John Watson was an early 19th century Quaker surveyor, residing in Buckingham Township near New Hope, Pa. where the family had settled in 1704. He was probably the grandson or grandnephew of John Watson (ca. 1720-1761), a noted mathematician and Colonial surveyor.
Around 1830-32 Watson did surveying work in the engineering corps of the Delaware Division Canal, a branch of the Pennsylvania state canal system, which was constructed between Bristol and Easton in 1827-1832. The canal was plagued by poor engineering and design and incompetance on the part of patronage officials and contractors. Watson's work appears to have been part of the repairs and final settlement for construction of the canal.
From the description of Engineering notebooks, 1830-1832. (Hagley Museum & Library). WorldCat record id: 122292478
