Lawson Watson

Lawson Watson. In the memorial annals of Reno county few names stand out with more distinctness than that of the late Lawson Watson, a well-known, progressive and public-spirited farmer of Miami township, who was run down and killed by one of his teams of horses at a point a quarter of a mile east of the town of Turon on February 14, 1903. Lawson Watson was a Hoosier by birth, having been born in the city of New Albany, Indiana, across the river from Louisville, August 20, 1865, son of Michael and Margaret (Braden) Watson, natives of Ohio, who later became well-known residents of Reno county. Michael Watson was born on June 15, 1807, and later moved to the city of New Albany, Indiana, where he married, moving thence to Owensboro, Kentucky, where he made his home until 1885, in which year he came to Kansas with his family and homesteaded a farm in Miami township, Reno county, the same being lot 2 and the southwest quarter of the northwest quarter of section 3, Miami township, where he established his home and where he spent the remainder of his life, his death occurring on December 14, 1897. His widow, who was born at New Albany, Indiana. May 12, 1823, survived him about fifteen years, her death occurring at West Plains, Missouri, June 13, 1912. Michael Watson was a good citizen and took an earnest part in the civic affairs of his community. He and his wife were the parents of three children, the subject of this sketch having had a sister, Louisa, who died in childhood, and a brother. Michael, a farmer, of West Plains, Missouri. Lawson Watson received his education in the schools of Owensboro, Kentucky, and was about twenty years old when he came to Reno county with his parents. He immediately devoted his attention to farming and presently bought the southeast quarter of section 10, on which he engaged quite extensively in general farming and stock raising and where he made his home until his tragic and untimely death in 1903. Mr. Watson gave a good citizen’s attention to local political affairs and served for two years as trustee of Miami township, to which office he was elected on the Democratic ticket, and was a member of the school board for many years. He was a member of the Modern Woodmen of America and in the affairs of that popular organization took a warm interest. On December 22, 1897, at the home of the bride’s parents in Miami township, this county, Lawson Watson was united in marriage to Mrs. Sarah Evans, widow of J. M. Evans daughter of Francis M. and Sophia (Newlin) Sprout, and to this union two children were born, Margaret, born at Turon, this county, December 30, 1900, and Lawson E., also born at Turon, January 7, 1903, Mrs. Watson owns a very pleasant home on the east side of Burns street, between Kansas and Nebraska streets, in Turon, besides two- other houses in that thriving little city and two farms in this county and is very comfortably situated.

Source: History of Reno County, Kansas Its People, Industries and Institutions, Sheridan Ploughe, Vol. II, B. F. BOWEN & COMPANY, Inc. Indianapolis, Indiana, 1917 Courtesy of the Daviess County Bicentennial Committee