Pitkin County CO Archives Biographies.....Watson, Samuel W.  March 12, 1861 - ?
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File contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by:
Judy Crook jlcrook@rof.net March 16, 2006, 4:14 pm

Author: Progressive Men of Western Colorado

     During almost a quarter of a century the interesting subject of this review

has been a resident of Colorado, and in that time has won from her soil a good

estate in worldly possessions, and by his public spirit and enterprise in behalf

of the affairs of the town and county in which he lives has attained to a high

place in the respect and confidence of the people, being now considered one of

the best and most representative men in his section of the state.  He was born

at Cincinnati, Ohio, on March 12, 1861, the son of James and Carrie (Whitcomb)

Watson, the father a native of West Virginia and the mother of Terre Haute,

Indiana.  The father moved to Ohio when he was a young man, and for a time was

engaged in keeping a hotel.  Later he practiced law and rose to prominence in

his profession and in public life.  He belonged to the Odd Fellows and the

United Workmen.  He died in December, 1891, and his wife in January, 1892.  Both

were members of the Methodist church.  Their offspring numbered four, three of

whom are deceased.  A daughter named Ella died in infancy; Benjamin passed away

later in life, and James went to Alaska and ended his days at Cape Nome, in

1900.  Samuel attended the public schools at Clearmont Academy, in his native

state.  He helped his parents as clerk in the hotel until 1880, when he came to

Colorado and located at Aspen.  Here he engaged in freighting between that town

and Granite and Leadville for three years.  In 1883 he located his present

ranch, or a portion of it a pre-emption claim of one hundred and sixty acres,

and afterward took up a desert claim of one hundred acres and purchased an

additional one hundred and sixty acres, making a total of four hundred and

twenty acres which he now owns. Of this land three hundred acres are under

cultivation in alfalfa and timothy, and an extensive cattle business is carried

on, with enough horses included in the products to supply the needs of the

ranch. The ranch is located sixteen miles west of Aspen, and is well adapted to

the purposes to which it is devoted, and here Mr. Watson has prospered

abundantly.  He is an ardent Democrat in politics and belongs to the Woodmen of

the World.  During the five years of his residence in this section there was an

occasional scare on account of the Indians.  They never attacked the settlement,

but threatened to do so from time to time with such persistency and

determination as to keep up a continual state of alarm.  In his business and as

a leader of thought and action in behalf of the promotion of the best interests

of the community he has been very successful, and the elevated position he holds

in the public regard he has fully earned by his merit and his valuable and

appreciated services.  

Additional Comments:
From Progressive Men of Western Colorado.  Chicago:  A.W. Bowen & Co., 1905

File at: http://files.usgwarchives.net/co/pitkin/bios/watson303gbs.txt

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