Benton Co., AR - Biographies - Thomas A. Wasson

***********************************************
This file was contributed for use in the USGenWeb
Archives by: The Goodspeed Publishing Co

Copyright.  All rights reserved.
http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm
http://www.usgenwebarchives.org
***********************************************
History of Benton County BENTON COUNTY. page 904 Thomas A.
Watson.dentist of Bentonville, Ark., was born in Georgia, near Atlanta.
in 1830, the son of James M. Watson and Anna W. (Harris) Watson. James
M. Watson was a grandson of James Watson, and great-grandson of James
Watson, who was a colonel in the Revolutionary War. The family of his
grandson, Rev. Samuel Watson, now reside on the old home place in York
District, S. C., and have in their possession the musket and sword that
the grandfather carried in the Revolutionary War. The handle of the
sword was broken by a bullet shot received while Col. Watson was in
battle, and saved his life. James M. Watson, father of the subject of
this sketch, was born in Pendleton District, S. C., in 1800, was of
Scotch-Irish descent and was a cabinet workman, but in connection he
also followed farming. James M. Watson left his native State when about
twenty-six years of age and went to DeKalb County, Ga., where he
married Miss Anna W. Harris in 1829, who was born May 9, 1808, and who
died May 29, 1842. Mr. Watson died in Polk County, Miss., in 1884,
having passed the last eighteen years of his life in that county. He
was married three times, and was the father of sixteen children, there
being eight to his marriage to Anna W. Harris, the mother of Thomas A.
Watson. The latter received his [p.904] education in the schools of
Georgia, and at an early age became skillful in wood work, making
wagons, buggies, household furniture. etc. In 1853 he married Miss
Clementine R. Harris, who was born in Decatur March 10, 1839. Seven
children were born to this marriage: Jeanette R., Cora A., Clementine
R., B. E. Estella, William T., Joseph C. and T. E. Emmet. In 1857 Dr.
Watson moved to Wood County, Tex., and during the war he was in the
Confederate service three years, engaged in the manufacture of wagon-
wheels for the Government. He was in Capt. Carter's company and
Hubbard's regiment and Gen. Henry McCullough's division. He was located
one year at Little Rock, one year at Fulton, Ark., and one year at
Gilmer, Tex. He resided in Texas until 1869, when he moved to
Bentonville, Ark., where he has since resided. He worked at his trade
until about 1873, when he commenced learning the dentist's profession
under Dr. A. C. Armstrong, of Bentonville. About 1874 Dr. Watson
entered upon the practice of his profession, and has continued this
ever since. He has resided in Benton County longer than any other
dentist in the county, and is a skillful workman. He has a large trade,
which extends to all parts of the county, and even into Washington
County. He is a Democrat in politics, is an ancient member of the
Masonic fraternity, and he and wife and four daughters are members of
the Presbyterian Church.