Watson, Livingston Parish, Louisiana
File prepared by D.N. Pardue
Submitted to the LAGenWeb Archives



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From the book entitled "The Free State - A History and Place-Names Study
of Livingston Parish" by the members of the Livingston Parish American
Revolution Bicentennial Committee in cooperation with the Livingston 
Parish Police Jury and the Louisiana American Revolution Bicentennial
Commission, 1976.  Reprinted by permission.  Dedicated to the memory of
Reuben Cooper and Raymond Riggs.

WATSON is the unincorporated community north of Denham Springs at the

intersection of La. Hwys. 16 and 1019.  Watson and Live Oak are the names

given to the community by the residents.  The school is called Live Oak,

as is the Methodist Church, while the post office is called Watson.

     The Live Oak Store Post Office was established on Oct. 4, 1869 with

James Turner as its first postmaster.  It was apparently located north

of the present-day community of Watson.  On of its 10 postmasters was G.W.

Watson, who operated if from Dec. 20, 1880 to Sept. 3, 1884.

     Watson Post Office was established on Feb. 20, 1894 by George A. 

Watson.  According to mrs. Ethel Underwood Hancock, who is in her 90's,

George Watson moved his family from Pine Grove to Livingston Parish 

sometime in the 1870's or 1880's.  She stated that he had a small farm

and mercantile business on the road that is now La. Hwy. 16, just above

the intersection with La. Hwy. 1019, the Springfield Road.  The post office

still exists today.

     According to Mrs. Hancock, the first Live Oak school was built in 

1895 on land donated by Rev. Joel Ott.  Several buildings were used for

classes there, until the present site was purchased and a two-story school

built.

     Published histories of Live Oake Methodist Church state that the first

church was built not more than a quarter-mile from the present site prior to

the Civil War.  Mrs. Hancock places it just south of the present site, and

notes that it was destroyed by Yankee soldiers.

     The church history states that W.C. Newsom, Huff Jones, George Nesom,

J.B. Easterly and James Chandler hewed out the sills and sleepers and erected

a new building shortly after the Civil War fire.  In 1893, under the pastorate

of J.P. Haney of the Mississippi Conference, the frame church that was used

until 1950 was constructed.

     In 1894, as is shown in written records dating to 1884, Live Oak Church

went into the Louisiana Methodist Conference, Baton Rouge District.

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