Watson, John Samuel - Fountain County INGenWeb Project

Source: Compendium of History and Biography of North Dakota, Publ. 1900 p 233.

John S. Watson a leading and successful attorney of Fargo, North Dakota, and a member of the well-known firm of Ball, Watson & McClay, was born in Fountain county, Indiana, February 20, 1857. His parents, Samuel E. and Elizabeth M. (Brown) Watson, were natives of Kentucky and Virginia respectively, but for many years have been residents of Indiana. The father is a merchant.  Our subject was educated in Wabash College, from which he was graduated in 1878. Later, for two years, he was employed as a teacher in that institution and the following year was spent as a student in the law office of Hon. P. S. Kennedy, of Crawfordsville, Indiana. In May, 1881, he was admitted to the bar and the same month came to Jamestown, North Dakota, where he at once opened an office and engaged in practice until coming to Fargo, in 1892. With W. F. Ball he formed a partnership, which still exists, and they are now at the head of a large and lucrative practice. Mr. Watson was prosecuting attorney for Stutsman county, North Dakota, in 1883 and 1884, and in 1887 was made attorney for the Northern Pacific Railroad in the James river valley, in which position he continued until 1892. Since then he and Mr. Ball have controlled all the business of the company in North Dakota and western Minnesota and also that of the Chicago, Milwaukee & St. Paul Railway in this state. Mr. Watson is not only a good lawyer, but is a good business man as well, and has served as vice-president of the James River National Bank, of Jamestown, for some years. His powers as an advocate have been demonstrated by his success on many occasions, and he is an able lawyer of large and varied experience in all the courts. He has met with most excellent success during his professional career and stands high at the bar of his state. He takes no active part in political affairs but is always willing to support any enterprise for the public good. Socially he is a Knight Templar Mason. In 1884 Mr. Watson was united in marriage with Miss Lizzie E. Wells, a native of Wisconsin, and to them has been born one child, Constance.

Note: He and wife Lizzie Eugenia had a daughter, Constance who had a son John and daughter Elizabeth.  John Samuel was Baptist in the Covington Presbyterian Church 6 Sept 1859 father, Samuel E. and mother Elizabeth Stanton.  He is buried in Riverside Cemetery at Fargo, passing 11-9-1919 at just age 62 Y8M20D

Source: Jamestown Weekly Alert (ND) Nov 13, 1919 p 8

The following account of the sudden death of John S. Watson of Fargo, a former attorney and prominent resident of Jamestown is taken from The Forum on Nov 10: John S. Watson, head of the law firm of Watson, Young & Commy, a resident of Fargo since 1892, died at his home 505 Eight Street South at about 9 o’clock Sunday evening.  Mr. Watson was seated in a chair in the living room of his home, his head resting in a most natural position when he was found by his chauffeur who had entered the room to announce that the car was in readiness to carry Mr. Watson to the Northern Pacific Depot where he intended boarding a train for Milwaukee to meet Mrs. Watson.  Mr. Watson had spent the evening at the home of Mr. and Mrs. HH Wooledge and Mr. and Mrs. James Pollock.  He left the Pollock residence about six blocks distant from his own home about 8:40 o’clock and walked home.  When found at about 9:15 o’clock he apparently had seated himself to rest while awaiting the arrival of his chauffeur.  Dr. WJ Awty, residing next door to the Watson residence called several times thinking that he was merely sleeping, said that Mr. Watson had been dead about 15 or 20 minutes. There was nothing to indicate that Mr. Watson had suffered the slightest pain.  15 years ago Mr. Watson suffered his first attack of heart disease from which death was caused but for many years thereafter he was free from attacks.  Last March he suffered an attack from which he was unconscious for many hours and for the last few months he had apparently been in good health and Sunday evening during the few hours just previous to his passing he was in splendid spirits and seemed to feel very good, enjoying the company of the Wooledge and Pollock children with whom he played up it within a few minutes of the time that the end came.  Funeral arrangements have not been made, awaiting the return of Mrs. Watson who is expected this evening and who will be accompanied home from Minneapolis by several of her relatives and by Judge N. C. Young who was in St. Paul when advised of his partner’s death.  The passing of John Watson has taken one of the most prominent business and professional men of Fargo.  Since he came to Fargo in 1892 from Jamestown ND where he had commenced practice of law on his admission to the bar in 1881, Mr. Watson had been an active factor in the business life of the community, attested by his presidency at one time of the Fargo Commercial Club; his leadership in the Red Cross work both in Fargo and Cass County and his participation in the establishment and maintenance of such civic enterprises as the Fargo Country Club and other similar interests.

Mr. Watson was a VP of the First National Bank of Fargo and member of the board of directors of the Northwestern Mutual Savings and Loan Association.  Until recently he also was a member of the board of directors of the Fargo National Bank and he also was a director of the North Dakota Metal Culver Company of Fargo.  During his residence at Jamestown Mr. Watson assisted in the organization of the Wells-Dickey Company and Wells-Dickey Trust Company and he was a member of the board of directors of both organizations.  Mr. Watson also was a factor in the organization of the Russell-Miller Milling Company, originally founded at Jamestown and of the Occident Elevator Company and he was a member of the board of directors of both corporations.

