Notes:Watson Street
Source:Fleming-reisville: "In 1863 the run [Suke's run] was not sewered below Magee street and flowed through the Watson property between the Fourth street road, then Pennsylvania avenue, and the present Watson street."
"German church property on the Northside sold: Polish congregation is the buyer—quaint lease recalling Pittsburg's early days is terminated: Realty men and wives hold banquet tonight," Pittsburg Press, June 23, 1914, p. 7 (Newspapers.com 143678315):
A quaint lease, recalling Pittsburg's early days, has been terminated by the payment of $900, through Samuel W. Black, of the Samuel W. Black Co., Farmers Bank building. Mr. Black negotiated a transaction yesterday, whereby H. T. Morris pays the $900 to the estate of the late Margaret Wylie, the property in question being at the southwest corner of Webster ave. and Washington pl. The old lease, under which Mr. Morris held the property is dated Dec. 7, 1830, and reads as follows:
"From the day of the date hereof for and during the existence of this world, yielding and paying yearly every year hereafter the sum of $36, payable half yearly, first day of July and first day of January."
The property is part of the estate known as "Silverbanks," which was acquired by Andrew Watson in 1786, and Margaret Wylie was a granddaughter of the former owner. The Wylie estate gains by the transaction, as the $900 at 6 per cent, will yield $18 a year more than the annual ground rent of $36.
"An aged lady: Death of one of the oldest natives of the city: Brief sketch of Mrs. Jane Magee—her descendants," Daily Post (Pittsburgh), Dec. 24, 1880, p. 4 (Newspapers.com 86361978):
Yesterday at half after one o'clock Mrs. Jane Magee, relict of Christopher Magee, Esq., and mother of the well known attorney of that name, departed this life at the extreme age of eighty-five years, thus breaking asunder one of the few remaining links between this and the last century.
Mrs. Magee was one of that old stock that peopled this western country, and was one of the oldest native residents of this city, having been born in March, 1796, when the population of the then borough of Pittsburgh amounted to scarcely fifteen hundred souls. Her father, Andrew Watson, Esq., came to this country from Scotland in 177[4?], and was amongst the pioneers and sturdy woodsmen who founded this city and gave it its early character. Her mother was Margaret Thomson, daughter of Alexander Thomson, who also came from Scotland and settled in Chambersburg, Pa., during the year 1771.
Alexander Thompson had fifteen children who, as they matured, took different directions through life, and their children may be found in all portions of the Union.
Andrew Watson, Esq., her father, was a man of large means and with that thrift and application peculiar to his race, soon made his mark in this frontier village and clustered about him in comfortable circumstances a family of ten children, nearly all of whom continued to live in this city until they one by one passed out of existence. Of the daughters one married Rev. Dr. Wylie, one of the most illustrious divines of Philadelphia; another married Rev. Dr. Black of this city, whose memory will be ever green and whose life and brilliant attainments are part of the history of the Presbyterian Church in Pennsylvania. The third daughter married Dr. McKinney, known and respected by the older members of this community as a man of culture and broad liberal views. Mr. Wm. Pentland married the fourth daughter, and while the city was yet in its infancy he assisted in the erection of the first observatory on Boyd's hill, which was then a part of the farm owned by his brother-in-law, Andrew Watson, Esq.
The subject of this sketch, Mrs. Jane Magee, was married to Christopher Magee, of the firm of Magee & Co., hatters, who carried on an extensive business on Market street some sixty years ago, when that thoroughfare was the commercial centre of the largest city in the West. His death accurred [sic] in 1839. Robert Watson, Esq., a brother of the deceased, died a few years ago and will be remembered for his princely bequests to the University of this city. His library was one of the most extensive collections in this country and is prized for introducing works that are long since out of print, and the scholars of the country regard it as the repository of all that is valuable in the world of letters. The Watsons and Thomsons have been noted for two or three generations for their culture and force of character, and amongst them are the Wylies of Philadelphia; Col. Samuel W. Black, the distinguished advocate, warm-hearted friend and gallant soldier, who fell at Gaines' Mills in the late war; Dr. Wylie of Indiana; Dr. McClelland of this city; General Rodman of Rodman gun notoriety; the Thomsons of Franklin county; the Agnews of New York; the Purviances of Pennsylvania, and many others whose services in the various professions and pursuits of life have won them distinction and honorable mention.
Mrs. Magee, the last member of this historic and intellectual group, was a quiet unostentatious Christian woman of rare culture and exceedingly generous heat. Blessed with a large fortune she commiserated with the poor and distressed and always susceptible to that influence which in the alleviation of want and the dispensation of charity knows neither creed, race or color, and for her generous indulgence many a struggling widow will drop a tear and cherish the memory of the benefactor. She leaves behind her two children, Christopher Magee, Esq., and his sister, Miss Jane W., who, through the vicissitudes of a life long since broken by age and infirmity, have administered the consolations that none but a devoted son and daughter can give. Her last moments were breathed in the old mansion at the intersection of Chestnut and Fifth avenue, on the site of the old family farm, surrounded by loving and near relatives and friends; and in peaceful Christian resignation she sleeps the sleep that knows no waking. She was a life-long and consistent member of the Presbyterian church, the faith of her fathers.
