Monterey County CA Archives Biographies.....Watson, Thomas 1834 - 
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Joy Fisher cagwarchives@gmail.com January 13, 2007, 4:33 pm

Author: Luther A. Ingersoll, Editor (1893)

THOMAS WATSON, a leading citizen of Monterey county, and an esteemed rancher of
Corral de Tierra, is a native of Monterey, born June 14, 1834.

  His father, James Watson, was known also as Santiago, the Spanish for St.
James, often by Spanish-speaking Californians so-called. He was one of the most
prominent citizens of Monterey in his day. He was an Englishman by birth, and
came to this country as a sailor on a trading vessel. He left his ship at Santa
Barbara, and came to Monterey by land as early as 1823. Here he located and
engaged in merchandising, becoming identified with local public matters. He
wasone of about fifty citizens to organize a compania estranjera (meaning
company of strangers) for the defense of Monterey against forces from the
interior, when, in 1832, the country was in a state of warfare. In 1834 he
married Mariana Escamilla, by whom he had eight children. The year previous to
his marriage he was naturalized, and afterward was often a member of the local
legislature of Monterey. Hon. Thomas Larkin writes of him as "an educated,
unambitious, honest man, not inclined to politics." He amassed a fortune. He
bore the reputation of being a generous, open-hearted man; was a genial
companion, and was ever true to his friends. In 1850 he bought the San Benito
rancho, consisting of a league and a half, and located with his family on the
same. He was financially ruined by the drought of 1863, and died the following
year. Mariana, his faithful consort, was a daughter of Thomas Escamilla, a
Spanish soldier, who came to Mexico when that country was under Spanish rule,
and there married a lady of Mexican birth. He was a soldier at the old Mission
Dolores, San Francisco, and at that place his daughter Mariana was born. He
finally retired from the army and removed to Monterey, where he died, leaving
three sons and two daughters. To James Watson and his wife were born the
following named children: Frances, in 1830; Catalina, in 1833; Thomas, June 14,
1834; David, in 1836; and Adolph, Marignacia, Narcisa and Anitas, all but one
living at this date.

  Thomas Watson, the subject of this sketch, was educated in Monterey, and for
many years followed the occupation of cattle-buyer. He later engaged in the
butchering business, in which he was very successful. He served the people of
Monterey county as Sheriff four successive terms, commencing in 1866, and
voluntarily relinquished his hold to the office. Of recent years, although
repeatedly urged to take a seat on the county board of Supervisors, he has
withheld from shouldering public responsibility.

  In 1855 he married Miss Louisa Moreno, a member of one of the old families of
California. Santiago Moreno, her father, lived at Monterey and afterward at
Salinas, she being born at the latter place. Mr. and Mrs. Watson have ten
children, the youngest at this writing (1892) being eleven years of age. Their
home place consists of a fine ranch of 800 acres, utilized as a dairy and cattle
ranch. There is probably not a man in Monterey who is more popular with the
masses, and who as a business man and citizen bears a more honorable name than
Thomas Watson, Esq., of Corral de Tierra.


Additional Comments:
Extracted from:

Memorial and Biographical History of the Coast Counties of Central California.

Illustrated.

Containing a History of this Important Section of the Pacific Coast from the
Earliest Period of its Discovery to the Present Time, together with Glimpses of
its Auspicious Future; Illustrations and Full-Page Portraits of some of its
Eminent Men, and Biographical Mention of many of its Pioneers, and Prominent
Citizens of To-day.



HENRY D. BARROWS,
Editor of the Historical Department.

LUTHER A. INGERSOLL,
Editor of the Biographical Department.

"A people that take no pride in the noble achievements of remote ancestors will
never achieve anything worthy to be remembered with pride by remote
descendants."-Macaulay.


CHICAGO: THE LEWIS PUBLISHING COMPANY.
1893.

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