Central California Biographies

A memorial and biographical history of the coast counties of Central California : illustrated : containing 
a history of this important section of the Pacific coast from the earliest period of its discovery to the 
present time, together with glimpses of its auspicious future, illustrations and full-page portraits of 
some of its eminent men, and biographical mention of many of its pioneers, and prominent citizens of 
to-day (1893)

Publisher: Chicago : Lewis Publishing Company
Author: Barrows, Henry D; Ingersoll, Luther A

Transcribed by Peggy Hooper

This file is part of the California Genealogy & History Archives http://www.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~cagha/index.htm

 


JAMES WATSON, a prosperous farmer and influential citizen of San Benito county, 
California., residing near Paicines, was born in Scott county, Virginia, September 22, 
1831. He is next to the oldest of the children of the well-known pioneer Jacob Watson, 
who is prominently mentioned in various connections elsewhere in this history. Upon 
coming to California, Mr. Watson first engaged in wagon freighting from Marysville to 
the mines, in 1855. Later he lived in San Luis Obispo county, in the Santa Rosa valley, 
near Cambria, where he lived for about twenty-one years, engaged in farming and 
stock-raising. In 1884, lie settled near Paicines, on Tres Pinos creek, being the first man 
to locate in his section of the valley. 

He was married, in 1869, to Miss Hannah R. Carnack, who was born about twelve miles 
from the World's Fair city of Chicago, and a daughter of Perry Carnack, who came to 
California in 1855, and died near Paicines August 24, 1871. Mr. and Mrs. Watson are 
useful members of the First Baptist Church of Paicines, and are esteemed for their many 
good qualities.