- THOMAS WATSON, one of the pioneer settlers of Green county,
now living retired from active
- work in Browntown, is a native of Ohio, born Feb. 4, 1824,
son of John and Elizabeth (BINGER) WATSON, who were of Irish
descent. William WATSON, the grandfather, was born in Virginia,
and took part in the Revolutionary war, being with the army during
the terrible suffering of the winter of 1777 in Valley Forge.
He married a lady named BOYD, who was from Ireland.
- John WATSON, father of Thomas, was married in 1823, to Elizabeth
BINGER, daughter of John
- BINGER, a native of Maryland. John WATSON and his wife Elizabeth
reared ten children to maturity: Thomas, Emily, Elaira (widow
of Enoch PATTERSON), Sarah, Nancy (wife of Henry HOST, of Ohio),
Eliza (wife of William WHITE, of Ohio), Jane (wife of James WESLEY,
of Ohio), John William, Joseph, and Maria (wife of Daniel WHITE
of Ohio).
- Thomas WATSON has received his education in the school of
experience, as the public schools in
- his boyhood days were very limited in numbers and the scope
of their work. In the early 'thirties' he attended a little log
cabin school. So far as farm work was concerned his education
was not by any means neglected. In 1850 he came to Wisconsin,
and settled in Cadiz township, which has been his home for the
past fifty years. He began life without any capital whatever,
but his indomitable will and natural energy, and by good management
and untiring industry, he has accumulated a competence, owning
a good farm of nearly two hundred acres in Cadiz township, and
a good home in Browntown, where he is now living at rest. Strictly
honest in all his dealings, he has an untarnished reputation
in the business world, and is a most highly esteemed citizen.
In politics he is an ardent Republican, and, while a member of
no church, is very charitable, and is a liberal contributor to
worthy causes.
- On March 29, 1846, Mr. WATSON was united in marriage with
Miss Mary LYNCH, daughter
- of William LYNCH, of Ohio. She was born in Ohio Dec. 24,
1828, one of a family of nine children, the others being John,
Simon, Hugh, Absalom, Cornelius, Hattie, Susan and Katie. Mr.
and Mrs. WATSON became the parents of ten children, of whom five
are now living: Jane is the wife of Wallace SKINNER, of Winslow,
Ill.; Luvina married Elias MARTIN, of Green county; Catherine
is a teacher in the Green county schools; Viola is the wife of
William SMITH, of Wisconsin; and Aurora is the wife of James
ROBB, of Illinois. The others died in childhood. Mr. WATSON was
called upon to mourn the loss of his wife Feb. 19, 1896. She
was a devoted mother and loving wife, and passed to her rest
in the faith of the Methodist Church, of which she had long been
a faithful member.
-
- Taken from "Commemorative Biographical Record of
the Counties of Rock, Green, Grant, Iowa and Lafayette Wisconsin,"
(c)1901 Union Publishing; p. 646.
-
- Courtesy of Carol.
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