Barbour County, West Virginia Biography of Edgar H. WATSON ************************************************************************** USGENWEB NOTICE: Material may be freely used by non-commercial entities, as long as this message remains on all copied material, AND permission is obtained from the contributor of the file. These pages may NOT be reproduced in any format for profit or presentation by other organizations. Persons or organizations desiring to use this material for non-commercial purposes, MUST obtain the written consent of the contributor. Submitted by Valerie Crook, , March 2000 ************************************************************************** The History of West Virginia, Old and New Published 1923, The American Historical Society, Inc., Chicago and New York, Volume III, pg. 354 EDGAR H. WATSON. In a busy and purposeful life of more than threescore and ten, Edgar H. Watson has meas- ured up to the responsibilities of manhood whether as a home maker, citizen or in his private industry and busi- ness. He retired from his farm several years ago and has since resided in Philippi, where he is well and popularly known. This branch of the Watson family has been in West Vir- ginia for at least 125 years. Several generations of them lived in Preston County, and Edgar H. Watson is a native of that county, as was also his father, Rawley Watson, who grew up in Valley District. Rawley Watson devoted all his best years to his farm between Masontown and Reeds- ville, and was never attracted into any form of public service. He was a Methodist and a republican. Rawley Watson, who died in 1890, survived by several years his wife, whose maiden name was Sarah Ann Whipp. Her father, Hezekiah Whipp, moved out of Frederick County, Virginia, to Ohio just before the Civil war, and spent his active life four miles from Middletown, Butler County, Ohio. Rawley Watson and wife reared the following chil- dren: Julia R., who married William F. Menear and died at Kingwood; Sanford, who was a Union soldier and later a farmer near Masontown; George, also a Union soldier, who spent his civil life in Preston County and is buried at Masontown; Daniel, who followed the trade of painter and paper hanger, was a farmer, and is now president of the Reedsville Bank at Reedsville, where he resides; Edgar H.; Maxwell, a farmer at Masontown; Orville, a farmer at Reedsville; and Mason, who was a merchant and post- master of Reedsville when he died. Edgar H. Watson was born November 30, 1849. He was about twelve years of age when the Civil war broke out, and consequently his education terminated about that time. He learned the trade of blacksmith under E. J. Miller at Terra Alta, and for fifteen years followed the trade at Flemington. When he abandoned his shop he bought a farm in Barbour County, on Stewarts Run, and to this place he devoted his best energies from 1888 to 1917. In the latter year he moved to his town home at Philippi, but he still oversees his farm and looks after some other business interests. Mr. Watson is a republican, and in 1872 cast his first vote for General Grant, voted for Rutherford B. Hayes in 1876 and for Gen. James A. Garfield in 1880, and has voted for every republican presidential nominee since then. While living on his farm he was president one term of the Board of Education of Elk District. In Taylor County, April 26, 1884, Mr. Watson married Mrs. Julia E. Fleming, widow of Goff J. Fleming and daughter of H. W. LaFollette, who came to Taylor County from Eastern Virginia a few months after the outbreak of the Civil war. He died at the home of Mrs. Watson in Barbour County. His wife was Amy McKee. Mrs. Watson was the oldest of four children, the others being Felicia A., who died at Philippi, wife of James Wood- ford; L. M. LaFollette, former state auditor of West Virginia and a resident of Charleston; and Elery B., who died in Lewis County, West Virginia. Mr. and Mrs. Wat- son have four children. Hazel B. is the wife of Arch Mc- Coy, of Belington; Nellie B. lives at Philippi; Herman B. is assistant cashier of the Citizens National Bank of Phil- ippi; and the youngest child is Miss Mattie B.