WM. WATSON BOOMER'S DIARY
Contributed by Kay Midgett Sheppard

William Watson Boomer's diary was copied by R.T. Bonner and Miss Lottie Hale Bonner, Aurora, N.C. on October 19, 1916 and includes personal letters, surveys, and genealogy records of the Watson, Gibbs, Benson and Boomer families. William Watson Boomer lived in the Lake Comfort area of Hyde County. The first entry states "W.W. Boomer's book bought at Suffolk, Va. March 8th 1862."

Number of acres of land belonging to John BENSON, dec'd.

[This was copied by William W. Boomer in the year of our Lord one thousand Eight Hundred and Sixty two this June 6th]

["In Memory Of" states that Adaranah Lee "Addie" Boomer was born January 4, 1865 and died July 15, 1884. She was the daughter of William Watson Boomer and Dorcas Elizabeth Benson.]

WATSON FAMILY RECORDS

William Watson and Sophia Cary his wife, came to Hyde County, N.C. from the Eastern shore of Maryland. Previous to their removal to this State had born to them: Israel, Easter, James, Jenny, and Comfort and after their residence here, Sophia, William and Benjamin.

Rev. Israel Watson married the widow, Sarah Owens, nee Smith, of Currituck and had born to them: Lydia, Benjamin and Easter, and she dying he married Charity Brooks and had born to them Israel S. Watson.

Easter Watson married Timothy Murray and had born to them: Peleg, Rachel, Daniel, Polly, Frances, Riley, Durant H. and Nancy.

James Watson married Susanna Benson and had born to them: Nancy, Rebecca, Mahaly, Mary, Prudence, and Benaja.

Jenny Watson married Thomas Gibbs and had born to them: Brinson, Iva, Thomas B., Sophia, and Rebecca.

Comfort Watson married Henry Gibbs and had born to them: Brittania, Asbury, Deidama, Matilda, Nancy, Israel, and Hilliard.

Sophia Watson married Joseph Jarvis and [had] born to them: Emma, Rebecca, Brittania, Bryant, and John.

William Watson married Dina Bartie Gibbs and had born to them: Clarissa, Sophia, Cary, Mary, Joanna, Dina, William, Samuel G., Augustian, and James M.

Benjamin Watson married Elizabeth _______ and had born to them: Wiley, Nancy, Selby, Benjamin, Julias C., and Rebecca.

Israel B. Watson married Margaret Mann and had born to them: Victor, Annice, Mary, Margaret, Braxton, Lexace, Bessie, John, and Winslow.

Rebecca married Wm. D. Murray and had born to them: Margaret Isabella.

William Watson, son of William Watson and Sophia Cary his wife, was the father of Clarissa, Joanna, Dina, William, Samuel G., Augustus, James M. and Sophia Cary.

Clarissa Watson married Henry Boomer and had born to them: Samuel G., Frances, Eliza, William W. Boomer, and James M. Boomer.

Joanna Watson married Jordan Bell and had born to them: Israel F. Bell.

Mary [married] William Weston and had born to them: Elizabeth, Emilene, Louisa, Clarissa, Dina, and Frances.

Dina _______ [Watson] married Samuel Weston and had born to them: Milton, Jabes G., and James A. Samuel Weston died and she married James W. Swindell and had born to them Walter, Carolina, and Sally.

William Watson married Sally Weston and had born to them: Joseph M., Anna E., Adeline, Elizabeth, and Minnie.

Samuel G. Watson married Nancy Boomer and had born to them: Jennie C. (who married John Bell), Charles A. (who died in the CSA), Sada, William Independence (who married Charlie S. Archbell), Samuel Mann (who married Annie Bedford Hooker), John, James H. (who married Mary White), and Annie Mary (who married George Israel Swindell).

Augustus Watson married Nancy _____ [Shaw].

James M. Watson married Sarah Ann Brooks and had born to them: George Israel Watson, Sarah, and Ann Virginia.

William Watson son [of] William Watson and Sophia Cary was born April 10th, 1772 and died Nov. 26th 1834.

Dina Bartie Watson, wife of William Watson, born Dec. 10th 1779.

Augustus Watson born Jan. 8th 1814; died Oct. 2nd 1884.

Nancy Watson, wife [of] A.W. Watson born 1817; died Dec. 17th 1888.

Jas. M. Watson born Dec. 2, 1817; died Jan. 17th 1894.

Sarah Ann Watson born Dec. 12th 1832 died Sept. 20th 1854.

George Israel Watson born Feb. 22, 1851.

Sarah Ann Virginia born Aug. 22, 1854; died Oct. 1, 1854.

Rev. Benjamin Watson, son of Benjamin and Elizabeth Watson, was born in Hyde County, N.C. April 10, 1810 and died March 23, 1891 at White Sulphur Springs, Jefferson County, Arkansas. His father was strictly moral but worldly minded; his mother a pious member of the Methodist Episcopal Church. He had an early Christian training. He was converted by the preaching of Rev. Joseph Carson at a camp-meeting in the Autumn of 1830, professed religion a few months after and joined the M.E. Church and was licensed to preach in June, 1831. He was employed by the presiding elder to take the place of Miles Foy on the Roanoke Circuit, Virginia Conference. In February 1832, he was received into the Virginia Conference and sent to the Williamsburg Circuit. Between three and four hundred professed religion under his ministry there. In 1833, he was sent to Amherts Circuit. In 1834 he was ordained deacon and was ordained elder in 1836. In 1841 he was transferred to the Memphis Conference and was sent to Salem Circuit. In 1842-44 he was presiding Elder of Texas District. In 1849 he was transferred to Arkansas Conference and was appointed President of the Saulsbury Institute at Batesville, Ark. In January 1855 he was appointed to the Presidency of the Female College located at Tulip, Ark. In 1868 he was appointed to the Sulphur Springs Circuit and took charge of Pleasant Ridge Academy until July 1872. In the 67th year of his summing up the result of his labors he concluded that he had traveled 60,000 miles, preached 7,000 sermons and received 10,000 members into the Methodist Church. His life closed like a glorious sunset on a bright, clear summer day. Such was the life of this good man. Lord may we meet him in the 'Sweet By and By'.

GIBBS FAMILY RECORDS

Children of Cason Gibbs & Dina Bartee ---------------- 6
Children of Cason Gibbs & Nancy Locker -------------- 4
Children of Cason Gibbs & Pheba Harris -------------- 11

Their Husbands and Wives:

BOOMER FAMILY RECORDS

Marriages

Births

Deaths

William Watson, Sr. of England & Sopha Cary his wife of Ireland, emigrated to the United States first to Virginia then to North Carolina, Hyde Co. and was the father of Israel, James, William, Benjamin, Comfort, Sophia, Easter, Mary & Rebecca Watson and grandfather of Clarissa, Mary, Joanna, Sopha Cary, Mahaly, Sopha Caroline, William, Samuel Gibbs, Augustus Washington, and James Marshal Watson and great-grandfather of Samuel G., James M., Frances, David D., Elizabeth, William J., Eliza, and William Watson Boomer.

BENSON FAMILY RECORDS

Copyright 2000

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