San Benito-Sutter County CA Archives Biographies.....Watson, David J. 1839 - ************************************************ Copyright. All rights reserved. http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm http://www.usgwarchives.net/ca/cafiles.htm ************************************************ File contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by: Joy Fisher sdgenweb@yahoo.com January 15, 2007, 12:50 am Author: Luther A. Ingersoll, Editor (1893) DAVID J. WATSON, of Hollister, is a California pioneer, who came to the State in 1849, being at that time ten years of age. His father, Jacob Watson, came originally from Virginia, lived two years in Missouri, and then started to California across the plains, with ox teams. He joined a train of sixty-four wagons which started from "Big Blue," near the present city of Omaha, and proceeded irregularly westward and over the Truckee route, leaving Salt Lake to the south. Jacob Watson was a teamster and wagon freighter by occupation, and worked his way to Sacramento by following his trade. He brought with him a wife, Phoebe Baldwin, and eleven children, which flock was later increased to the number of fifteen. Upon his arrival in California, he, like nearly all others in those days, was seized with the mining fever, and from 1849 to 1850 he spent his time in the diggings on the American river, with gratifying success. He later lived in Sutter county, and in Grass Valley, and then in Nevada, coming at last to San Benito county, where he engaged in the stock business and merchandising, at San Juan. He died in 1874, when seventy-three years of age. Mrs. Watson is still living in San Benito county, on Tres Pinos creek. Twelve of her fifteen children are still living, namely: Jonathan, deceased; James, living on Tres Pinos creek; Henry, resident of Fresno county; Stephen, a prosperous farmer of Tres Pinos; Hiram, deceased; David J., subject; Nancy A., resident of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania; Julia M., Mrs. Harris of Downey, Los Angeles county, California; Sarah E., now Mrs. Mankins, of Santa Barbara county, California; Jane, now Mrs. Sheegle, of Fresno county; Arminda, deceased; Jacob, on Tres Pinos creek, living with his mother; John M., of Lompoc, Santa Barbara county, and Charles H., on Tres Pinos creek. David J. Watson was born in Scott county, Virginia, in the mountains of the Blue Ridge, coming to this State, with his father, when he was still a very young lad. In his youth he was associated with his father in his mining operations, and later in the stock-raising business, and at twenty-one he embarked in that business for himself. He located 824 acres of stock range, at the head of San Juan valley, which he after a time converted into a farm, and operated it until 1888, when he sold out and retired to Hollister, where he owns a beautiful home. He married, in 1862, Miss Nancy J. Cox, daughter of David Cox, a pioneer of California, who crossed the plains from Missouri in 1849. Mr. and Mrs. Watson have no children. They have the esteem and respect of all who know them. 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. File at: http://files.usgwarchives.net/ca/sanbenito/bios/watson1017nbs.txt This file has been created by a form at http://www.genrecords.net/cafiles/ File size: 4.0 Kb