John W. Watson Sr.
Florida State Senator - 13th District
In office
1925–1935
Speaker of the Florida House of Representatives
In office
1901–1901
Preceded byRobert McNamee
Succeeded byCromwell Gibbons
Florida's House of Representatives - Osceola
In office
1897–1905
Florida House of Representatives Dade
In office
1907–1919
6th Mayor of Miami
In office
1913 – January 1, 1915
Preceded bySamuel Rodmond Smith
Succeeded byP.A. Henderson
8th Mayor of Miami
In office
January 1, 1917 – January 1, 1919
Preceded byP.A. Henderson
Succeeded byW.P. Smith
Personal details
BornOct 31, 1859
North Carolina, US
DiedFeb 8, 1942
Miami, Florida, US
Political partyDemocratic
SpouseEmma Cora Chafer Watson
ChildrenJ.W. Watson Jr., Janet Watson Carson, Robert Osborne Watson
ProfessionMerchant

John W. Watson Sr. (October 31, 1859 - February 8, 1942) was an American politician who served in a number of elected positions throughout his career in Florida.[1]

Biography

Watson was born in North Carolina, moving to Florida in 1882. He studied at Raleigh Academy then traveled and worked various jobs. He eventually settled in Kissimmee Florida where he established a hardware business and became active in local and state politics. He expanded the business to Miami and eventually moved there, building the Watson Building downtown.[2]

Watson was elected as state representative for Miami.[3] He was later elected Speaker of the Florida House of Representatives and a member of the State Senate[4] and served as the City of Miami's 6th and 8th Mayor.[5] He owned a grocery store, hardware company and grapefruit grove among his multiple business endeavors.[6]

He built several buildings in Miami which became important to the city's growth and long-term development.[7] The Watson family is considered to be among Miami's first settlers as they arrived before the railroad to town was complete.[8]

Watson testified before the House of Representatives' Committee on Indian Services regarding his first-hand knowledge of Seminole Indian culture and his distaste for the plans to drain the Everglades.[9]

He ran for Florida Governor unsuccessfully in 1911–1912.

Watson Island is named after him. He is buried in the Miami City Cemetery.

Fraternal and civic affiliations

Fraternally he was connected with the Masonic order, the Knights of Pythias, and the Elks.[10]

See also

References

Notes
  1. ↑ "PIONEERING FATHER, SON WERE LEADERS, 1ST IN KISSIMMEE, THEN IN MIAMI". Orlando Sentinel. 2003-08-03. Retrieved 2023-09-21.
  2. ↑ "Watson Building in Downtown Miami". 21 December 2016.
  3. ↑ Miami City Directory. R.L. Polk & Co. 1920. p. 62.
  4. ↑ Oliva, Jose (2019). "People of Lawmaking" (PDF). Retrieved 16 Feb 2023.
  5. ↑ Blackman, E.V. (1921). "Miami and Dade County Florida; Its settlement progress and achievement". Retrieved 16 Feb 2023.
  6. ↑ Piket, Casey (2016). "Watson Building in Downtown Miami". Retrieved 19 Feb 2023.
  7. ↑ Piket, Casey (2016). "Watson Building in Downtown Miami". Retrieved 19 Feb 2023.
  8. ↑ Blackman, E.V. (1921). "Miami and Dade County Florida; Its settlement progress and achievement". Retrieved 16 Feb 2023.
  9. ↑ "Conditions of the Florida Seminoles hearings before the Committee on Investigation of the Indian Service, House of Representatives". Digital Panther archives. Retrieved 21 September 2023.
  10. ↑ Blackman, E.V. (1921). "Miami and Dade County Florida; Its settlement progress and achievement". Retrieved 16 Feb 2023.
Bibliography
  • Hon. John W. Watson. Miami Herald, vol. 2, no. 110, 19 Mar. 1912, p. Page Three.
  • John W. Watson, Nominated Mayor I First Primary - Miami Herald, July 23, 1913, Page One.


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