In October of 2021, I launched The Wathens of Southern Maryland Kickstarter project in hopes of raising money for Y-DNA testing and publishing a book about our family history. After twenty months – several more than originally hoped – six Wathens have completed informative DNA tests, and I have completed a 470-page book titled The Wathens of Southern Maryland: Their Genealogy & History.
When this project first started, I explained that there are three separate branches of Wathens here in Southern Maryland: Most Wathens in St. Mary’s County descend from James Hanson Wathen, my family in St. Mary’s County descends from Benedict Aloysius Wathen, and the Wathens in Charles County descend from George W. Wathen. Although it has long been assumed that all these local Wathens descend from a seventeenth-century settler from England named John Wathen, the connection to him has never been proven.
Through extensive research over the past couple of years, I’ve made a great deal of progress connecting these three local branches to the colonial John Wathen and to one another: Records from the Maryland State Archives show exactly how George W. Wathen and his family descend from John Wathen. Y-DNA test results demonstrate conclusively that Benedict Aloysius Wathen was a descendant of John Wathen, and land records suggest his most likely ancestry. Although I haven’t been able to determine who the parents of James Hanson Wathen were, Y-DNA test results leave almost no doubt that he, too, descends from John Wathen. In other words, I’ve learned a lot over the past twenty months, and I can’t wait to share it in my new book.
You can see a preview of The Wathens of Southern Maryland: Their Genealogy & History below. In this PDF preview, you’ll see the Title Page, Table of Contents, and current Memorial Page, to give you an idea of what to expect in the book.
Download PDF Preview of The Wathens of Southern Maryland: Their Genealogy & History
The Wathens of Southern Maryland: Their Genealogy & History will be printed and shipped from Lulu Press beginning the first full week of July. There are still a few days left to purchase a Memorial Page Listing for your loved one before the book goes to print. Memorial Page Listing sales will officially end on Saturday, July 1 at 11:59 PM. You can see the Memorial Page as it currently stands in the preview above. Use the discount code BOOKLAUNCH by July 1 for 20% off a Memorial Page Listing.
In the online store, you will now see both a paperback and hardcover edition of the book for sale. Those who have ordered books up to this point will be receiving hardcover copies; if you would prefer to receive a paperback edition instead, you can use the contact form before July 1 to let me know.
The official book launch is scheduled for Saturday, July 22 at 2:00 PM in the hall at St. Aloysius Catholic Church in Leonardtown, Maryland. All are invited! Please use the Facebook event page to spread the word. If you have pre-ordered a book and would like to pick it up at the book launch instead of receiving it by mail, please use the contact form before July 1 to let me know.
I would like to sincerely thank everyone who has supported this project! Two years ago, an undertaking of this scope was just a dream, and I’m so excited that it’s finally a reality.