William Watson (1869 - 1951)

Born 6 Jan 1869 in Guilford Twp, Winnebago, Illinois, United States

Ancestors

Husband of Susanna Belle (Davis) Watson — married 2 Oct 1901 in Winnebago County, Illinois, United States

Died 13 Mar 1951 at age 82 in West Allis, Milwaukee, Wisconsin, United States

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Biography

This profile is part of the Watson Name Study.

William was born in 1869. He was the son of William Watson and Sarah McMillan. ^[1]

He married Susannah Belle Davis in 1901. ^[2]

They moved to Scranton, Pennsylvania where he worked for Allis-Chalmers Manufacturing. ^[3]

They moved to West Allis, Wisconsin before 1920 where eventually become Vice President in charge of Manufacturing. ^[4][5][6]

William passed away in 1951.

Children

1. Eleanor (Sanlader) 1902-1983
2. Willard Davis Watson 1907-1987
3. William E. Watson 1907- 1980 (Twins)

Obituary

Illness Is Fatal to W. Watson Retired A-C Official

William Watson, 82, vice-president in charge of manufacturing of the Allis-Chalmers Manufacturing Co. before his retirement about nine years ago, died Tuesday at his home in West Allis. He had been ill for a long time.

During the last 20 years with his conpany, Mr. Watson shared the responsibility for expansion of the firm in six cities. Plants were added in La Crosse, Wis., Springfield, Ill., La Porte, Ind., Pittsburgh, Pa., Boston, Mass., and Oxnard, Calif.

In 1889 he joined the former E. P. Allis & Co., predecessor of Allis-Chalmers, as an apprentice machinist. Later for seven years, beginning in 1894, he was a machinist with the Nordberg Manufacturig Co. Later he joined the Dickson Manufacturing Co. at Scranton, Pa., which became the Scranton works of Allis-Chalmers in 1901.

Born on a farm, Mr. Watson became superintendent and manager of the Scranton works. After the plant was closed in 1911, he became superindent of the machine shops at the West Allis plant of Allis-Chalmers. In 1922 he was appointed assistant works manager and in 1924 general works manager of all tractor and general machinery plants. In 1932 he became vice-president of manufacturing. He was born on a farm near Rockford, Ill.

Mr. Watson, a 32nd degree Mason, was a past master of Excelsior lodge, F. and A.M., a member of the Society of Mechanical Engineers, the Engineering Society of Milwaukee, the Abraham Lincoln association. the Lincoln Fellowship of Wisconsin and the athletic club.

He organized the Allis-Chalmers Foremen's club and had been president of the Goodfellowship Bowling club of West Allis for about 25 years.

He is survived by a daughter, Mrs. Eleanor Sandader, West Allis, and two sons, William E., Milwaukee, and Willard, Springfield, Ill.

Services will be held at 2 p.m Friday at the Borgwardt funeral home, 1603 S. 81st st., West Allis, under the auspices of Excelsior lodge. Burial will be in Forest Home cemetery. ^[7]

1910 US Census

Scranton, Pennsylvania

WILLIAM WATSON

Occupation: Superintendent

Industry: Machine Shop

• William Watson Head 42 Illinois
• Belle Watson Wife 36 Illinois
• Eleanor Watson Daughter 7 Pennsylvania
• William Watson Son 2 Pennsylvania
• Willard Watson Son 2 Pennsylvania
• Easter Singer Nurse 14 Pennsylvania

1920 US Census

West Allis, Wisconsin

WILLIAM WATSON

Occupation: Asst Manager

Industry: Manufacturing Plant

• William Watson Head 51 Illinois
• Belle Watson Wife 45 Illinois
• Eleanor Watson Daughter 17 Pennsylvania
• William E Watson Son 12 Pennsylvania
• Willard Watson Son 12 Pennsylvania

1940 US Census

West Allis, Wisconsin

WILLIAM WATSON

Marital status: Widowed

Occupation: Vice President

• William Watson Head 71 Illinois
• Eleanor Sanlader Daughter 37 Pennsylvania
• Fred A Sanlader Son-in-law 43 Illinois

Sources

1. ↑ "United States Census, 1880," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:MXN3-6ZH : 11 August 2017), Wm Watson in entry for Sarah Watson, 1880; citing enumeration district ED 6, sheet 398C, NARA microfilm publication T9 (Washington D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, n.d), roll 0176; FHL microfilm 1,254,176.
2. ↑ "Illinois, County Marriages, 1810-1940," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:QK9L-K51F : 17 October 2017), William Watson and Belle Davis, 02 Oct 1901; citing Winnebago, Illinois, United States, county offices, Illinois; FHL microfilm 1,914,050.
3. ↑ "United States Census, 1910," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:MGZX-4HJ : accessed 3 August 2019), William Watson, Scranton Ward 10, Lackawanna, Pennsylvania, United States; citing enumeration district (ED) ED 88, sheet 1A, family 7, NARA microfilm publication T624 (Washington D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, 1982), roll 1359; FHL microfilm 1,375,372.
4. ↑ "United States Census, 1920," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:MFJB-G3L : accessed 3 August 2019), William Watson, West Allis Ward 3, Milwaukee, Wisconsin, United States; citing ED 329, sheet 8A, line 10, family 181, NARA microfilm publication T625 (Washington D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, 1992), roll 2006; FHL microfilm 1,822,006.
5. ↑ "United States Census, 1930", database with images, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:X9SQ-785 : Fri Oct 06 05:34:21 UTC 2023), Entry for William Watson and William E Watson, 1930.
6. ↑ "United States Census, 1940," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:K7V4-YHT : 29 July 2019), William Watson, Ward 3, West Allis, West Allis City, Milwaukee, Wisconsin, United States; citing enumeration district (ED) 40-98, sheet 61A, line 1, family 262, Sixteenth Census of the United States, 1940, NARA digital publication T627. Records of the Bureau of the Census, 1790 - 2007, RG 29. Washington, D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, 2012, roll 4504.
7. ↑ Milwaukee Journal (Milwaukee, WI) 14 March 1951, page 25 GenealogyBank: accessed 3 August 2019

See also:

• Find A Grave: Memorial #124264428: accessed 03 August 2019), memorial page for William Watson (6 Jan 1869–13 Mar 1951), citing Forest Home Cemetery, Milwaukee, Milwaukee County, Wisconsin, USA ; Maintained by Nadeen Sobottka (contributor 47145936) .