He was the son of John Watson by his wife the sister of Sir Charles Wager (1666–1743),[1] First Lord of the Admiralty. The armorials used by his son the 1st baronet (Argent, on a chevron engrailled azure between three martlets sable as many crescents or[2]) are a differenced version of the arms of the Watson family, Marquess of Rockingham, and thus the family may have been a cadet branch of the latter.
Naval career
Watson entered the navy as a volunteer per order on HMS Romney in 1728.[3] He was promoted lieutenant in 1734 and promoted captain and given command of HMS Garland in 1738.[3] He transferred to HMS Plymouth in May 1741 and to HMS Dragon in November 1742 which he commanded in the Battle of Toulon.[3]
He married Rebecca Buller,[1] daughter of John Francis Buller (1695–1751) of Morval in Cornwall,[4] in 1741. She was co-heiress of the manor of Combe Martin, inherited jointly with her brother Francis Buller of Antony House in Cornwall from her father.[5] Their son and heir was: