Hello Astral.
Nice to see you back again, I had thought you had sold the watch for millions. and retired to the Bahamas. or maybe London or Paris. Going back then to this thread, I don´t think you were too far away from the truth. when it comes to watch-cocks. I have quite often thought that these small wonders were made on the continent. If they were or not, the fact remains they were a cottage industry, and in the main made by women, and in some cases by children. There really is very little known about the history, and how they were sold, but again common sense tells us they were not made for nothing. I think they were made in small batches, and then sold on to someone who would gather the many cocks from here and there, much like the File cutters of Prescot. There is very little evidence that cocks were made in England, for instance, there are no known pattern books made in England, though there are from France, Holland. and Germany. It needs more research.
Keep up the good work, and keep fit.
"Always remember the earth is a shiny globe, in a dark room"
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Hey Allan,
I have been immersed in research and reached out to the Guildhall Library as John suggested to see about the possibility of finding the original special order. I have come to my wits end here because the more I research the more ways I find where this pocket watch could have ended up in our little farm house on 123 Main Street, Nowhere, USA.
We have ownership and provedance from a newspaper in 1888 and again in 1951 - but it is going to be under the category like step-cousin, 7 times removed on the 3rd cousin's side twice wed.
1.Col. Fielding Lewis (son of John Lewis & brother-in-law to George Washington) + Betty (Lewis) Washington (Sister to George Washington)
Col. Fielding Lewis Sr. and the Lewis family built and owned shiped that transported goods
throughout the Atlantic World refered to as the "Triangular Trade" exporting raw materials from
the Americas to Europe with Europe sending back manufactured goods in Africa to buy slaves
who were then used to purchase more raw materials. John & son Feilding Lewis ships: Stanton,
Priscilla, Grampus & Penguin in 1732 the Stanton captained by Richard Williams, bound for Madeira,
an island off the coast of Portugal, then Barbados in the Caribbean Sea before returning to Virginia.
Priscilla commanded by Richard Williams made a more direct trip to London and back during
the first half of 1737.
Col. Fielding Lewis Sr. (b.1725 - d.1781) + Betty (Lewis) Washington (b.1733-d.1797)
William Howell Lewis (b.1771-d.1822) (14th & youngest child of Fielding & Betty) + Ellen Hackley Pollard (b.1776-d.1855)
William Howell Lewis Jr (b.1808–d.1883) + Mary Ann Eliza Walker Lewis (b.1833-d.1883) & Emily G. Burch Lewis (b.1812-1866)
Howell Lewis, Jr. was the son of Howell Lewis, Sr. and Ellen Hackney (Pollard) Lewis, the husband of Emily G. (Burch) Lewis, and the
father of Bettie Fitzhugh (Lewis) Finks, George Lewis, Mary Ellen Lewis, Augustus Dana Lewis, Fielding Lewis, Columbia Lewis,
Virginia Lewis, William Henry Lewis, Gaston G. Lewis, and Emma Lewis. He was the grandson of George Washington's sister Betty.
Grandnephew of George Washington. Grandson of Betty Washington Lewis, full sister to George Washington & Colonel Fielding
Lewis.
Son of Howell Lewis Sr & Ellen Hackley Pollard Lewis. (#7 of 11 children)
Husband of Emily Burch Lewis.
Occupation: Land surveyor.
Community of Lewis, Missouri in Henry County MO was named after Mr. Lewis (one of the earliest Henry County settlers).
Lewis Qualifying Ancestors | Lewis Family Descendants
2. My DAR status decends from:
John Kitchell (bef.1714-1777) | WikiTree FREE Family Tree
Robert KITCHELL (b.1604-d.1672) + Margaret SHEAFFE (b. -d.1682)of Cranbrooke Kent
England left England in 1639 on the Arabella
Abraham Kitchel(l) (b. 1679-d.1741)+ Sarah (Bruen) Kitchel(l) (b.1679-d.1745)
Samuel Kitchell + Grace (PIERSON) Kitchell (daughter of Rev. Abraham Pierson) Newark
Grace PIERSON Kitchell is the mother of all of the American Kitchell's.
Elizabeth Kitchell (b.1764-d.1831) + David (Daniel) Stiles Jr. (b. 1829-d.1897)
Isabelle Stiles (b.1858 1845 d. 1920 + Benjamin Wellingron Sisson (b. 1853-
d.1944)
These are my Great Great grandparents.
Daniel Stiles had a cousin named Aaron Kitchell who came to Cincinnati in 1788, was one
of the most notable members of the Stiles family being a U.S. Senator from New Jersey,
friend and counselor of General George Washington, on his staff and one of his pall
bearers.
Abraham Kitchell a founder of Newark, N.J. and Sarah Buren, his wife, as descended from
four of the signers of the Magna Charta, one geing King John himself, who ws compelled
to sign it and the three Barrons: Roger and Hugh Bigod, of the de Beauchamps family and
Geoffrey de Say, the ancestor of Geoffrey de Say.
3. General Andrew Lewis:
The Neglected Andrew Lewis - Journal of the American Revolution
John, Andrew and Thomas Jr. wre officers in the Revolutionary army. John & Andrew were with
General Washington at Valley Forge and throughout the Jersey campaign and at the surrender of
Cornwallis.
The Guild Hall in London did not have Coventry records on file and referred me to the Coventry museum of which I have just reached out to research the special order angle.
This is my research on my end, it seems having a few pieces of info to research I have at least 3 ways this watch came to our family line, seems like a serial # movement N4449 has simply vanished without a trace of the order.
The mystery continues!!!
Hi,
As a side note, here is a similar "doctors watch" verge hallmarked 1793. The lever at 10 seconds starts and stops the watch.
Cheers, Bernhard
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Thanks Bernhard! That is so beautiful and supremely helpful to see another face similar (I have seen them but your's is brilliant).