COMMEMORATIVE BIOGRAPHICAL RECORD of HENRY WATSON

by Jean (Cameron / MacIntyre) Simpson (1911-84) (Granddaughter of Wellford and Jessie Watson)

Henry Watson was postmaster at Highgate, Ontario, was born in the township of Hope, County of Durham, Ontario, November 18, 1838. The residence where he was born was on top of a large hill, on Lot 31, Concession 1, of the township mention, a picturesque spot with beautiful landscape views and the broad waters of Lake Ontario.

The paternal grandfather of Henry Watson was William Watson, who was born in Yorkshire, near Malton, England, June 16, 1793. At about the age of nineteen he married Mary Geldard, who was born in Yorkshire, England, October 15, 1794, and they immigrated to America five years after their marriage with a family of two children. The family landed at Port Hope in 1819, when it was in its wild and unsettled state, there being but two or three rude log houses and lived there a few years, finally locating on Lot 31, in the 1st Concession of the township of Hope, and living there until the grandfather's death, which took place February 20, 1850. He was buried in the Wesley Churchyard close. by. The family comprised five sons and six daughters, two dying in infancy, and only one son and one daughter are alive at present, at advanced ages'—­Mrs. John Bailey, who lives near Wallaceburg, and David R., near Morpeth.

John Watson, the eldest in the family of William, married Rosannah De Long Dec. 20, 1837, at Port Hope, the ceremony being performed by Rev. John Cassie. She was born March 22, 1821, in Hamilton Township, County of Northumberland. By this union the subject of our sketch was born. In 1847 John and his family, accompanied by his brothers Robert and David, together with their mother and two married sisters and their families, moved west and settled in the County of Kent. Grandmother made her home with her youngest son David, who lived to an old age and died at Government Park, Rond Eau Point, May 5, 1885.

Mr. Watson's great-grandfather on the mother’s side was James De Long, who was of French and Scottish origin, connected with the Bourbon family, and engaged in the wars of the family compact, holding a commission as captain. Capt. James De Long married Elizabeth Sisson, a woman of English birth, and with a large family immigrated to America and settled in Pennsylvania, where one of his sons, Reuben, was born in 1772. Reuben at mature age married Sybel Decker, in New York State, where she was born, of German parentage on her mother's side. They moved to Pennsylvania and later to Canada, settling in Hamilton township, in the County of Northumberland, where Rosannah was born.

After their marriage, our subject's parents lived chiefly in the township of Hope, and the father was one of the prominent farmers of the township. During the time of the Rebellion, he was one of the volunteers and held commission as captain. They reared a large family, nine born in the township of Hope, two of whom died in infancy. The family moved to the County of Kent in 1858, and purchased the Baldwin farm, at Baldwin's Corners, North Talbot Road, in the township of Howard, after which two other children were born. After living there for ten years, the father traded farms and moved not far from the Rond Eau where they lived until he died, in June 1886. The mother survived until Sept. 28, 1900. They were both zealous members of the Methodist Church until they moved west, when they accepted the faith of the Universalist Church. Rev. W.W.. Clayton preached the funeral sermon of father Watson and Rev. Dr. McCollester that of the mother. The following children were born to them: Henry the eldest, is mentioned below. Elizabeth (deceased) married Collins Handy Jr., of Howard, a farmer. Theodore F. lives in Vancouver, where he is a contractor and builder; he is married and has a family of four children. Angeline, wife of George W. Handy, farmer and county commissioner, lives on the old homestead. Emma Josephine married George Murray, a veterinary surgeon of Winnipeg, Man. Mary Minerva (deceased) married Col. J. T. Coffet, a prominent auctioneer of Chicago. Hortensa is the T. A. McCormick of Chatham. Orra Eugene is a contractor and builder of Vancouver, B. C.; he is married. Wellford W. who is quite an extensive farmer near the Rond Eau, is also married to Jessica Coleman.

Henry Watson was reared on a farm, and in his young days attended school on the front road, Port Brittan and the York read, all in the township, in the "March Section," was John P, Cleghorn, of Port Brittan; he also had teachers Charles Potts and Andrew Riddell.

