Julia Beatrice Watson ⁴⁶

  General Notes:

Her father was a tall English merchant who died when she was quite young. She was raised by her German grandmother until she met James MacFarland. They moved to Pueblo, CO in 1875, then purchased a wagon and a team of horses and settled in Rye, CO. James died in 1878, and in 1880 she remarried to John Ritter. (Kelley, Hazel Grace (McFarland)

UPDATE, March 29, 2009 - I believe I've uncovered the mystery about Julia Watson's early life. First, the things I know: 1) Her last name is Watson. Her first name is Julia. 2) She was born in Coles County, Illinois, in 1853. Those things I know. I was told she had a sister, "Amanda," and a brother, "Theodore." I was also told Julia's dad's name was "David S. Watson," and her mother was, "Sarah Fudge." The story I was told by my grandmother Kelley was that Julia's dad was A) and "English merchant" who died when Julia was young, and, B) Julia was raised by her "german grandmother."

From the information about, I researched and found the following:

1850 Coles County, Illinois census shows a David S. Watson married to a "Jane" (born about 1826, Virginia). They have listed a child named, "Millard F." On the same page of the census (at the top) is listed, "Barbary Fudge," and, "Susan E. Fudge." These facts lend credence to the idea that the "Jane" David S. Watson" is married to in that census is, "Sarah Jane Fudge."

1860 Charleston, Coles County, Illinois census shows "D S Watson" married to a "Mary J." (born about 1825, Kentucky). "Millard F." is listed as a son. "Theodor A." is also listed as a son born in 1850. There is an "Amanda P." listed as born about 1857. "D S"'s occupation is listed as, "Grocery Merchant."

1860 Charleston, Coles County, Illinois census shows, "Julia Watson" (born about 1853) living in a "Fugg" household. In that "Fugg" household is a "Barbara Fugg" (born about 1804, Virginia). The closest person to Julia's age in that household is a "Simeon R. Fugg" (born about 1850, Illinois).

After the 1860 census, I find no record of "D S" or "David S." Watson.

My conclusion is this: David S. Watson married Sarah Jane Fudge. There are records of that marriage. That's a real event. The census shows Sarah Jane's name as, "Jane." That's a common thing. Many women went by their middle names in the census records. They had Julia in 1853, but, somewhere between the birth of Julia to the marriage of David Watson to, "Mary J", Sarah Jane Watson died. Since Julia was a young (infant, or, toddler at the oldest) girl, she was sent to live with her Grandmother, Barbara Fudge (listed as "Fugg" in the 1860 census). Meanwhile, Julia's older brothers were able to take care of themselves much easier at the ages of 5 to 10, and, they remained with their father, David S. Watson. "Amanda P." Watson is Julia's half-sister, with Amanda's mother being "Mary J."

All of this is unproven unless I find somewhere a document that lays it all out, but, the facts are strong enough for me to go with this theory. It is also noteworthy that Julia B. Watson named her first son, Robert Simeon (McFarland). Remember that the next child in her household with Barbara Fudge was, "Simeon R."

I'll bet you a dollar that Simeon's middle name was, "Robert."

  Noted events in her life were:

• Medical Condition.

Julia married James McFarland, son of Peter McFarlan and Helen Campbell, on Nov 22, 1870. (James McFarland was born between Jul 4 and 5, 1846 in Glasgow, Scotland ⁴⁵ and died on Oct 26, 1878 in Colorado.)

Julia next married John S. Ritter, son of George Kemery Ritter and Sarah Stauffer, on Mar 16, 1880 in Greenhorn, Colorado. (John S. Ritter was born on Jan 25, 1836 in Hickorytown, Pennsylvania and died on Dec 6, 1924 in Laveta, Colorado.)