Hello Monica
It's been awhile since I have done any research on the Watson's. In the meantime I've been quite successful with the other family lines and have been in touch with lots of interesting "relatives". I don't think I thanked you and flst for all your help - I apologise and I'm doing that now!
I haven't got much further with my research on Alexander. His father Thomas, the farmer, was alive at the time of his marriage. I have got a copy of the will for the Thomas Watson, farmer, we talked about. There is no reference to his son Alexander although there are bequests to his other children. If this Alexander died I can't find a reference to it. Perhaps he was estranged from his father. Perhaps he was doing OK in England and so was left nothing.
I did consider contacting the Buchan Observer again but they have been less than helpful to me. I could never find out if my letter reached the person who was making the enquiries. It seems bizarre to me that someone would go to the trouble of placing a very specific item in the classifieds of a newspaper but do not seem to be on any ancestry site doing research.
Hope you are having a great summer and once again thanks for your help.
Regards,
Margaret
