The Dedication services for a Military stone placed for Robert Watson, a Revolutionary Soldier was held Sunday, October 16, 1994, at Cave/Dixon Cemetery, Paris, Indiana.
    Muscatatuck Chapter Daughters of the American Revolution, had the ceremony assisted by the help of the VFW, Mat Hester Post #2021 from North Vernon. Gail Coon, Regent of the Muscatatuck Chapter opened the service with Prayer, service was then held by the VFW. This short history of Robert Watson was presented by Catherine Coons, a member of Muscatatuck chapter DAR.

    Robert Watson was born in Pennsylvania in 1744, he died at Paris, Indiana on November 7, 1823, where he had moved with his family by 1816 from Shelby county, Kentucky. His nine children came with him and several other families among them the Graham's and Shillidaey's. He had lived with his daughter Jane and her husband Captain Samuel Graham, at Paris, the home in which they lived still stands.
    Robert Watson was an Indian fighter, even before he joined Colonel Archibald Lochry's Rangers. Colonel Lochry was to meet George Rogers Clark at Louisville, (then known as Corn Island), the year was 1781.
    On August 24, 1781 the men with Colonel Lochry, were unaware that the Indians under the leadership of Joseph Brant, (a Mohawk Chief, who was actually a white mand raised by the Indians) were following the men as they drifted down the Ohio river, following along in the woods beside the river.
    The Rangers decided to stop and cook a meal and do some hunting, the Indians and British attacked suddenly when the Rangers went ashore at Laughry Creek, near what is now Aurora, Indiana. The Indians killed Colonel Lochry and several other leaders. The rest of the Rangers were taken prisoner, and were sent to Canada, to be ransomed later.
    Records of the attack are in the Haidimand Papers in the British Library, Canada, under Captain Stokley lists. Robert Watson's name is on a memorial stone near Aurora, Indiana, which was placed by the DAR of Dearborn county, Indiana.

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    VFW members taking part in the ceremony were Sneed Snodderly, acting commander; Chet Klingner, chaplain; Gene Leeds, officer of the day; Nick Bauerle, Tom Bowerly, John Jones, Wilborn McPherson and Orivlle Hartwell, color guard.
    Members of the firing squad were, Sgt. Henry Castetter, Henry McCune, James Estes, John Huffman, James Weaver, Glen Hollenbaugh, William Snyder and William Marling. Attendants were Elmer Thie and "Boots" Turner, Mike Penn was bugler.
    The DAR worked with Harold Pickett of the Pickett Funeral Home in getting the stone for Watson. Jim Pickett set the stone and Marcella Pickett Templeton assisted with the services and recorded the event on film.

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