James H. Watson was an English

England

England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...

-born merchant and political figure in Newfoundland. He represented Trinity Bay

Trinity Bay, Newfoundland and Labrador

Trinity Bay is a large bay on the northeastern coast of Newfoundland in the Canadian province of Newfoundland and Labrador.Major fishing communities include Trinity and Heart's Content.-Industry:...

 in the Newfoundland and Labrador House of Assembly

Newfoundland and Labrador House of Assembly

The Newfoundland and Labrador House of Assembly is one of two components of the General Assembly of Newfoundland and Labrador, the other being the Lieutenant-Governor of Newfoundland and Labrador. The Newfoundland and Labrador General Assembly meets in the Confederation Building at St...

 from 1874 to 1882 and from 1893 to 1894.

He was born in Torquay

Torquay

Torquay is a town in the unitary authority area of Torbay and ceremonial county of Devon, England. It lies south of Exeter along the A380 on the north of Torbay, north-east of Plymouth and adjoins the neighbouring town of Paignton on the west of the bay. Torquay’s population of 63,998 during the...

 and came to Newfoundland in 1869 where he entered business with his brother Ellis

Ellis C. Watson

Ellis Cornish Watson was an English-born merchant and political figure in Newfoundland. He represented Trinity Bay in the Newfoundland and Labrador House of Assembly from 1885 to 1889....

 at Hant's Harbour

Hant's Harbour, Newfoundland and Labrador

The community of Hant's Harbour is an incorporated town having a population of 401 located on the east side of Trinity Bay on the Bay de Verde Peninsula, Newfoundland, Canada.-Geography:...

. He was defeated when he ran for reelection in 1882. Watson set up business at L'Anse-au-Loup

L'Anse-au-Loup, Newfoundland and Labrador

L'Anse-au-Loup is a town in the Canadian province of Newfoundland and Labrador. The town had a population of 593 in the Canada 2006 Census.The town is located along Route 510 in Labrador, between Forteau and L'Anse-au-Diable....

 in 1890. He served as assistant clerk for the assembly from 1892 to 1893. He was elected again in 1893 and unseated by petition in 1894. In 1894, Watson was named a customs inspector at St. John's

St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador

St. John's is the capital and largest city in Newfoundland and Labrador, and is the oldest English-founded city in North America. It is located on the eastern tip of the Avalon Peninsula on the island of Newfoundland. With a population of 192,326 as of July 1, 2010, the St...

. He returned to England in 1904 and later died at Torquay in 1908.