After corning west ho attended the Slabtown school for a short time. He was a close student at home, applying himself at every opportunity. At the age of about twenty years, by reason of illness, he left the farm, and with Dr. Sutherland of Morpeth in the month of September drove to DeKalb, Illinois. They were fifteen days making the journey. This was about the time of the outbreak of the Civil War. After being in the country for a few months, he secured position as teacher in School Section No. 4, in the township of Campton, Kane county, Illinois, received a certificate of permit from the local inspector and received a creditable recommendation when he surrendered the school. On returning home to his parents he was engaged and taught in School Section No. 12, Harwich, receiving his permit (which he still holds) from the late David Mills, who was then I. P. S. On Aug. 9, 1863, he was married by Rev. A Waddell, to Louisa Handy, at her residence. They moved to Chatham5 where he attended the Grammar School, under the tuition of Mr. McBain, and received a creditable certificate during the pleasure of the board. Late in 1863 they moved to Clearville, where Mr. Watson was engaged by trustees E. H. Ridley, Esq., Daniel McCrank and N. H. Benton, and commencing in January, 1864, he taught three years, at the respective salaries of $250, $275 and $300. In 1867, he bought out a mercantile business at Clearville from the late Andrew Heyward of Chatham, and finally bought the premises from David Walker, of the "Walker House" Toronto. After continuing ten years in mercantile pursuits, he sold out to J. L. Davis, in 1876. In 1868 he was appointed postmaster of Clearville, and held the position over thirty years, when he resigned. In 1872 he received a letter of appointment as Commissioner in the High Courts of Justice by Hon. W. B. Richards, Chief Justice, Hon. J.C. Morrison and Hon. A. Wilson, Justices of the Queen's Bench. In 1880 he was appointed by Her Majesty's Courts as a Justice of the Peace, succeeding E. H. Ridley, Esq. In 1885 he was appointed, by His Honor, the Lieutenant Governor, as Issuer of Marriage Licenses in the County of Kent. Mr. Watson was appointed municipal clerk of the township of Oxford thirty years ago, and has held the position continuously to the present. He was the chief promoter and instigator in securing the Bell telephone office at Clearville, encouraging the enterprise at a large personal cost. The family of Henry and Louisa (Handy) Watson comprised two sons and one daughter, all born at Clearville. Linneus, the first-born June 15, 1864, married Mary Ruthven, Dec, 7, 1887, and has one son. He rented his farm, and is now living at Morden, Man., engaged in the implement business. Mary, the only daughter, died with scarlet fever on Sunday morning, Feb. 21, 1875, when nine years and seven months old, after being sick three days; this sad bereave­ment injured the mother's health materially. Clayton, who was born Oct. 14, 1876, has completed his course as a machinist, and has been in the Walcott machine shop at Hackson, Michigan, for nearly six years. He was married in September 1903, to Miss Beulah Burton, of Jackson where they now live. In the spring of 1882 Mr. Watson and his wife went to Manitoba, accompanied by their little boy Clayton, chiefly with the object of improving the mother's health: she died very suddenly at his brother's residence, at Nelson. Man., May 6, 1882. The remains were brought home under trying difficulties, during the big flood, and arrived at the home and residence in Clearville just one month to a day from the time they left. Mother and daughter are resting in the family cemetery at Morpeth, Ontario.

On November 15, 1883, Mr. Watson was married, the second tine, by Rev. C. W. Knickerbocker, to Ida C. Handy, sister of his first wife, and to this marriage came two children: Miss Leona, who was born Dec, 7, 1884, it now assistant postmaster at Highgate; and Morden, who was born Oct 5, 1889, is a student at school. Mrs. Watson was born on Lot 102, N. T. R., Howard township, June 14, 1854, and is the third daughter and ninth born in the family of Collins Handy, Sr., and Rebecca (Baldwin). She received her education chiefly at the Slabtown school and taught in School Section No. 5, Oxford, in 1874.

On Dec., 28, 1895, Mr. Watson started the Highgate Monitor, of which he was sole proprietor and manager up to April, 1899, when he sold out to Vance A. Statia, on account of ill health. During the period in which he conducted the Monitor he wrote and published more pioneer sketches than were contained in any other journal in the province. In 1897 he and his family moved to Highgate from Clearville, where he had lived nearly thirty-four years, and in September, 1900, he was appointed to the office of postmaster at Highgate.

In all his public career Mr. Watson has never drunk a glass of liquor or smoked a cigar. He has filled several local positions, among them, some years ago, that of director and president of the Agricultural Society. Fraternally, Mr. Watson has filled several elective and appointive offices. He joined Morpeth Lodge, No. 111, A. F. and A.M. in 1873; was the first chartered master of Highgate Lodge, No. 336, instituted in 1875, and has held the position of grand steward of Grand Lodge. He is an member of Erie Chapter, No. 73, Royal Arch Masons, was on the executive board, and deputy grand commander of Select Knights.

A member of the A. O. U. W. almost from its inception in Canada. He was D. D. of the three western counties for two years, and held the first public installation in the Province, at Aylmer; he was grand inside watchman of the order for two years.

Mr. Watson and his wife were members of the Universalist Church at Blenheim for many years. He has held the position of President of the Society for the Province., been on the executive board for years, and has been treasurer of the Society for the province for the past four years. He is probably as veil known as any man in the county, and is welt thought of by his. broad circle of friends.. He is a man of few words, always abstaining from hot discussions. His writings on historical events and subjects of general interest have been much admired. Courteous, generous and kind-hearted,. he has suffered severely by misplaced confidence. but he is honored and well respected in the community, and by his associates in al1 relations of life.