Denver-Pueblo County CO Archives Biographies.....Watson, Oscar C. 1874 - ************************************************ Copyright. All rights reserved. http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm http://www.usgwarchives.net/co/cofiles.htm ************************************************ File contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by: Joy Fisher http://www.genrecords.net/emailregistry/vols/00001.html#0000031 January 13, 2009, 10:47 pm Author: Wilbur Fiske Stone (1918) OSCAR C. WATSON. Oscar C. Watson, manager at Denver for the Mutual Life Insurance Company and a well known figure in insurance circles in the west, was born at Uvalde, Texas, March 30, 1874, a son of Alfred and Sarah Jane (O'Brien) Watson, the former a native of Arkansas, while the latter was horn in Texas, to which state the father removed with his parents when a little lad of hut two years. At the age of sixteen years he ran away from home to enlist in the southern army and was engaged in military duty for two years. After his return he attended the public schools and later in life he engaged in several lines of business. He became meat contractor for the Southern Pacific Railway Company when it was building its line and afterward he engaged in farming and stock raising on his own account. In 1887 he left Texas for New Mexico, where he followed farming, and he is now residing at Mesilla Park, in that state. To him and his wife were horn twelve children. Oscar C. Watson, the eldest of the family, was a lad of about thirteen years at the time of the removal to New Mexico and after attending the public schools of Texas and of New Mexico he became a pupil in the Agricultural College at Las Cruces. He next pursued a business course in 1894-5 under Professor Francis E. Lester, who, in response to a letter asking that he recommend one of his pupils for a position, named Mr. Watson, who in 1895 went to Albuquerque to become stenographer for S. H. Newman, general agent of the Mutual Life Insurance Company at that place. He was then a young man of twenty-one years. He started at a salary of forty dollars per month, which within six months was increased to fifty dollars. Since that time he has been continuously connected with insurance interests. In 1897 he was transferred to Phoenix, Arizona, to become cashier in the office of the district manager of the company, and the following year he was made superintendent of agents under Manager W. L. Hathaway at Albuquerque, where he remained until 1900, when he removed to Santa Fe and established a general insurance agency, entering into partnership with Paul Wunschmann. He also acted as district manager for the Mutual and continued at Santa Fe from the 1st of January, 1900, until the 1st of July, 1908. In 1905 he purchased his partner's interest in the business and reorganized under the firm style of O. C. Watson & Company, his partner being Carl A. Bishop. In 1907 he was made superintendent of agents for the Mutual Life Insurance Company of New York for New Mexico and southern Colorado, and on the 1st of July. 1908. he succeeded to the position of manager at Pueblo and had charge of the agency office for the Mutual Life at that place until January, 1914, with jurisdiction over Colorado and New Mexico. At the date indicated the Pueblo office was closed out and Mr. Watson was appointed to manage the Denver office. During his connection with the Pueblo office the business steadily increased and in fact an amount of business in excess of the assigned quota was reported each year. It was a recognition of this condition that led to Mr. Watson's appointment to the Denver office, which controls the district embracing Colorado and Wyoming. In this connection a local paper has written: "One cannot peruse an account of any man's progress without wanting to know the reason for it. In this case, it would seem to be because Mr. Watson is an everyday sort of a man whom any person can approach. Indeed, it is his fairness to all and his kindly judgment of all matters that have given him force and favor in his environment. As a man, he makes his friends and holds them; as a manager he wins men for his agency and develops as well as holds them. This has been demonstrated clearly at Pueblo, if we may quote Mr. Watson's statement that 'the Pueblo agency organization is not excelled by any office of like size in the country.' Mr. Watson is a born entertainer, as many of his friends can attest who have enjoyed his hospitality. It would not be telling all if we omitted to say that the territory from which Mr. Watson has risen to prominence has produced ten managers for the Mutual Life, besides several others who occupy important places. The district referred to comprises Colo; rado, New Mexico and Arizona, and at different times has been managed by offices located at El Paso, Albuquerque and Pueblo. The company has made a wise selection and we expect Mr. Watson to achieve even greater success as a manager at Denver." Mr. Watson was secretary and treasurer of the Colorado Life Underwriters' Association and in July, 1918. was elected president. On the 15th of December. 1897, Mr. Watson was married in Albuquerque, New Mexico, to Miss Lillian Hughes, a daughter of Senator Thomas Hughes, owner and editor of the Albuquerque Daily Citizen, and for twelve years representative of his district in the upper house of the state legislature. To Mr. and Mrs. Watson were born two children, but both have passed away, one dying at birth and the other, a beautiful daughter, Alice Grace, passing away at Pueblo in December. 1911, at the age of twelve years. In his political views Mr. Watson is a democrat. He belongs to the Civic and Commercial Association and stands for all that has to do with benefit, progress and improvement in his adopted city. He is also a member of the Denver Motor Club and fraternally is a Mason, having attained the Knight Templar degree of the York Rite, while with the Nobles of the Mystic Shrine he has crossed the sands of the desert He is always approachable and genial and he has won popularity not only in Masonic circles but in the Benevolent Protective Order of Elks, which he has represented in the grand lodge. Those who know him—and he has many friends—esteem him as a man of genuine personal worth as well as of marked business ability. Additional Comments: Extracted from: HISTORY OF COLORADO ILLUSTRATED VOLUME II CHICAGO THE S. J. CLARKE PUBLISHING COMPANY 1918 File at: http://files.usgwarchives.net/co/denver/bios/watson276nbs.txt This file has been created by a form at http://www.genrecords.net/cofiles/ File size: 6.6 Kb