Martha Watson was born in Nov 1753 and died Sep 1817 in Ridge Spring, Edgefield Co, South Carolina. The grave site of Martha Watson Odom is unknown. This marker was placed inside the walled, Watson Section of the Ridge Spring Cemetery; Ridge Spring, Saluda, South Carolina.

Parents: John Elijah Watson (1718-1791) and Ann Blair Murphy (1722-1795)

Married:

1. in 1775 in South Carolina to Captain Allen Michael Watson (1726-1782), son of William Watson (1700-1767) and Penelope Neville (1699-1726)
2. ca 1785 to Jacob Odom (1733-1831), son Abraham Odom Sr (1705-1771) and Jeni Dunn (1710-1805)

Children of Michael Watson and Martha Watson:

1. Sarah b. 1771 m. James Perry
2. William b. 1772 d. 1862
3. Patience b. 1772 m. Anderson
4. Elijah b: 18 May 1775 in Johnston County, NC, d. 1841
5. Mary "Polly" b: 12 Aug 1769/ ALT 1777 m. Ezekiel Perry d 1857
6. Kesiah m. Robert Carter Willis Sr

Children of Jacob Odom and Martha Watson:

1. Charity "Cherry" (b. 1790 - d. 1821)
2. Martha (d. 1805)
3. Nancy m. Craven

Gen Washington Visits Revolutionary War Widow

George Washington spent the night of May 21, 1791, at the Jacob Odum House, on his trip northward through South Carolina. His escort at this time consisted of Colonels Wade Hampton and Thomas Taylor, and Mr. Robert Lythgoe. This stop is noted in Washington's diary.

The house was a 2 story log cabin of a revolutionary war widow, and her new husband Jacob Odum Washington was paying his respects and thanking her for her late husband Captain Michael Watson's service and death of wounds received at Deans Swamp (near present day Salley, SC) 5 May 1782. The escorts stayed in nearby homes, as there was not room for all the entourage to stay here. This land was situated in the District of Ninety Six on Dry Creek waters of Mine Creek bounding northward on James Cox, southward.

When the family buried her, they failed to mark her grave as Odom because the family opposed the marriage, perhaps because she had inherited 1700 acres through Michael ... . or perhaps the high spirited nature of the Odoms was not appealing to the Watsons. Jacob's sister Milly Odum who had married Capt Benjamin Ryan was known to be a woman "of high spirit" (according to Capt. John Ryan his brother) and not against assaulting a man and being fined for it.

Martha's gravestone reads, "In memory of Martha, a loyal patriot widow of Capt. Michael Watson of Revolutionary Fame."

Links

• http://www.hmdb.org/marker.asp?marker=7115
• http://edgefield-williams-family.blogspot.com/
• http://trees.ancestry.com/tree/12274130/person/-297960716
• http://trees.ancestry.com/tree/11674895/person/-420703784