John S. Watson was born in Fountain County, Indiana on Feb 20, 1857.  His parents, Samuel E. and Elizabeth M. (Brown) Watson were natives of Ky and Virginia respectively but for many years were residents of Indiana the elder Watson being a merchant.

John Watson was educated at Wabash College from which he was graduated in 1878.  He provided much of the money for his education by his own efforts; working during the summer months, selling books, maps, etc and he also tutored and for two years after his graduation he was on the faculty of the college.  A year thereafter was spent in the law office of PS Kennedy of Crawfordsville, Ind.  In May 1881, Mr. Watson was admitted to the bar and some months later removed to Jamestown ND where he opened an office and where he continued the practice of law till 1892 when he formed a partnership with the late WF Ball and established a law practice in Fargo.  That firm was later known as Ball, Watson & Maclay and the firm many years after his death subsequent to the time that Judge NC Young joined the firm after the death of Mr. Maclay.  Mr. Watson was prosecuting attorney for Stutsman Co, ND in 1883-1884 and in 1887 was made the attorney for the Northern Pacific RR in the James River Valley in which position he continued until 1892.  At that time the firm of Ball & Watson took over the representation of the railroad in a legal capacity for ND and western Minnesota and the firm has since then constantly represented the railroad’s interests in this section.

Mr. Watson was active in the First Church of Christ Scientist and was active in the movement which resulted in the construction of the fine edifice on 9th St south owned by the Fargo congregation.  Mr. Watson also was a member of the Knights Templar and El Zagal Temple, AAONMS.  Mrs. Watson was formerly Miss Lizzie E. Wells, and she and an adopted daughter, Mrs. Constance Pollock, wife of James Pollock survive.  Mrs. Watson is a sister of EP Wells of the Wells-Dickey company of Minneapolis.  A brother, William Watson died a number of years ago, his daughter, Mrs. HH Wooledge of Fargo, a niece of JH Watson making her home with the latter for many years after the death of her father. A sister, Mrs. GA Eldridge, resides at Crawfordsville, Ind while other members of the family are Mrs. Hoard Irwin of Los Angeles, Cal a nephew, John Watson, Palo Alto, niece, Mrs. Carra M. Leasure, his sister-in-law widow of William Watson residing in California.

Sudden death of John S. Watson of Fargo will be noted with regret by his old time acquaintances and friends in Jamestown where he resided for many years, engaged in the practice of his profession.  He came here as a struggling young man from Indiana and his work felt in the community.  He identified himself with every movement for the benefit of this city, was active in church and social life as well as in a business way and professionally.  His career in Fargo was continued along the same high plane of endeavor which he began in Jamestown.

The funeral was held Wednesday at the Watson residence on 8th Street in Fargo, the services of the First Church of Christ Scientist was given.  Burial was at Riverside cemetery, Fargo. The body lay in state at the request of many citizens at the Masonic Temple from 10-11:45. Fargo banks closed at 2 as a mark of respect to the deceased.  Mrs. Watson who was in Milwaukee at the time of her husband’s death arrived home Monday evening, accompanied by EP Wells, Mrs. Frank Jewett of Minneapolis and Judge Yount of Fargo who was in St. Paul.  Mr. and Mrs. GA Eldridge of Crawfordsville, Ind, the latter a sister of Mr. Watson arrived for the funeral.  The active pall bearers were Alec Bruce, Attorney Commy; AL Moody; George Perly, Lt. Col. MF Steele and ML Loomis. The active honorary pall bearers were EJ Weiser and LB Hanna of Fargo; HS Helm and Arthur Miller, VP of the Russell-Miller Milling Company of Minneapolis; LE Wakefield of Minneapolis; VP of the Wells-Dickey company and WJ Steenson of Minneapolis, trust officer of the Wells-Dickey Trust Company. The honorary pallbearers were CW Bunn of St. Paul, general counsel of the Northern Pacific RR; Alfred H. Bright of Minneapolis, general counsel of the Soo railroad; Burton Hanson of Chicago; general counsel of the Chicago, Milwaukee & St. Paul RR; Howard L. Elliott of NY, chairman of the board of directors of the Northern Pacific railroad; JM Hannaford of St. Paul, former president and now federal administrator of the Northern Pacific; AR Rogers of Minneapolis, head of the Rogers Lumber Company.  

Manager Danusor of the Russell-Miller Mill received the following telegraph yesterday

Minneapolis, Nov 11, 1919 – To Russell-Miller Co, Jamestown ND – The 12 mills of Russell-Miller Millig Co will cease grinding at all general and branch offices of the company throughout the country.  Will close for a period of one hour beginning at 2:30 o’clock pm central time on Wed Nov 12th to do honor to the memory of our beloved director and general counselor, JS Watson of Fargo ND who will be laid to rest at that hour. HS Helm, General Manager