James Watterson, 1870 Mt. Vernon census, Pennsylvania?

[Peggy13]

I found a newspaper article in the Intelligencer Journal, Lancaster, PA, dated Aug 17, 1870 which states that Wed. last, so I am thinking Aug 10, James Watterson, aged abt 65, was killed by a blow to the temple during a fight at the Oxford Hotel, and he died within 10 minutes.
The article goes on to state that James had been working at the woolen factory in Mt. Vernon until it burned down the week before and put him out of employment. Furthermore, James had several children who were all grown up, and that the body had been placed with Jerry King, undertaker with instructions to deliver it to the friends and relatives in Mt. Vernon.
I can't find James Watterson in 1870 in Mt.Vernon, or anywhere else. Can anyone else find him? Or a death record? Thanks for any help. If it is my James, he was born abt 1804, his wife Mary died before 1860, and he did have several children. So it all fits.

[Ashtone]

Did he have any connection to Westmoreland, PA? There's this burial record on Find My Past, but maybe it's just a red herring. Looks like the record also has an image (but I don't have a FindMyPast sub to view it).

James  Watterson b 1806 d 1869 buried Westmoreland, Pennsylvania

[Peggy13]

Thank you kindly, Hillhurst but our James seems to have spent all his life in Chester Co., including his death in Aug 1870.
Peggy

[Ashtone]

What sites are you checking (e.g. Ancestry, Family Search, Find My Past)?

As a suggestion, I'd try to find Jerry King (the undertaker mentioned) in the 1870 census. Did he live in Mt Vernon? If so, try to locate him. Then search that census area for James Watterson. Also search for the Oxford Hotel in the 1870 census, where the incident happened.

NOTE: Between the years 1852-1855 Pennsylvania made a failed attempt to record birth, marriage and death events at the county level. Births and deaths, at the county level, were begun in 1893 and kept through 1905.

I presume the death was registered in Mount Vernon (Allegheny County)? This FS link will also provide further guidance: https://www.familysearch.org/wiki/en/Allegheny_County,_Pennsylvania_Genealogy#Death

[Peggy13]

Oh, I  presumed it was Mt. Vernon in Chester Co. I have just googled Mt.Vernon to learn there is one in Chester Co, one in Allegheny and one in Westmoreland. I also googled the Oxford Hotel which seems to be in the city of Oxford, which looks to be in Chester Co. My impression is that Jerry King, undertaker, was in Oxford City, and he was to deliver the body to friends and relatives in Mt.Vernon.
Thank you for all your excellent suggestions. The only Jerry King that I found in 1870 was in Philadelphia. I am using familysearch as I do not have ancestry, other than access to the library edition.

[Peggy13]

I have written to the government of Chester Co. for information about this death.

[Ashtone]

Oh, I  presumed it was Mt. Vernon in Chester Co. I have just googled Mt.Vernon to learn there is one in Chester Co, one in Allegheny and one in Westmoreland. I also googled the Oxford Hotel which seems to be in the city of Oxford, which looks to be in Chester Co.

You'll know better than me, as I know zilch about Pennsylvania. Makes sense there's also a Mt Vernon in Chester County. I'd focus on the Oxford Hotel area then. See where that takes you. But you may struggle to find an 1870 death record.

[Ashtone]

Hi Peggy - here's a possible 1870 census record for the "Oxford Hotel". Using the fellow below, see if any of the corresponding census pages include James Watterson.
Bear in mind the 1870 census was taken in June 1870. I'm not presuming James was living at the hotel in June, but he could be somewhere in the vicinity. Good luck!

1870 United States Federal Census Oxford, Chester, Pennsylvania
Geo W Werntz age 45 b Pennsylvania
Occupation:   Hotel Keeper

[Peggy13]

I was wondering when the 1870 census was done. When I was researching another Watterson - John M. there was a first enumeration in June 1870 and a second enumeration in Nov.
Hope to find James in 1870. Thanks for your help.
Peggy