"How a 19th-Century Book Solved a Family Mystery"
The Mystery: A Woman Without Parents
Elizabeth "Eliza" Anne Watson is my 3rd great-grandmother. She married George Washington Castator (also known as Castetter) on August 24, 1840, in Ripley County, Indiana. But when I began researching her origins, I hit a wall that many genealogists know well: she appeared in Indiana records as if from nowhere, with no documented parents, no clear birthplace, and no obvious path backward through time.
Census records told me she was born around 1820-1821 in Indiana. Marriage records confirmed her maiden name was Watson. But who were her parents? Where did they come from? How did they end up in Indiana?
The Genealogical Challenge
When direct evidence for an ancestor's parentage doesn't exist, genealogists must build cases using indirect evidence—working through siblings, collateral relatives, and contextual clues to reconstruct family connections.
The Clue: A Brother Named Henry
The key to solving Eliza's mystery came through her brother Henry Watson. Research revealed that Henry Watson had married a Castetter—making him not only Eliza's brother but also connected by marriage to the family Eliza married into.
This wasn't coincidence. In early 19th-century rural Indiana, families often intermarried. When two siblings from one family married into another family, it typically indicated close geographic proximity and social connection. Following Henry Watson's trail would eventually lead to Eliza's parents.
But the real breakthrough came from an unexpected source: a descendant researcher who had been working on the Watson line and discovered something remarkable.
The Breakthrough: Cobbett's Emigrant's Guide
The pivotal discovery was The Emigrant's Guide in Ten Letters Addressed to the Tax-Payers of England by William Cobbett, published in 1829. Cobbett was a journalist, pamphleteer, and farmer who advocated for the English rural poor. His book compiled letters from emigrants describing their experiences in North America—including letters from the Watson family themselves.
Primary Source Discovery
William Cobbett's 1829 book contains actual letters written by John Watson and his family members describing their emigration from Sussex, England, to Indiana. These first-hand accounts provide details that no census record or church register could offer: the family's motivations, their route, their struggles, and their ultimate success in America.
The letters revealed that the Watson family came from Sedlescombe in Sussex, England. They were among many families that parishes in East Sussex had essentially "got rid of" by funding their emigration to the colonies—a common practice in early 19th-century England when rural poverty and unemployment were severe.
The Watson Family of Sussex
John Watson (Father)
- Origin: Sedlescombe, Sussex, England
- Emigrated: 1819
- Connection: Resided on the farm of Tilden Smith, "Vinelands Farm," part of Vinehall Estate, which became the private "Vinehall School" in 1938; Lord Ashton was original owner of the estate.
- Relationship: My 4th great-grandfather
- Also Known As: Whatson
Mary Glover
- Born: 1782, Maidstone, Kent, England
- Married: William Stapley, 1802 (2 children)
- Widowed: 1804
- Married: John Watson, 1808 (1 child)
- Died: 1811, Sussex, England
- Relationship: 1st wife of father
Child of John and Mary (Glover) Watson
- John - born 1809
Mary Vaughan (Mother, 2nd wife of Father)
- Born: 1793, Sussex, England
- Married: John Watson, 1812
- Emigrated: 1819
- Relationship: My 4th great-grandmother
- Also Known As: Vauon
Children of John and Mary (Vaughan) Watson
- James Vaughan - born 1813 (Emigrated 1819)
- Naomi - born 1815 (Emigrated 1819)
- Henry - born 1818 (Emigrated 1819; married Abigail Castetter)
- Elizabeth "Eliza" Anne - born 1821 (my 3rd great-grandmother; married George Washington Castator, later known as Castetter, and brother of Abigail Castetter, above)
- Sarah Joanna - born 1824
- William Aaron - born 1825
- Mary Ann E. - born 1828
- Alfred A. - born 1833
Stephen Watson (Brother of John)
- Origin: Sedlescombe, Sussex, England
- Emigrated: 1823 (arrived Albany, New York)
- Relationship: Brother of John Watson; uncle to Eliza Anne Watson
The Journey: England to Indiana
The Watson family's emigration story, as documented in Cobbett's book, reveals a remarkable journey across the Atlantic and through North America.
Timeline of Migration
John Watson departs England for New Brunswick, Canada
Arrives in New Brunswick aboard the brig Wellington
Family travels through Lower Canada (Quebec), Upper Canada (Ontario), and New York
Family settles in Aurora, Dearborn County, Indiana
Stephen Watson (John's brother) arrives in Albany, New York
The Route
The family's path took them through multiple regions:
- New Brunswick, Canada - initial landing
- Lower Canada (Quebec) - traveled through
- Upper Canada (Ontario) - traveled through
- Geneva, Ontario County, New York - stopped here
- Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania - passed through
- Cincinnati, Ohio - passed through
- Aurora, Dearborn County, Indiana - final destination
This route was common for emigrants in this period. Landing in Canada avoided some of the stricter entry requirements at American ports, and the overland route through New York and down the Ohio River valley was well-established by the 1820s.
