Dixie.
Watson married Catherine Clay in 1779, and was buried in 1815 at Southwell Minster with military honours - having served many years in the East Indian Army (as did his three sons).
In her book "A History of Farnsfield" (2000), Mary Rigg has the following to say about the Watson family (p.37):-
"The Watsons were a family that had lived in the village at least since the early seventeenth century, the earliest reference to them dating from 1612.
"The next mention of a Watson happens in 1710 when a Watson was occupying Farnsfield Hall. William Watson died in 1755 leaving the hall and his lands to John Watson, who was to be the principal beneficiary of the enclosures."
Enclosure took place in Farnsfield in 1777 with John Watson receiving 467 acres; his mother and wife gaining 138 acres between them.
It was John Watson who, by 1760, had completed a new wing at Farnsfield Hall, often referred to as 'Watson's Folly'. There is a nice aerial photo of the hall on the Farnsfield Local History society website at www.farnsfieldlhs.co.uk
Mary Rigg notes that upon John's death in 1789 his late wife's money went to the family, but that he left most of the Farnsfield estate to a Sarah Thornally. "The burial records show why", explains Mary Rigg: "In 1795 John Watson Thornally, 'base' child of Sarah Thornally was buried in Farnsfield churchyard. Major William watson, John Watson's younger brother, in making his own will in 1815 stated 'My paternal estate at Farnsfield I have before been deprived of'".
Further references to the Watsons in Mary Rigg's book are as follows:-
p.40 - From 1794 - c.1800 Major watson was one of the Overseers of the Poor in Farnsfield
p.60 - William Watson was one of the two original trustees of a fund set up to establish a school in Farnsfield - which was subsequently achieved.