William Watson was born the son of Alexander Watson and Elizabeth Arnot on 12 February 1838 in Whithorn, Wigtonshire, Scotland. The 1841 census finds him living at the age of 3 with his parents, two brothers, and possibly a grandmother in the Whithorn parish, with the address of Shaddock (probably a farm).

On 10 May 1849 William arrived in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania with his family aboard the ship Thomas H. Perkins. The family settled in Butler County, Pennsylvania.

Twelve-year-old William can be found in the 1850 census living with his parents, two brothers, and one sister. Two 18-year-olds, John Blain and Catherine Alexander, are listed with the household as well.

William is said to have attended school in Buffalo Township, and he remained at home until the spring of 1858. According to a biography from the book 20th Century History of Butler and Butler County, Pa, he went to the territory of Kansas, then to Denver, Missouri, and Nebraska where he engaged in various jobs.

He enlisted in the 6th Artillery 212th Pennsylvania Volunteers, Battery D and was mustered in on 2 September 1864. He was promoted to Sergeant from Corporal on December 28, 1864. He mustered out on June 13, 1865.

In the 1870 census for Buffalo Township Butler County William is listed with his first wife, Mary E. Sarver, and three children: Clara Etta, John W., and Edwin A. In addition, a labourer, J. Peters, is listed with the household.

In 1874 William's wife died, and in 1875 he married Mary Campbell, the daughter of Joseph Campbell and Ann McClung of Concord Township. William and Mary can be found in the 1880 census in Franklin Township, Butler County, with children Clara, Wilbur, Edwin, Walter, Charles, and Elmer Merle. In the 1900 census for Franklin Township, where William is listed as a Dry Goods Merchant, two more children are listed: Clyde N., and Jessie M.

From 1880 to 1885 and again from 1885 to 1889, William Watson was postmaster at the Mt. Chestnut post office in Butler County, Pennsylvania. In 1894 the village of Mt. Chestnut consisted of a few mills, the United Presbyterian Church, a blacksmith shop, W. Watson & Son's general store, the post office store, and a few houses.

William and Mary Watson were members of the Mt. Chestnut Presbyterian Church. There is a Certificate of Transfer for them dated 5 January 1909; in other words, on that date they asked for their names to be transferred to another Church. That would probably be second United Presbyterian Church in Butler, Pennsylvania.

In the 1910 census for Butler Borough, Clyde and Jessie are the only children remaining at home with William and his wife, Mary. They resided at 442 E. Pearl Street at the time.

William Watson died on 4 May 1921 and is buried at Butler's North Cemetery. His obituary appeared on the front page of the Butler Eagle on May 5, 1921.

"WILLIAM WATSON CALLED BY DEATH

Well Known Butlerite Answers Death Summons - funeral Saturday

William Watson, well-known resident of Butler, died last night at his residence 422 East Pearl Street, following a long illness. He was 83 years old.

Funeral services will be held at 2'oclock Saturday afternoon in charge of Rev. S. C. Gamble, pastor of the Second United Presbyterian Church.

Mr. Watson was born near Whithorn, Scotland, and removed to this country at an early age. For many years he conducted a merchantile establishment at Mt. Chestnut, disposing of his interests there in 1908. Previous to his residence in Mt. Chestnut, Mr. Watson had in 1858 gone to Kansas, which was then a territory. There he engaged in lumber operations until the gold excitement in the vicinity of Pike's Peak, when he and a brother, John A. Watson. bought three yokes of oxen and emigrated to the present site of Denver. He prospected for gold in the vicinity until the winter of 1859 when he went to Missouri and later to Browneville, Nebraska, where he mined for gold until 1861, when he returned to his home in this country to visit.

While here he enlisted in Company D., Sixth Pennsylvania artillery, with which he served as a sergeant and artillery instructor until the close of the civil war. After the cessation of hostilities Mr. Watson purchased a farm in Buffalo township which he operated until 1876 when he purchased an interest in the Campbell store at Mt. Chestnut. Two years later he acquired the entire store and conducted it under his name until 1892 when he admitted his son, Edwin A. Watson, to partnership, and in 1897 the firm established a store at Isle. The village of Isle ws named by Mr. Watson in memory of a village near his birthplace in Scotland. In 1908 he sold his interests and retired.

Mr. Watson was first married to Mary E. Sarver, who died in 1874. He later married Mary M. Campbell, who survives. Besides the widow, the following children are left: Mrs. S. L. Cheeseman of Slippery Rock, John W. of Seattle, Wash., Edwin A. of Isle, A. Walter of California, Charles C. of Butler, E. Merle of Butler, Clyde N. of this city, and Jessie M. at home."