Watson (Y-DNA)
Contents
Status summary
Completed as of April 14, 2026
- Recruiting patrilineal (all male-line) descendants of George Watson for NGS/WGS testing. Any male who believes they are such a descendant should Read me First
IMPORTANT: Read me First
Still to do as of April 14, 2026
- NGS/WGS test multiple George Watson direct paternal (Y-DNA) descendants to firmly place family clade as well as discover any subclades unique to descendants lines
Biography
First Generation
George Watson was born presumably in England abt 1602 date, place and parentage currently unknown. He died Plymouth 31 Jan 1688/9 and said to be aged 87 years old. He married abt 1635 Phebe Hicks and they had seven children (Plymouth): John (c1636 likely never marr.), Phoebe (c1638), Mary (c1642), Samuel (1648-1649), Elizabeth (1648/9), Jonathan (1652) and Elkanah (1655/6).
Second Generation
Jonathan Watson was born Plymouth 9 Mar 1652 and died Dover NH aft 29 Aug 1714. He married twice first Exeter NH 1675 Abigail Dudley then Dover Dec 1678 Elizabeth Beard. By his first wife he had Samuel (c1637). By his second wife he had Daniel (1680), David (1680), William (1682), Jonathan (1684 likely never m.), Mary (1684), Isaac (c1686), Elizabeth (c1688), Hannah (c1690) and Alice (c1692).
Elkanah Watson was born Plymouth 25 Feb 1655/6 and died in a shipwreck off the coast of Plymouth 8 Feb 1689/90. He married bef 1678 Mercy ?Hedge[1] and they had John (1678), Phebe (1681), Mercy (1683), Mary (1688) and Elizabeth (1690 likely d.y.)
Third Generation
- ↑ After the death of Elkanah, she married John Freeman.
DNA results
Previous Y-DNA testing R1b-M269
The Watson DNA Project Group: "R1b1 Haplogroup - This group needs all those less than Y111 to upgrade to at LEAST Y111, but preferably the Big Y when financially able" has one individual claiming George Watson was their Most Distant Known Patrilineal Ancestor (MDKPA). This tester has not done any Y-SNP testing, and only tested 37 Y-STRs. Family Tree DNA predicts they would fall under R1b-M269.
NGS/WGS testing
NGS/WGS testing of patrilineal (direct male line Y-DNA descendants) would identify the haplogroup for the family and possibly define subclades for descendants. Anyone who believe they are Y-DNA descendants of George Watson is encouraged to Y-DNA test and contact MayflowerDNA1620@gmail.com
External Links and References
- Anderson, Robert Charles, The Pilgrim Migration: Immigrants to Plymouth Colony 1620-1633. New England Historic Genealogical Society, Boston, 2004. Pages 483-487.
