1882 History of Linn
County, Missouri
BIOGRAPHY
THOMAS L. WATSON (DECEASED) Jefferson Twp. and town of Laclede, page 627
was the son of Thomas and Sarah Jane {nee Fowler)
"Watson. His father was one of the earliest settlers of Linn county, Missouri, having come here in 1833 from Chariton county, Missouri,
from which he was once a member of the legislature. He also represented Linn county in the legislature, and kept the lirst
tavern in this county. He and his wife were natives of Virginia. The grandfather of the subject of
this sketch was a native of Ireland,
and was a soldier of the Revolution through all the seven years of that
struggle. He died in this country in 1845, aged ninety years.
Thomas L. "Watson was born in
Chariton county, Missouri, July 25, 1825, and
when about eight years of age his parents removed to Linn county, Missouri, where he was
reared on a farm. "When the Mexican "War
broke out he and his two brothers enlisted in Captain Barber's company and was
in General Price's command. They served through the whole war and at its close
returned to Linn county. In 1849 he went to
California, came back a year later, and March 13, 1851, was married to Miss
Eliza J. Parks daughter of James and Frances {nee Heyford)
Parks, of Chariton county, Missouri. Her father settled in that county in 1816.
He then located on the farm where his widow now lives, he having been granted
the land for services in the Mexican "War.
Mr. "Watson was very fond of
hunting and it was supposed that he had killed more deer than any other man in
Linn county, he always keeping an abundant supply of venison the year round. He
kept the first ferry on Locust Creek in this county, carrying a hickory club as
he went to and from the ferry with which to kill snakes. Mr. "Watson was a
deacon in the Baptist
Church for twenty-three
years, and a worthy and useful citizen. He died December 25, 1877. He was the
father of thirteen children. Charles H., the oldest, was badly hurt while
discharging a gun, the breech-pin entering his forehead, from the effects of
which wound he died seven years afterward, aged twenty-four years. There had
been over forty pieces of his skull taken out. The names of the other children
are as follows: Missouri
F., "William P., James (deceased), Jordan P., Bettie L., Mary E., Sarah
R., Oscar Y., Ada E., Ellen L., Florence B., and Cella M. "Watson.
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Transcribed, in total, by kkfitch © 2014. All Rights Reserved