Baptismal Record of James Watson: From Scotch Presbyterian Church,Montreal, denominated St. Andrews for the year one thousand eighthundred and forty eight - " James son of James Watson of Montreal,late of 93rd Regiment and Jane Marks his wife was born on the seventhand baptized on the twentieth day of April One Thousand Eight Hundredand Forty Eight by me:
(signed) Alex Mathieson D.D.Min
(signed) James Watson
Jane M. Watson (marked with an X)
Anna N (R?) Roach"Census information shows him alternately to be a carpenter and farmer."When I was three months <June 1881> old my parents left the farm andcame to live in a house on my grandfather's land that stood where theClelands live now, as father worked in Cushing's saw mill. In thesummer of 1881 he built the house that still stands next to mine.[from "A Family History" by Amelia E. Usher (Aunt Millie), 1947]
"In September of 1885 Father met with a serious accident in the mill.After hours he was filing a circular saw, when the machineryunexpectedly started to carry him forward like a log, and cutting thethigh of his right leg through.
He almost bled to death as he was brought home on a stretcher, but Dr.Robertson of St. Andrews being at the Cushing residence was soon inattendance. Drs. Thomas and George Christie of Lachute were calledand all consulted together for three hours. Before getting chloroformFather begged to have his leg left on and not be sent to a hospital.When it was thought that he wouldn't live anyway, the doctors got oneof father's hand saws and sawed the jagged edges of the bone smooth,bored two holes in each end with a gimlet, and tied the bones togetherwith wire taken from an old broomstick. After almost a year Fatherhad recovered enough to get around with crutches, then with only one,and latterly used a cane, eventually being able to carry on his tradeas a builder, climbing ladders as before.
In the fall of 1886, father, not being able to do much else, attendedschool next door to our home where a fine teacher was in charge. Mybrother Willie was going and though I would not be six years of ageuntil March 1, I too began to go in January, so we were always able toboast that we went to school with our father. Indeed, we sometimeshad to pull him over the snowdrifts on our handsleigh. The manymonths spent in bed on his back affected his kidneys and left himdelicate, so that if he ever got chilled he suffered acute attacks ofpain. He died October 19, 1914, after only three days from beingstricken with paralysis while at his work in Government Shops inCarillon.
[from "A Family History" by Amelia E. Usher (Aunt Millie), 1947]
James had a medal from the Fenian Raids (1866-1870). The medal has"11th Bn" and "1870" on it. In the National Archives, Microfilm RG9,II A 5, Vol 9, p. 33 it states for James Watson - "11th BattalionArgenteuil Rangers. Service: May 26 - May 29 at Montreal and St.Andrews. Commanding officer: Lt. Col. Abbott. Address: Cushing,Que."
1881 Canadian Census:
Census Place: Chatham, Argenteuil, Quebec, Canada
Source: FHL Film 1375860 NAC C-13224 Dist 96 SubDist C Div 1 Page61 Family 268
Sex Marr Age Origin Birthplace
James WATSON M M 36 English Q <Quebec>
Occ: Farmer & Carp. Religion: C. Presbyterian
Louisa WATSON F M 26 Scottish Q <Quebec>
Religion: C. Presbyterian
William James WATSON M 2 English Q <Quebec>
Religion: C. Presbyterian
Elisabeth L. WATSON F <1 English Q <Quebec>
Religion: C. Presbyterian
Born: Mar; 2/12In 1853, James, then age 5, was left in care of the O'Brien family.That summer his mother died (August) followed by his two youngerbrothers, Alexander in September and William in October. The familyhad been living in Montreal, which is where his mother and brotherAlexander died (presumably of some communicable disease sweeping thearea in 1853). His brother William died in Cushing, so it was likelylate September 1853 that the father, James, took his two survivingsons to Cushing and placed them in care of the O'Brien family. Jameswas raised by the O'Briens who lived in a stone farmhouse, locatedbetween Cushing and Saint Philippe (now 602 Chemin Morrissette (justeast of Cushing Rd.) - 45d 36m 46s N - 74d 26m 40s W). It's not knownhow long James lived in the house, it is possible he was there untilhe got married since we know that when he married Louisa Webster in1876, he rented the O'Brien farmhouse and he and Louisa lived thereuntil June of 1881. At that time the family moved to a brick housebeside the old Webster one on the Front Road (now Rue des Outawais) ofChatham Township. It was at that time that James started to build theframe house that would become the family homestead. The family movedinto the house in the fall of 1881 (located at about 700 route desOutaouais).
Death due to stroke (October 19, 1914) - "whose death occured onmonday afternoon of this week, following a stroke of paralysis withwhich he was seized on Friday last (October 16, 1914) while apparentlyin his usual health. Mr. Watson, who was about 65 years of age, was alifelong resident of this place and held the respect and esteem of thewhole community." [newspaper clipping, source unknown - family bible]
"
Marie Louise (Louisa* Mary) Webster
Family Bible shows birth date as January 9, 1854 (also shows "LousiaM. Watson" as name .. presumably in error)
1871 Census - Quebec District 96 Argenteuil; Sub-District ChathamEnumerators Division No. 1; page 18 line 8
Webster, Louisa / F / age 16 / province of birth Quebec / religionChurch of Scotland / origin Scotch
[transcribed by Doreen Davidson]Baptismal Record Notre-Dame-Des-Sept-Douleurs-De-Grenville
1855 B.5 Marie Louise Webster
born 09 January baptized 04 February
( in French)
[Doreen Davidson]1881 Canadian Census:
Census Place: Chatham, Argenteuil, Quebec, Canada
Source: FHL Film 1375860 NAC C-13224 Dist 96 SubDist C Div 1 Page61 Family 268
Sex Marr Age Origin Birthplace
James WATSON M M 36 English Q <Quebec>
Occ: Farmer & Carp. Religion: C. Presbyterian
Louisa WATSON F M 26 Scottish Q <Quebec>
Religion: C. Presbyterian
William James WATSON M 2 English Q <Quebec>
Religion: C. Presbyterian
Elisabeth L. WATSON F <1 English Q <Quebec>
Religion: C. Presbyterian
Born: Mar; 2/12
5. William James (Willie) Watson
Attended St. John's Military Academy. Died of a perforated appendixin Montreal.