Sketch of Archibald Watson, St. Charles County, Missouri

>From "A History of the Pioneer Families of Missouri, with numerous
sketches, anecdotes, adventures, etc., relating to Early Days in 
Missouri" by William S. Bryan and Robert Rose, Published by Bryan,
Brand & Co., St. Louis Missouri, 1876.
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Archibald Watson and wife were natives of the northern part of Ireland.
About the year 1789 they emigrated to America, and settled in Pennsyl-
vania, near Easton, on the Susquehanna River, where Mr. Watson engaged
in merchandising, and where a town called Watsonville subsequently grew
up.  In 1802 the family removed to Erie County, and settled on a farm,
where they remained until 1819, when they came to Missouri.  The voyage
was made on a keel-boat, which they launched on French Creek, and they
floated down that stream to the Alleghany River, from thence to the 
Ohio, down that river to the Mississippi, and then cordelled their boat
up the latter stream to the town of Louisiana, MO., which at that time
consisted of only half a dozen log cabins.  During that summer there
were three hundred Indians encamped on a creek at the lower end of the
town.  The following year Mr. Watson removed in his boat to St. Charles
and purchased a farm about four miles below town, where he resided un-
til his death, which occurred in 1826.  His wife died in 1824.  Their
children were: Mary, James, Archibald Jr., William, Johnson, Samuel S.,
John and Martha.  It was Archibald Watson, Sr., who kept the horses of
the members of the Legislature while that body sat in St. Charles.  And
after the death of his father, Samuel S. purchased the interest of his
brothers and sisters in the home place, where he remained and became a
successful and prosperous farmer.  In September, 1826, he married Mary
A. Lewis, daughter of Charles and Judith Lewis, who at the time was 
only fifteen years of age, and after the ceremony was over she rode 
home on horseback behind her husband, carrying her wardrobe in her lap.
They remained on the farm until 1859, and prospered far beyond their
expectations.  Having acquired a comfortable fortune, they removed to
their present beautiful residence near Lindenwood College, in the city
of St. Charles, where they have since resided, enjoying the society of
their numerous friends, and the comforts of an elegant and refined home.
Mr. Watson has always been liberal in the support of religious and ed-
ucational enterprises.  He is one of the incorporators of Lindenwood
College, and was for a number of years a member of the board of incor-
porators of Westminister College, at Fulton, to both of which institu-
tions he has contributed largely.  In 1865 he was appointed by Governor
Gamble, one of the Judges of the County Court, and at the end of the
term he was solicited to become a candidate for the same office, but
declined, having no desire to mingle in the turbulent affairs of poli-
tics.  Mr. Watson was born in Erie County, PA., February 18, 1804,
united with the Presbyterian Church at Erie, PA., in 1819, and was 
chosen an Elder in the First Presbyterian Church at St. Charles in
December, 1832, a position which he has held without intermission since
that time.	

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