The Letters: Primary Source Gold
What makes the Watson discovery so valuable is that Cobbett's book contains the family's own words. These letters describe not just the logistics of emigration but the emotional and economic realities that drove families to leave England.
Historical Context
The letters explain that "several parishes in the East of Sussex had 'got rid of' many families" by funding their emigration. This was a documented practice in early 19th-century England: parishes facing high poor relief costs would pay to send impoverished families to the colonies, viewing it as cheaper than supporting them indefinitely.
For genealogists, finding ancestors mentioned in published contemporary sources is rare and invaluable. These letters provide:
- Confirmation of the family's English origin (Sedlescombe, Sussex)
- Mary Glover's birthplace (Maidstone, Kent)
- Specific dates and locations along the migration route
- The name of the ship (Wellington) and arrival date (June 15, 1819)
- Context for why the family left England
Research Methods That Solved This Case
This research success illustrates several important genealogical principles:
1. Work Through Collateral Relatives
When direct evidence for an ancestor is scarce, research their siblings and extended family. Henry Watson's paper trail was stronger than Eliza's and led to the family's origins.
2. Follow Marriage Patterns
When siblings from two families intermarry (Watson-Castetter connections), it indicates social proximity and often shared origins or migration patterns.
3. Connect With Other Researchers
The breakthrough came from a descendant researcher who had discovered Cobbett's book. Collaboration with others researching the same lines can yield sources you'd never find alone.
4. Look Beyond Standard Records
Census records and church registers are essential, but published contemporary sources—books, newspapers, emigrant guides—can provide context and details that official records lack.
5. Understand Historical Context
Knowing that Sussex parishes sponsored emigration helps explain why the Watson family left England and why records of their departure might be found in unexpected places.
The Sherlock Holmes Principle
"You know my methods, Watson." In genealogy, as in detective work, success comes from gathering all available evidence, following every lead, and building a case from multiple sources. When direct evidence is missing, indirect evidence—properly assembled—can solve mysteries that seemed unsolvable.
Sources and References
Primary Sources
- Cobbett, William. The Emigrant's Guide in Ten Letters Addressed to the Tax-Payers of England. London, 1829. [Contains letters from the Watson family]
- Infant baptism records, Kent, England (Mary Glover)
- English census records: 1841, 1851, 1861 (for relatives who remained in England)
- Marriage records, Ripley County, Indiana (Elizabeth Watson and George Washington Castator, August 24, 1840)
- U.S. Federal Census records
Secondary Sources
- Find A Grave contributions from descendant researchers
- Correspondence with fellow Watson/Castetter researchers
Location References
- Sedlescombe (Sedlescomb, Siddlescombe), Sussex, England
- Maidstone, Kent, England
- Footlands Farm, Mountfield estate, Sussex
- Aurora, Dearborn County, Indiana
Frequently Asked Questions
How common was it for English parishes to fund emigration?
Parish-assisted emigration was relatively common in early 19th-century England, particularly in agricultural areas facing high unemployment and rising poor relief costs. Sussex was one of several counties where parishes actively sponsored the emigration of families to North America, viewing it as more economical than long-term support. Records of these arrangements sometimes survive in parish vestry minutes or Poor Law records.
Why did emigrants often land in Canada rather than the United States?
Emigrants traveling across the Atlantic frequently chose to land in Canadian ports rather than directly in the United States due to several practical and economic factors.
- Cheaper Passage and Fares: This was a primary driver. The overall passage was often cheaper to Canadian ports like Quebec City or Halifax. A major source of affordable fares came from the timber ships (known as "coffin ships" for their poor conditions) returning empty to Canada from England, which offered extremely low rates to fill their cargo holds.
- Less Stringent Entry: Canada generally maintained less stringent entry requirements for immigrants compared to the United States, making it a safer bet for those worried about being denied entry.
- Strategic Location: For many, Canada was simply a strategic stepping stone. Emigrants who knew their ultimate goal was the American Midwest or Northeast found that landing in Canada and traveling overland to their final U.S. destination could be more affordable than paying the premium for a direct port-of-entry into the United States.
How do I find published emigrant letters for my ancestors?
Search for emigrant guides, travel narratives, and published letter collections from the period and region of your ancestors' emigration. Libraries with strong genealogy collections, Google Books, Internet Archive, and HathiTrust all have digitized 19th-century emigrant literature. Also search local historical society publications from both the origin location (England, in this case) and the destination.
What's the connection between the Watson and Castetter families?
The families had multiple marriage connections: Elizabeth "Eliza" Anne Watson married George Washington Castator, and her brother Henry Watson married a Castetter sibling. This pattern of intermarriage between two families was common in early 19th-century rural communities where families lived in close proximity.
How reliable are letters published in books like Cobbett's Emigrant's Guide?
Published emigrant letters should be evaluated like any historical source. Cobbett had a political agenda (encouraging emigration and criticizing English poor laws), which may have influenced which letters he selected. However, the specific details in the Watson letters—names, dates, ship name, locations—can often be verified against other records, lending credibility to the accounts.