NEIL
WATSON, one of the most prominent citizens of Mull, County of Kent, and
who has been an import factor in the advancement of that place, is a
worthy member of one of the most respected families in the country. He
was born June 10th, 1853, on the old farm in Harwich township
where his parents settled in 1839, and has passed all his life in the
country. The Watson family was established in 1830, by three brothers,
Robert, John and James Watson, who came from Argyllshire, Scotland,
where the late James Watson was born in January, 1800. His parents
were James and Jane (Ferguson) Watson, both also natives of Scotland.
Landing
at Quebec, James Watson soon afterward settled on land near Toronto, and
there engaged in farming for five years. In February, 1833, he was
united in marriage with Miss Mary McVicar, daughter of John and Mary
(McNair) McVicar, the former of whom was born in Argyllshire, Scotland,
in 1782, and the latter a few years later. They came to Canada in 1832,
on a sailing-vessel, and settled in Vaughan township, near Toronto,
where they were among the first settlers. There John McVicar died in
June, 1864, and his widow in September, 1865. Of their family three
died young, in Scotland, and the others were: Neil emigrated to the
West Indies and died there; Margaret, the eldest daughter, came to
Canada, and married John McEachran, who settled and died near Toronto,
leaving two surviving children – Colon, of the State of Washington, and
Donald, of near Toronto; Susan, born in Scotland, is the deceased wife
of Colon McEachran, who settled and died near Toronto; James settled as
a farmer on Lake Huron, and died there (he married Bell Maloy, and their
only daughter, Mrs. Mary Livingston, lives in Briston, Ontario); Angus,
who was a merchant at Kingston, Ontario, married Susan Birmingham, of
Kingston, and died there, leaving children – John, a prominent
journalist of Detroit, and Annie, the wife of John Armor, of Detroit;
Donald, born in Scotland, married Mary Armour, of Vaughan township, and
moved to Harwich, there both died, leaving children – John, who died in
Toronto (unmarried), and Mary, who married and settled in Canada; Flora,
deceased, married Donald Armour, who is also deceased, lived near
Toronto, and was the mother of twelve children – Donald and Angus
(twins), Alexander, Maggie, Flora, Susan, John (deceased), James
(deceased) and four who died young; Mary, who married the late James
Watson, was born May 29th, 1815, and was educated in the
schools of Scotland.
After
their marriage Mr. and Mrs. Watson settled for three years in Raleigh
township, coming to the County of Kent in 1839. In 1846 he purchased
100 acres of land in Harwich township. The changes which he wrought
during his life of industry are almost magical, for his efforts never
ceased until almost the whole of this large tract was under
cultivation. Here, in this pleasant home, made through his own efforts,
Mr. Watson passed away, in November 1878. His name will ever be
associated with the agricultural, educational and religious progress
made in Harwich township. For many years he was a member of the
Methodist Church. Mrs. Watson was reared a Presbyterian. Mr. Watson
was identified with the Conservative party.
A
family of thirteen children was born to James Watson and his wife, as
follows: Mary the eldest, died in young womanhood. Jame died in
childhood. Margaret, born in Raleigh, in July, 1838, married Jabez
Newcombe, a farmer in Harwich, and they have had children – John, Jabez,
Robert, Mary, Asa and Elijah, and James, deceased. James, born in
January, 1840, died in August 1902; he married Elizabeth Ross, of the
County of Elgin, and they lived for twenty years in Harwich, for two
years in Gosfield, and then moved to a farm in Dakota, where he became
prominent and wealthy, and died, leaving a widow and children – Maggie,
Ada, James, Meredith, David, Susan and Edna. Jane, born in February,
1842, married Wesley Conn, of Aylmer, near St. Thomas, where he is
engaged in the hardware business, and they have children – Mary, Arkison,
Susan, Lottie and Jane. John, born in January, 1844, learned civil
engineering at Chatham, was in the locomotive works of Illinois for
three years, located at Bloomington, moved to Pittsburg and engaged in
oil engineering; he married Anna Brown, of Canada, who died in Detroit,
and since then he has traveled all over the world, crossed the Pacific
three times, visiting Japan, Hawaii, South America and Australia, made a
visit to the old home of his ancestors in Scotland, went again to Japan,
thence to China, and after a sojourn in Colorado is visiting with his
mother. Susan, born in 1846, married Neil McCorvie, who resides on
Concession 10, in Harwich. Flora, born in September, 1848, married
James Conn, of London, and they have children – Maggie, Mary, Martha,
Emma, John and Susan. David, born October 9th, 1849, married
Ada Palmer of Toronto,and they reside at Chatham; they have children –
Bernice, Veva, Winnie, Ormond, Amy, John and Jean. Angus, born July 27th,
1851, is on the home place. Neil, born June 10th, 1853, is
in business in the village of Mull, in Harwich township. Robert, born
in April, 1855, graduated from the London College, for twenty years has
been a teacher, and is also engaged in a prosperous insurance business.
Barbara, the youngest, born in 1857, married Henry Hamil, of Harwich, a
son of Robert Hamil, and they have four children – Guy, Roy, May and
Veda. The family has been reared in the faith of the Methodist Church,
and politically they are strong workers in the interests of the
Conservative party. Mrs. Watson has reached the age of eighty-nine
years, but time has touched her lightly. She is the center of a large
family of admiring relatives. Her recollections of pioneer days in
Harwich are most interesting, and would form an entertaining volume by
themselves.
Neil
Watson was reared on the old homestead and was educated in the public
schools. He remained on the home farm until 1881, after which he worked
out on farms for two years. For the next two years he was with H.C.
Reece, of Buffalo, New York, buying and shipping staves and heading
bolts, which were sent by water and rail all over western Canada. In
1885, he contracted with Sutherland & Innes, of Chatham, for the getting
out of timber to be manufactured at Mull, continuing thus until he
purchased the plant from the firm in 1896. The plant covers ten acres,
and Mr. Watson also has 130 acres more, which he keeps under a fine
state of cultivation. He does a prosperous business in his saw and
stave mill, giving employment to twenty men, and in connection carries
on a general store and deals in grain and produce. He made the clearing
for this store, which he built in 1879, renting it until 1887, since
which time he has conducted it on his own account. In addition to his
business property he has eleven houses in Mull, being the principal
real-estate holder in that thriving village, which is on the line of the
Michigan Central railroad in Harwich township.
Though
his business interests have necessarily absorbed so much of his
attention, Mr. Watson has found time to aid the community in other ways,
but he has declined to take much active part in the local
administration. He has been postmaster, however, for the past
twenty-four years, and was school trustee for six years, but he has
refused nomination to a number of positions because of the pressure of
business cares, in 1901 declining the nomination for Member of
Parliament. He is well known all over the county, and is popular among
all his acquaintances, but especially in the community where the busiest
years of his life have been passed, and where he has proved his
usefulness and efficiency in so many ways.
Mr.
Watson has always been active in religious work, attending and
supporting both the Methodist and Presbyterian Churches, and has sung in
the choir for the past twenty-four years. For fourteen years past he
has led the choir in the Presbyterian Church. Fraternally he is a
member of the Free Masons, and for the past twenty-six years he has been
master of Ridgetown Lodge, No. 391. In political faith he is a
Conservative. He is a representative, progressive business man, typical
of the best in the old Dominion pioneer stock and the modern
enterprising Canadian, and holds a high place in the esteem of his
fellowmen.
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