My Genealogy Hound

WATSON PROVOST, miller, post office Fairhaven, was born May 31, 1812, in Lincolnshire, England, a son of James and Ann (Pullen) Provost, who died in England. The former was a farmer, and reared a family of eight children: James, Thomas, Ann, Matilda, David, Watson, John and Louise. Of these Thomas, Watson and Matilda came to America. Watson was educated at Peterborough, and was married at Wisbeach, St. Mary’s, in England, to Mary, daughter of Robert and Maria (Mayne) Watkinson. Their children were William, Mrs. Ann P. Phillips, James and Robert (deceased), Maria (wife of Dr. J. H. Burkett), C. Wright and Samuel P. David Provost, grandfather of Watson Provost, was of French descent. His ancestors, who were Huguenots, came with others to the Duke of Bedford, owner of some extensive swamps. These, Provost and others, being skillful engineers, drained, becoming thereby a free and wealthy people. Watson Provost emigrated to America in May, 1838, and coming to Allegheny county farmed on the Brownsville road. In the autumn after his arrival in the United States he returned to England for his wife and son, and then worked for Preacher Jones in the first brickyard in Birmingham, but unfortunately was cheated out of his wages. He later turned his attention to farming, subsequently purchasing the William Wilson mill on Saw-Mill run, which, however, was destroyed by fire, and he then bought Pollock’s mill. Mr. Provost started in life poor, but his indomitable energy has been amply repaid, and he now has a handsome competence, owning over eighty acres of land, upon which many houses are built. Mr. and Mrs. Provost are Episcopalians; he is a republican.