In May of 1762, Gamliel Smethurst hired Ashley Bowen to serve as Sailing Master of his schooner Rambler, anchored at Redstone Cove in Marblehead. Bowen, who kept a detailed diary, records hiring Cato Watts to work on the schooner beginning on May 10, 1762: “Employed Mr. Morse, Caesar Homan, Cato Watts. Received from Watt 9 pounds of veal of Mr. Sanders, a quarter of bread, two (or) three pints of run, and 12 ½ of pork.” Watts worked again for Bowen on May 11th, 12th, 14th and 15th. Bowen does not mention Watts again. It appears he and the others “employed” were preparing the ship to sail to Quebec. The laborers replaced caulking, weighed anchors, and conducted other preparatory activities.

Reverend Isaac Story officiated at the wedding of Cato Watts and Flora Coles in Marblehead on August 5th, 1780. In 1798, a Flora Watts married Newbury Garney. She could either be Cato’s daughter or his wife remarrying, presumably after Cato’s death.

See Ceasar Homan.

Bibliography:

Journals of Ashley Bowen, May-June, 1762, Marblehead Museum.

Marblehead Vital Records, familysearch.org.

Marblehead, Early Vital Records of Massachusetts: From 1600 to 1850, https://ma-vitalrecords.org/.

Flora Watts Marriage 1789 to Newbury Garney

Marblehead Vital Records Marriage

Marblehead Vital Records Marriages 2