William Pickens Watson (1846 - 1929)

Born 20 Jan 1846 in Greenville, Greenville, South Carolina, United States

Husband of Mary Emma (Castleberry) Watson — married 1 Feb 1876 in Talbot, Georgia, United States

Descendants

Died 3 Apr 1929 at age 83 in Weimar, Colorado, Texas, United States

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Biography

Burial

Weimar Masonic Cemetery, Weimar, Colorado County, Texas, USA ^[1]

Obituary

OLD TIME, HONORED CITIZEN PASSES AWAY

After a lingering illness, extending over many weeks, the spirit of Mr. Wm. P. Watson, one of our oldest and best citizens, left its tenement of clay and joined his loved ones gone before. His death took place at the family homes in this city Wednesday night at 9:45. The funeral will take place this, Thursday, afternoon at 4 o'clock, from the family residence , with interment in the Odd Fellows' Cemetery. A suitable obituary regarding this honored, good man will appear in next issue of the Mercury. Weimar Mercury, April 5, 1929

Honored Citizen Answers The Last Roll Call

Due to the lateness of the hour and other handicaps the Mercury mentioned but briefly last week the death of an honored, good citizen of our community, Mr. W. P. Watson, whose death occurred at the family home Wednesday night of last week, following a long illness. The funeral took place Thursday afternoon at 4 o’clock, in the Odd Fellows’ Cemetery, and was attended by a large concourse of relatives and friends of this long-time citizen of our town and community. Rev. C. C. McKinney, local Methodist pastor officiated in a touching burial service.

William Pickens Watson was a son of Lynn Watson and Eliza Livingston, and was born in Greenville, South Carolina, Jan. 20, 1846, being 82 years old at time of his death. He was united in marriage to Mary Emma Watson in Talbot county, Georgia Feb. 1, 1876, the couple then moving to Texas. During the late Civil War Mr. Watson was a member of Buller’s Guards, Co. B., Second Regiment, Kershaw’s Brigade, McClau Division, Longstreet Corps, Army of Northern Virginia, South Carolina Volunteers. He took a active part in many of the great battles of the Civil War, among them the battle of the Wilderness, battle of Spottsylvania Courthouse, battle of Cold Harbor, battle around Petersburg, also in the campaign of the Valley of Virginia, battle of Cedar Run, etc. Joseph E. Johnston was his general when they surrendered in April, 1865, to Scofield. After the close of the Civil War he lived for awhile in New York City, then came to Texas. He lived three years in Harrison county, near Marshall, Texas, then went back to South Carolina, then to Southern Georgia, where he was overseer of a large plantation for two or three years. After his marriage he came to Texas, settled on the John Tooke farm in the New Bielau community, then moved to Oakland, where he lived eight or nine years. He moved to Weimar in September, 1887. His wife died Jan. 20 1925. Mr. Watson joined the Cumberland Presbyterian Church in early life, but after marriage united with the church of his wife, the Methodist.

Mr. Watson was a carpenter by trade and a mighty good one. A great many of the business houses and residences of this community are a result of his handiwork. He was a man of genial temperament, sober and industrious, loved his work and it was perhaps the hardest trial of his life when ill health forced him to give up his usual avocation. He was a man whose friendship was as true and strong as steel, never faltering once he became your friend and willing at all times to do anything in his power to help a friend. Such friendships are rare in this day and time, and to possess the friendship of such a man was indeed something to be proud of. Almost to the very last his mind was clear as a bell, while his memory was remarkable. Friends who dropped in to see him toward the last were amazed to note that he recognized them instantly. He was a good man and citizen, a man who was good to his family and community throughout his entire life and one whom we can ell afford to spare. As a friend of this splendid man and citizen for over forty years, and one whose friendship for the writer never faltered in all that time, we drop the tear of sympathy with his bereaved ones, and pray that the good God above will comfort them as He alone can.

“The muffled drum’s sad roll has beat The soldier’s last tattoo; No more on Life’s parade shall meet The brave and fallen few. On Fame’s eternal camping ground Their silent tents are spread, And Glory guards, with solemn round The bivouac of the dead.” Weimar Mercury, April 12, 1929

Sources

1. ↑ Find a Grave, database and images (https://www.findagrave.com : accessed 08 May 2020), memorial page for William Pickens Watson (20 Jan 1846–3 Apr 1929), Find A Grave: Memorial #130207496, citing Weimar Masonic Cemetery, Weimar, Colorado County, Texas, USA ; Maintained by texnative (contributor 47638110) .

• "Georgia Marriages, 1808-1967", database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:FW68-3QS : 11 January 2020), William P. Watson, 1876.

• "Georgia, County Marriages, 1785-1950," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:KXJL-11J : 7 February 2020), William P. Watson and Emma Castleberry, 1 Feb 1876; citing Marriage, Talbot, Georgia, United States, Georgia Department of Archives and History, Morrow, FHL microfilm 249,368.

• "United States Census, 1880," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:MFF1-D33 : 15 July 2017), William P Watson, Oakland, Colorado, Texas, United States; citing enumeration district ED 49, sheet 358A, NARA microfilm publication T9 (Washington, D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, n.d.), FHL microfilm 1,255,297.

• "United States Census, 1900," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:M3L7-98D : accessed 8 May 2020), William P Watson, Justice Precinct 4 Weimar town, Colorado, Texas, United States; citing enumeration district (ED) 20, sheet 7B, family 144, NARA microfilm publication T623 (Washington, D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, 1972.); FHL microfilm 1,241,622.

• "United States Census, 1920," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:MHTT-SWJ : accessed 9 May 2020), William P Watson, Weimar, Colorado, Texas, United States; citing ED 24, sheet 6A, line 7, family 136, NARA microfilm publication T625 (Washington D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, 1992), roll 1787; FHL microfilm 1,821,787.