Military service

Watson served with the 31st Michigan Volunteers Company G in 1898 during the Spanish-American War

Spanish-American War

The Spanish–American War was a conflict in 1898 between Spain and the United States, effectively the result of American intervention in the ongoing Cuban War of Independence...

. He was under the command of former Michigan Normal head football coach and future Governor of Michigan

Governor of Michigan

The Governor of Michigan is the chief executive of the U.S. State of Michigan. The current Governor is Rick Snyder, a member of the Republican Party.-Gubernatorial elections and term of office:...

 Fred Green

Fred Green

-Military service and legal work:Green served in the U.S. Army during the Spanish-American War. He was a first lieutenant in the 31st Michigan Volunteer Infantry and later was promoted to battalion adjutant. After the war, he returned to Ypsilanti as the city attorney, as well as attorney for the...

.

Later years

After completing his education at Michigan State Normal College, Watson became employed with Swift & Company in Chicago starting in 1902. In approximately 1903, Watson left his position with Swift & Company and began a long career in the developing telephone industry. He started as a "trouble shooter" for the Kibbie Telephone Company in Crawford County, Illinois. He subsequently accepted a position with the Van Buren County Telephone Company, where he was promoted to district manager in Paw Paw, Michigan

Paw Paw, Michigan

Paw Paw is a village in the U.S. state of Michigan. As of the 2000 census, the village population was 3,363. It is the county seat of Van Buren County.-Overview:...

. At the time of the 1910 U.S. Census, Watson was living in Paw Paw, working as a manager for the phone company. He was married to Pearl A. Watson, and they had one son, F. Stanley Watson, and three daughters, Katherine, Barbara and Virginia.

In December 1916, after five years in Paw Paw, Watson became the manager of the Michigan State Telephone Company at Kalamazoo, Michigan

Kalamazoo, Michigan

The area on which the modern city stands was once home to Native Americans of the Hopewell culture, who migrated into the area sometime before the first millennium. Evidence of their early residency remains in the form of a small mound in downtown's Bronson Park. The Hopewell civilization began to...

. In 1918, Watson returned to the Van Buren County Telephone Company as its general manager. At the time of the 1920 U.S. Census, Watson was living in South Haven, Michigan

South Haven, Michigan

South Haven is a city in the U.S. state of Michigan. Most of the city is in Van Buren County, although a small portion extends into Allegan County. The population was 5,021 at the 2000 census....

, where he was still working as a manager for the phone company. By 1920, his family had grown to six children with two additional daughters, Elizabeth and Marion.

Watson died in 1920 at age 47 at his home in South Haven following an illness that had lasted for several months.

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