James Watson b. 1777 Scottish Borders - Who are his parents?

[iregurl]

I've hit a brick wall in my Watson family research.  Many of us thought that this James Watson was the son of Dr. James Watson and Elizabeth Turnbull of Kelso, Roxburghshire, but their son was born in 1793 and couldn't be in the militia or married in 1800.

I'm trying to confirm where he was born and who his parents are. This is the information I have been able to confirm so far.

James Watson was born on 1777, in the Scottish Borders.
He married Anne Agnes Duncan on April 13, 1800, in Cupar, Fife.
They had eight children in 16 years.

Occupation in 1800 was Weaver
Occupation in 1804 was Stone Mason.
Occupation on Death Record was Surgeon

They had moved to Kelso, Roxburghshire by 1806.
They then moved to the Galashiels, Selkirkshire by 1818.
They then moved to Jedburgh, Roxburghshire sometime between 1818 and 1838

He was in the Cupar Militia. Sergt. July 2, 1800 Couper Volunteers/ Sargent Major 
By 1809 he was a member of the Roxburghshire Local Militia
By 1813 he was in the Kelso Militia.

He died on December 16, 1838, in Jedburgh, Roxburghshire, Scotland, at the age of 61, and was buried at Jedburgh Abbey.

[iregurl]

List of their children


James Watson
1802–1804

James Rutherford Watson
1804–1851

Margaret Watson
1806–

William Watson
1809–1881

Andrew Watson
1813–1867

Adam Watson
1816–1884

Richard L Watson
1818–

Alexander Watson

[Ayashi]

(You've typo'd his year of birth in your thread title )

Does he never get more specific than "Borders"? According to Google, the Borders counties are Berwick, Peebles, Roxburgh and Selkirk. Of those, I'm only getting one result- James WATSON ch 19/2/1776 son of James, parish of Kilbucho, Peebles. Have you checked this one out?

[iregurl]

(You've typo'd his year of birth in your thread title )

Does he never get more specific than "Borders"? According to Google, the Borders counties are Berwick, Peebles, Roxburgh and Selkirk. Of those, I'm only getting one result- James WATSON ch 19/2/1776 son of James, parish of Kilbucho, Peebles. Have you checked this one out?

Thanks, it's been a long day. 

On his marriage record in 1800 it says that he was of that parish, but he only had to live there 3 weeks for that to be recorded.

I haven't seen the one in Peebles.  I'll take a look and see if he fits in or not.  Thanks!

[iregurl]

This is the link to his headstone with the inscription:

https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/80041630/james-watson

[DonM]

Much doesn't seem right besides Scottish Borders...

Weaver,
Mason,
Surgeon

These are trades requiring a specific skillset and training and takes years.  One does not jump from one to the other and end up becoming a Surgeon (which requires a much higher education than the others).
 
The Bann is likely correct.  If it states he is of this Parish he was the son James Watson (a wright) and Margaret Malcom and he was born in Cupar in 1777.  If he wasn't born in Cupar and only there for 3 weeks it would say he was from the Parish of

Don







 

[iregurl]

Much doesn't seem right besides Scottish Borders...

Weaver,
Mason,
Surgeon

These are trades requiring a specific skillset and training and takes years.  One does not jump from one to the other and end up becoming a Surgeon (which requires a much higher education than the others).
 
The Bann is likely correct.  If it states he is of this Parish he was the son James Watson (a wright) and Margaret Malcom and he was born in Cupar in 1777.  If he wasn't born in Cupar and only there for 3 weeks it would say he was from the Parish of

Don

The occupation of Surgeon is listed on his death certificate according to FindMyPast.  The Weaver and the Mason came from other sources that aren't official, so probably aren't true.  His children did go into weaving.

I don't know if his parents are James Watson and Margaret Malcolm, as that's not been confirmed and Cupar isn't within the Scottish Borders.  Also, there is is no marriage record for them.

His regimental records from 1804-1807 with the 3rd Foot Soldiers has his birth year as 1780.

There has been a lot of confusion about my 5x great-grandfather's origins.

[Neale1961]

The occupation of Surgeon is listed on his death certificate according to FindMyPast. 

There is no death certificate as this was before registration. There is only the church record of his death / burial - available on Scotlands People.
WATSON   JAMES   -----      M   16/12/1838   792/    70 540   Jedburgh

The information it gives is:
16 Dec 1838
WATSON, James – late Serjent Major, (then 2 initials which I can't decipher)
age 64     disease -liver complaint.

That puts his birth about 1774.

On the marriage record from Cupar 1800, it says:
James Watson Sergt of Cupar Volunteers

[iregurl]

The occupation of Surgeon is listed on his death certificate according to FindMyPast. 

There is no death certificate as this was before registration. There is only the church record of his death / burial - available on Scotlands People.
WATSON   JAMES   -----      M   16/12/1838   792/    70 540   Jedburgh

The information it gives is:
16 Dec 1838
WATSON, James – late Serjent Major, (then 2 initials which I can't decipher)
age 64     disease -liver complaint.

That puts his birth about 1774.

On the marriage record from Cupar 1800, it says:
James Watson Sergt of Cupar Volunteers

First name(s)    James
Last name    Watson
Occupation    Surgeon
Birth year    1774
Age    64
Death year    -
Burial year    1838
Burial date    16 Dec 1838
Place    Jedburgh
County    Roxburghshire
Country    -
Page    19
Archive reference    OPR 792/7
Year Range    1820-1854
Item    1
Record set    Scotland, Parish Deaths & Burials 1564-2017
Category    Birth, Marriage & Death (Parish Registers)
Subcategory    Parish Burials
Collections from    Great Britain, Scotland