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

 


THOMAS WATSON, a leading citizen of Monterey county, and an esteemed 
rancher of Corral de Tierra, is a native of Monterey, born June 14, 1834. 

His father, James Watson, was known also as Santiago, the Spanish for St. James, often 
by Spanish-speaking Californians so-called. He was one of the most prominent citizens of 
Monterey in his day. He was an Englishman by birth, and came to this country as a sailor 
on a trading vessel. He left his ship at Santa Barbara, and came to Monterey by land as 
early as 1823. Here he located and engaged in merchandising, becoming identified with 
local public matters. He was one of about fifty citizens to organize a compania estranjera 
(meaning company of strangers) for the defense of Monterey against forces from the 
interior, when, in 1832, the country was in a state of warfare. In 1834 he married Mariana 
Escamilla, by whom he had eight children. The year previous to his marriage he was 
naturalized, and afterward was often a member of the local legislature of Monterey. 
Hon. Thomas Larkin writes of him as "an educated, unambitious, honest man, not in- 
clined to politics." He amassed a fortune. He bore the reputation of being a generous, 
open-hearted man; was a genial companion, and was ever true to his friends. In 1850 
he bought the San Benito rancho, consisting of a league and a half, and located with his 
family on the same. He was financially ruined by the drought of 1863, and died the 
following year. Mariana, his faithful consort, was a daughter of Thomas Escamilla, a 
Spanish soldier, who came to Mexico when that country was under Spanish rule, and 
there married a lady of Mexican birth. He was a soldier at the old Mission Dolores, San 
Francisco, and at that place his daughter Mariana was born. He finally retired from 
the army and removed to Monterey, where he died, leaving three sons and two daugh- 
ters. To James Watson and his wife were born the following named children: Frances, 
in 1830; Catalina, in 1838; Thomas, June 14, 1834; David, in 1836; and Adolph, 
Marignacia, Narcisa and Anitas, all but one living at this date. 

Thomas Watson, the subject of this sketch, was educated in Monterey, and for many 
years followed the occupation of cattle-buyer. He later engaged in the butchering business, 
in which he was very successful. He served the people of Monterey county as Sheriff four 
successive terms, commencing in 1866, and voluntarily relinquished his hold to the office. 
Of recent years, although repeatedly urged to take a seat on the county board of Super- 
visors, he has withheld from shouldering public responsibility. 

In 1855 he married Miss Louisa Moreno, a member of one of the old families of Cali- 
fornia. Santiago Moreno, her father, lived at Monterey and afterward at Salinas, she be- 
ing born at the latter place. Mr. and Mrs. Watson have ten children, the youngest at 
this writing (1892) being eleven years of age. Their home place consists of a fine ranch of 
800 acres, utilized as a dairy and cattle ranch. There is probably not a man in Monterey 
who is more popular with the masses, and who as a business man and citizen bears a 
more honorable name than Thomas Watson, Esq., of Corral de Tierra.