The Wilmingtonian, and Delaware advertiser., 1826-09-28
From the Bucks County Patriot.
JOHN WATSON, SuRvEroR.-NO. Z.


William Satterthwaite, with description
Of his person, peculiarities, and press OF 6u-
siness. remember hearing him say to my
father, that it would be an advantage to MN
to have his leg broke, that then he couid
have time to take some comfort in his learn
inr--but under his surveying calls lie couid
not. =.
DR.. Franklin told me that it was his SIN
gularly forbdding appearance, suPeror ei
ee ant hand writing, and shrewd rephes az
Indian treaties and public places, that
brought him into the notice and esteem OF
men of eminence and observation.
In Proud's History, volume "a, page Zoo'
he saws that there were Commissioners ap-
pointedn the 1882, to settle and determine
how the boundary lines between Lord Bal
timore and the Penns should be run. They |
determined upon circle of twelve astron-
ypical miles, radius from New Castle Court !
House. and then line from some point IN
the periphery of said circle, that tangent
should be an astronomical meridian TO divide
between the states of Delawar and Mary
land. until it struck parallel Of latitude
.rom given point on the ocean, and the
line between Pennsylvania and Maryland to
be parallel of latitude. Proud says about
Is miles south of Philadelphia. In that he
is in error. for we'll know the distance to
be much creater-neither is he correct IN
his other descriptions astronomical. That
agreement was ratified and confirmed by
both parties, and made the controversy
worse than ever.
The late Benjamin Chew; Esq. told me
that he was counsel for the Penns; and that
% or 80 years after, the contentious and
difficulties between the settlers under the
different states, increased to serious de-
= Now \ nd nfv.
England, they could not find man who
would undertake to survey circle, or de-
termine point on the periphery where
tangent would be a true astronomical meri-
dian, until he became acquainted with, and
brought forward the famous John Watson,
who undertook the business. Then suita-
Bile instruments must be made, and John
Watson must invent and make drawings OF
them all.
Edward Dufield, who was executor to
DR.. Franklin, was an eminent man and su-
perior workman.-He made the instruments
and told me that it was the largest and best
Job that he ever had. | should never have
known how Watson run circle with mag
netic needle, if E. Dufiield had not described
the instrument John Watson was only to
work at the business when the commission
ers from Maryland attended. He had a
nOMCeF OI lOuIuSJ udSA aiiA AVA Vo'us W. .
or 3 wears, and finished all the most difficult
parts. The assistants that he took with him
were Nicholas Scull, the Surveyor General,
learned and ingenious man, and the late
John Lukens, then An active accurate Sur
veyor where they had to unite the meridian
with the parallel Of latitude run from the O.
cean, which was low, unhealthy place
Most of the company were taken i'll, and N
Scull died--whereupon the Proprietor ap-
pointed John Watson Surveyor General IN
his place. When he came to the Office, he
found himself very unwell, made sbor,
stay to appoint clerk, hurried up to Bucks
County to see the young woman to whom
he was engaged, and riding hard intlf neal
aggravated the fever to such degre thdi
he lived but few days. was at Buckihg-
ham grave yaro at his burial; it was.the larg.
est collection of people then ever seen at the
place.-The coffin was opened; it was a sor'
rowful time. The great hope and pride O
the county was gone in the prime o! life. -
1t was in the month of June, 1851 ] hay,
been told that he was aged between Al aTt
AZ years, and never was married. JohE Lu
kens succeeded him in the Office of Sur,s v
or General, and held it as long as he lived
When he was very old and narrative he uset
TO be fond Of relating to me anecdotes o
John Watson, and he considered him as thu
greatest and most eminent man that had eve
been raised in Pennsylvania.
After the death of John Watson, all tn
astronomical running of states ceased, unit
the Penns sent to England for Mason an,
Diron to run the line between Pennsylvani
and Maryland which they did in the yea
1862, as mentioned by Robert Proud
Is it not singular that history makes NJ
mention of John Watson, who did the mos
difficult part of the business, while Maso
and Dixon were at the Cape of Good Hop
observing a transit of Venus. DR.. Inghan
said the reason vas plain--it was because
Watson did not wear wig. If ! remcm
Der right, jeremiah Dixon died on the line
Charles Mason returned to Philadelphia
and passed very secluded life in small
boarded house in the Northern Liberties
where he studiously employ ed his time il
calculating set of Lunar Tables, which D
Ewing published in Dobson's Encyclopedias
l attended his funeral in the year 1886. II
left several minor children, and Abel Jame
for their guardian.
For anecdotes of the poetry, and os tn
many amiable traits of John Watson,
must, in another number, resort to the nal
ratiyes OF the late James Pellar, who alwa,
carried chain for him, and had so retentive
memory, that Dr. Franklin called him
walking library, and said that he containe
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