watsona
Transcribed from "An Illustrated History of The Big Bend Country, embracing
Lincoln, Douglas, Adams and Franklin counties, State of Washington",
published by Western Historical Publishing Co., 1904.
ALEXANDER WATSON, JR., is to
be classed as one of the wealthy land owners in Adams county. By
his thrift and wisdom he has gained possession of a nice estate and through
his labors, has assisted very materially in building up Adams county to
its present prosperous condition.
Alexander Watson, Jr., was born in Ontario,
Canada, on August 19, 1855. His parents, Alexander and Catherine
(Baird) Watson, were natives of Scotland and are mentioned more fully in
this work elsewhere. They moved from Canada to Illinois then to Nebraska
and in 1888, to Washington, locating in Adams county where they now reside.
Our subject received his education in Ontario and Illinois and remained
with his parents until twenty-three years of age, then he worked out for
wages one year, after which he married, and five years later moved to Nebraska
and farmed for three years. In 1888, he came west and sought out
a homestead in Adams county where he now resides, the same being one mile
south from Delight. To this he has added by purchase until he has
nine hundred and sixty acres, six hundred and fifty of which are producing
wheat. He has erected good buildings and made other improvements
among which may be mentioned an orchard, choice buildings and fences.
In addition to general farming, Mr. Watson also raises some stock.
On December 4, 1879, occurred the marriage
of Mr. Watson and Margaret Culbert. Her parents, Thomas and Elizabeth
(McClanegan) Culbert, were natives of Ireland and came to America when
young. They first located in Pennsylvania and later removed to Illinois
where the father remained until his death. The mother still lives
there. They were the parents of eight children, named as follows:
Alex, Eliza, Mary J., Maggie, Bell, John, Ellen and Levina. To Mr.
and Mrs. Watson, five children have been born, Ralph C., A. T., Girtie,
Mary and Gladis.
The principles of the Republican party have
appealed more strongly to Mr. Watson than any other, consequently he is
numbered with the stalwart war horses of this section. He has taken
a keen interest in educational matters and has given of his time to serve
on the board. He and his wife are members of the Methodist church
and are people of excellent standing in the community.
BACK