Emma Patten Watson was born in 1850 to Rufus W Watson and
Elizabeth Botsford, the second of their two daughters. Rufus was a lawyer and district attorney who
practiced in Coxsackie and Catskill. He had been born in Rensselaerville to
lawyer Thomas Watson and Sarah Jenkins. Elizabeth was a native of Connecticut.
In 1874, the year before Emma married Eugene Burlingame, she
was named as a beneficiary in the will of Mrs Emma Patten of Albany <actually published as PATTON>. Her sister was not listed, only Emma who
seems to have been named after the deceased … but how were they related? I had
not encountered Mrs Patten during my research.
I found that Emma Colvard (1800-1874), a native of
Rensselaerville, Albany County, had married Moses Patten. She was the daughter of Philo Colvard
(1777-1849) and his wife Dorcas (maiden name unknown). I believe they had just one adopted daughter.
I am puzzled about the relationship … why was Emma Watson
named for Mrs Patten and why was she named in the will? Why her unmarried sister Elizabeth not
mentioned? I hope I’ll be able to answer these questions.
