Washington County ArArchives Biographies.....Watson, James Albert October 30, 1820 - January 13, 1899 ************************************************ Copyright. All rights reserved. http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm http://www.usgwarchives.net/ar/arfiles.html ************************************************ File contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by: Bob Foster untunethatstring@gmail.com October 11, 2012, 3:08 pm Source: History of Benton, Washington, Carroll, Madison, Crawford, Franklin, and Sebastian Counties, Arkansas Author: Goodspeed Publishing Co. History of Benton, Washington, Carroll, Madison, Crawford, Franklin, and Sebastian Counties, Arkansas. Chicago, The Goodspeed Publishing Co., 1899. Washington County, p. 1036 James A. Watson whose name is synonymous with the best farming interests of Washington County, Ark is a son of John and Martha Martin Watson both natives of Ireland he born in 1778 and she in 1779. They came to America on the same vessel when only twelve years of age. He was reared in South Carolina and she in North Carolina, both close to the line. Grandfather Watson was killed in the Revolutionary War and grandfather Martin also served in the same war both on the side of the Colonists. The parents of the subject of this sketch were married in 1800 and settled in Roane County Tenn where they lie buried. He served in Gen Carroll's brigade during the War of 1812 and both he and wife were members of the Presbyterian Church. In their family were ten children four sons and six daughters. He was a Democrat in politics and died in 1834 and she in 1862. James A. Watson was born October, 1820 in Roane County Tenn and worked on the farm and although he received very little schooling learned to read and write by his own exertions. Like a dutiful son he remained with his mother until twenty four years of age when he went to Calhoun County Ala., here he worked in a tan yard and also clerked in a store. In 1846 he enlisted in Company I First Alabama Regiment commanded by Col. John R. Coffey and served twelve months. In 1848 he returned to Alabama and entered a tan yard. In 1851 he married Miss Jane C. Brooks, a native of Bedford County Tenn and a school teacher by occupation. In 1853 they moved to Madison County, Ark and here engaged in merchandising for six years. In 1859 they moved to Washington County where he now has a fine farm of 200 acres 120 under cultivation. To Mr. and Mrs Watson were born five children Charles A. principal of a school at Harrison, Ark; Sarah M. deceased, John J. a miner of Australia; William B. at home and Kate wife of Geo. P. Edison. Mr. Watson is a Democrat in politics has been a member of the Masonic fraternity for forty four years and Mrs. Watson is a member of the Methodist Episcopal Church, South. File at: http://files.usgwarchives.net/ar/washington/bios/watson11gbs.txt This file has been created by a form at http://www.genrecords.org/arfiles/ File size: 2.9 Kb