John Charles Watson b. 1830 Kentucky, USA

[mrwatson]

My GG grandfather John Charles Watson left a mystery when he disappeared from records around 1903. Born 1830 in Kentucky, USA, his father was born around 1800 in Pennsylvania, USA. My Y-chromosome DNA testing shows a paternal line coming from Lowland Scotland 1900 years ago. Haplogroup I2b1a1-Isle/Sc. SNP testing confirmed M284+ and SNPs S165 & 166 derivative. Scottish to the core.

I am hoping to jump the JC Watson gap by finding a DNA match. 63 generations around Scotland and 10 generations in America. Lots of males out there with close matching markers. Unfortunately, the pool of Y-chromosome DNA participants is growing slowly.

JC Watson was a Presbyterian. We believe his Watsons may have left Lowland Scotland for the Ulster Plantation and from their to Philadelphia around 1750. The trail leads down the Ohio River to Kentucky for JC's birth. He made his way down the Ohio River to the Mississippi River and up the Missouri River to Independence where he married Malinda Reed July 6, 1864 using the name Charles DeForrest. Cautioned his children to use their "legal" name DeForrest for marriage, land and military documents. They obeyed and the name morphed to DeForrest by WWI.

Your help is greatly appreciated.

[Polwarth]

Hello!
Whilst I cannot help you with the American side of your mystery - the perceived wisdom is that you must trace your line back to the immigrant - and only then can you trace (even via the Plantation!) back to Scotland. If you can do that, then there is a good chance that you can take it further back via Old Parish records - held by the Scottish Register Office in Edinburgh.

Good luck with your research.

[mrwatson]

I hear you about the genealogy work that needs to be done. The genetic genealogy work is in progress as well. And the important aspect of this effort is the absence of many boundaries. Y-chromosome DNA markers are a bright flashlight to be used in pursuit of the paternal line.

I once spent time following the DeForrest literature and story to Northern France. Seemed the pieces were fitting. Right up until I used genetic genealogy tools to discover the truth about my roots in Lowland Scotland. And that led to the revelation about the blood surname. Each of us has a limited amount of capital. Not just money, but more importantly time. DNA has illuminated the paternal path. Now I can work both sides of the Atlantic in great confidence.

Many current male residents of Scotland have Y-chromosome DNA markers that match mine (see Ysearch - the number one Y-DNA public database and use xuryd code) to within 41/43. I'm anticipating the beginning of a dialogue that will lead to a more complete understanding of the journey from Lowland Scotland to PA.

Thanks for taking the time to read this message.

[Roswald]

A quick look at the Family Search web sight shows that there were Watsons in The County of Fife Scotland around 1680 to 1700 which is where I2b1a1 seems to be centered. Since you mentioned Kentucky it sounds like you people came over with the Scotch Irish. Good luck hunting.

[mrwatson]

Some folks have traced back to William DeForest 1350-1430 in Scotland. My DNA points to the Borderlands. Southern Scotland/Northern England.