WATSON, James P., (Palmetto State) then St. Helena Parish, Louisiana
Submitted to the USGenWeb Archives by Mike Miller, Feb. 1999

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James P. Watson, farmer, miller and merchant, Pine Grove, La., is a son of
Willis D. and Mary (Chance) Watson, natives of Louisiana, and grandson of
Willis and Elizabeth (Bennett) Watson, who were born in Georgia. The
maternal grandparents, Stephen and Elizabeth (Doughty) Chance, were natives
of Georgia and South Carolina, respectively, and the great-grandfather,
Levi Doughty, was also born in the Palmetto state.   Mr. Watson's father,
Willis D. Watson, was a prominent planter of St. Helena parish, La.. and
there his death occurred in 1865.  His widow removed to Texas in 1880 and
resides there with one of her sons at the present time.  She is a member of
the Baptist church, in which her husband also held membership.  To their
union were born sixteen children--ten sons and six daughters--fourteen of
whom lived to be grown and eleven are now living.  Of this family James P.
Watson was the second child and eldest son.  He was born in St. Helena
parish, La., in 1840, received his education in the common schools of the
same, and being fired with the ambition to make his way in life, started
out with that worthy object in view at the age of eighteen years.  He has
been twice married, first in 1859 to Miss Martha A. Self, daughter of
Reuben and Theresa (James) Self, and to them were born five children:
Sarah E. (deceased),  James P.,  Lena L. (educated at Gillsburg, Miss.),
Mattie F. (educated at Greensburg, La.), and  Eugene B. (who attended the
State university at Baton Rouge.  Mrs. Watson died in 1884.  She was a
worthy member of the Baptist church.   Mr. Watson's second marriage, to
Miss Annette M. Fountain, occurred in 1888.  She is the daughter of S. H.
and Selma (Pharis) Fountain.  In 1861 Mr. Watson enlisted in the
confederate army, Company H, Twenty-seventh Louisiana regiment infantry,
under Capt. John T. Spencer and Col. L. D. Marks, and was in the battle of
Baton Rouge and the siege of Vicksburg.  After this he joined the cavalry
and was in a number of skirmishes in Louisiana and Mississippi.  He was in
the battles of Clinton, Port Hudson and Liberty.  He remained in the
cavalry until the close of the war, and returned home in 1865.   He had two
brothers killed at the siege of Vicksburg:  Jason and  Cicero S.  Mr.
Watson established a store at Pine Grove in 1871 and has had a good trade
ever since.  He is also the owner of a saw, gin and gristmill, purchased in
1889, and he is doing well at this.  In his political views he affiliates
with the democratic party and his first presidential vote was for Horace
Greeley.  He is a Master Mason.  He was elected assessor in 1871, police of
the Fourth ward in 1874 and sheriff in 1884.  The postoffice was
established at Mr. Watson's store in 1874 and he has been postmaster since
1876.  He is a Missionary Baptist in belief and his wife is a member of
that church.  Mr. Watson has resided all his life in the same neighborhood
and on the same place since 1870.  He owns about 2,500 acres of land and
has 200 acres under cultivation.  He is a strong supporter of schools,
churches, etc.

Biographical and Historical Memoires of Louisiana, (vol. 2), pp. 444-445.
Published by the Goodspeed Publishing Company, Chicago, 1892.