doors, and the wolves howled around these homes at night. I had many difficulties in procuring what education I have. Our teacher at this time was the Rev. Charles L. Robinson. I was obliged to walk two and a half miles, and much of the time with no company but a faithful dog, Rover, who followed me through woods and creeks. When fourteen years old I went to school for the last time, and this year rode a pony given me by my father. My father died in 1824."

over

In the fall of 1826 Mary A. Lewis married Samuel Steward Watson. The following spring they went to farming, and for many years they lived at the old Watson homestead. Here they greatly prospered and became wealthy. Leaving the farm later, they moved to the Highlands, near Lindenwood Female College. Mrs. Watson was always interested in religious and educational enterprises, and was a liberal giver to charitable and benevolent institutions. She shared with her esteemed husband the credit of having contributed much toward the support of Lindenwood Female College, of St. Charles, and Westminster College, of Fulton, Missouri, besides making many large donations to different churches. She was not blessed with any children of her own, but she reared and educated several of her young relatives at great expense. After the death of her husband Mrs. Watson spent her time looking after her large financial interests and doing charitable deeds. Nearly all of her liberal income and much of the principal was spent in benevolent works. She was long a member of the Presbyterian Church. At eightynine years of age, she still possessed the keen intellect of her youth. Hers was a praiseworthy life, and the final verdict is that the world is better because she lived in it.

Watson, William S., mine-operator, was born May 2, 1829, in Newcastle, England, son of William and Jane (Scott) Watson. He received a practical business education in the English schools, and in his youth was apprenticed to a grindstone-maker. He was twenty-two years of age when he completed his term of apprenticeship, and, having reached the conclusion that America afforded better opportunities for advancement of young men than did England, he determined to come to this country. Soon after

landing in America he went to New Haven, Connecticut, and from there went to Middletown, in the same State, where he found employment in stoneworks as a practical mechanic. Coming further west, and being unable to find employment at his trade, he went to work in the coal mines at Coshocton, Ohio. From there he removed after a few years to Knoxville, Iowa, and until 1861 he was engaged in farming and coal-mining in that State. In 1861 he came to Missouri and established his home in Macon County, where coal mines had been discovered and development in mining was promised. He opened one of the first coal mines in Macon County, known as Shaft No. 3, at Bevier. This mine he worked until 1867, doing a prosperous business. In the year last named various mines were consolidated and became the property of a joint stock company known as the Central Coal & Mining Company, with a capital stock of $400,000. In 1868 Mr. Watson withdrew from this company and for several years thereafter busied himself with various speculative enterprises in Missouri, Illinois, Wyoming and Iowa. In 1869 he was one of a company composed of W. S. Watson, Thomas Wardell and C. O. Godfrey, who opened the first mines on the line of the Union Pacific Railroad, at Carbon, Point of Rocks, Rock Springs and Evanston, in Wyoming. In 1873 he opened mines at Huntsville, Missouri, on the line of the Wabash Railroad. In 1881 he opened mines, since known at the Watson Mines, at Bevier, Missouri, on the line of the Hannibal & St. Joseph Railroad, and in 1897 extended his operations by opening mines at Danforth, in Adair County, Missouri, on the line of the Quincy, Omaha & Kansas City Railroad. In 1900 he opened a large mine north of Bevier, Missouri. In 1881 he opened a coal shaft east of Bevier, and has since continued to operate what is known as the Watson Mines. He is a large employer of labor, has done much to develop one of the leading industries. of northern Missouri, and his years of active effort have been rewarded by the accumulation of a handsome fortune. Mr. Watson was married in England, in 1849, to Miss Isabella Wardell. The children born to them have been Jane Ann, John W., Mary, Thomas S., Sarah, Edward and Anna Watson. sons, John W., Thomas S. and Edward, are interested in the mercantile business in Be

vier. John W. is also superintendent of the Watson Coal & Mining Company. Edward is manager of the mercantile department of the business conducted by the brothers, and Thomas S. is a physician by profession, and is also the proprietor of a drug store in Bevier.

Watson, Samuel Steward, philanthropist, was born February 18, 1804, at Waterford, Pennsylvania, and died June 5, 1877. He was the son of Archibald and Martha Watson, who came from Belfast, Ireland, in 1784, and settled in America near Harrisburg, Pennsylvania. Soon after his arrival in this country, Archibald Watson established store and entered general merchandising. The place where he lived was called Watsonburg in honor of him. Here he remained until 1802, when he moved to Erie County, and purchased a farm on French Creek. He continued farming for seventeen years. meantime a desire to have a home in the West took possession of him and he decided to come to Missouri. He therefore sold his farm, built a keel boat, freighted it with his household goods and timber enough to build a large house, and, on the morning of April 18, 1819, in company with his family and seven young men who desired to make the same journey, he started for the distant West. They floated down French Creek to the Allegheny River, following the latter into the Ohio River, down the Ohio to the Mississippi, and for 300 miles they toiled upstream against the current of the Father of Waters. On June 8, 1819, they arrived at what is now Louisiana City, Missouri. The place contained a half dozen log cabins, and near by was the camp of 300 Indians. Mr. Watson stopped here until the following spring, when he proceeded to St. Charles and purchased a farm about four miles from town. Here he lived until he died in 1826. His wife died in 1824. Both were respected and beloved by all who knew them. After the death of his father, Samuel S. Watson came into possession of the old homestead. Here he continued to live for thirty-three years. He raised cattle and grain, bought and sold land, became wealthy and retired from farming in 1859. He then moved to a beautiful estate on the Highlands, near Lindenwood Female College, which he improved

at great expense. Here he lived for twentythree years surrounded by every luxury. His home was always open to those who needed shelter, and many a family searching for a new home in the West was succored, aided and started anew in life by this generous man and his equally generous wife. His early education was limited to that obtained in a few private schools, but in these schools he laid the foundation which he built upon in later years. Mr. Watson was liberal in the support of religious and educational enterprises. He was one of the incorporators of Lindenwood Female College, which was organized under an act of the General Assembly of Missouri, passed February 24, 1853, and was chosen first president of that institution, which position he held for many years. He was also one of the incorporators of Westminster College, of Fulton, Callaway County, Missouri, which was incorporated February 5, 1857. To these institutions he contributed largely. He remained a member of the board of trustees of the Fulton College until 1867. In 1865 he was appointed by Governor Gamble one of the judges of the County Court of St. Charles. Upon the expiration of his term of office he was reappointed, but refused to serve. He took an active part in the organization of the St. Charles branch of the Southern Bank, in which he was a director. He was also a director of the First National Bank of St. Charles. In politics he formerly affiliated with the Whigs, but later voted the Republican ticket. Mr. Watson joined the Presbyterian Church in Erie, Pennsylvania, in 1819, and was elected an elder in the Presbyterian Church in St. Charles in 1832. September 26, 1826, he married Miss Mary A. Lewis, a most estimable lady, daughter of Charles and Judith Lewis.

Waugh, James H., president of the Exchange National Bank of Columbia, was born December 26, 1832, in Nicholas County, Kentucky. His parents were Archer S. and Matilda Greerison (Piper) Waugh, natives of that State. He was reared upon the home farm and attended the county common schools, afterward taking a fairly advanced course in a school in the town of Carlisle. In 1854, being then of age, he removed to Columbia, Missouri, and found employment as a clerk in the dry goods store of James H.