Josiah Ogden Watson
Encyclopedia
Josiah Ogden Watson was an American
planter
, physician
, and statesman
from North Carolina
. He was the son of John Watson, a Revolutionary War
veteran, and Elizabeth (Lowrey) and born at Pineville plantation
in Johnston County, NC.
Governor Joseph Alston's
family in the area. In 1811, he matriculated at the University of Pennsylvania
medical department for one year. Returning to South Carolina, he continued practicing medicine and was a parishioner at All Saints, Waccamaw, representing the parish at an Episcopal
convention in Charleston, SC, in 1813.
in Brigadier General
Joseph Graham's Brigade
of the North Carolina and South Carolina militia
. He was on command in the Creek Nation at the defeat of the Red Stick Creeks
by General
Andrew Jackson
at the Battle of Horseshoe Bend on 27 March 1814. It is said that he remained personal friends with Andrew Jackson after the war.
in Johnston County on the Neuse River
in 1815. He bought his brother's portion and accumulated many plantations during his life. When he died in 1852, he owned approximately 10000 acres (40.5 km²) of land in Johnston and Wake Counties and about 350 slaves. The main plantation was called Pineville and was located across the Neuse River from Clayton, NC, where North Carolina Highway 42 intersects Buffalo Road. After his death, most of the plantation was inherited by his nephew J. W. B. Watson, who controlled it until his death in 1897. At that time, much of the land was divided among many heirs and the main plantation and house was eventually sold to the Percy Flowers
family. Currently, much of the land is being developed into a residential community called Flowers Plantation
. The Dr. Watson Inn, a bed and breakfast
that is part of Flowers Plantation, sits on the original site of the manor house and has some of the original wood framework. Josiah Watson also owned smaller plantations below Smithfield, NC, on the Neuse River called the Islands that he bequeathed to his nephews Henry Bulls Watson, William H. Watson, and George W. Watson. Dr. Watson also owned land and plantations in Lawrence County, Alabama
, and Courtland, AL, that were managed by his brother John Brown Watson.
for treatment of respiratory distress. Penninah Tartt Watson died 30 January 1848 at their home Sharon near Raleigh.
as a Justice of Peace. He was elected to the 1828 North Carolina House of Commons representing Johnston County and served on the Committee of Education. He was a member of the Democratic Party
and was a delegate to the Democratic National Conventions in 1835
, 1844
, and 1848
. He ran on the presidential electoral ticket in 1832
, 1836
, and 1840
and was a member of the Electoral College in 1832, casting his vote for President Andrew Jackson, and in 1836, casting his vote for President Martin Van Buren
. Josiah O. Watson ran unsuccessfully in 1841 for the 27th Congress of the United States House of Representatives
, representing the 4th District
of North Carolina.
. After his death, the main house on East Lenoir Street was sold to State Treasurer Jonathan Worth
before he became governor and is also known as the Watson-Worth House. It was later bought by Josiah's nephew J. W. B. Watson and after his death sold to the city of Raleigh to be transformed into the Crosby School for Negroes in 1897. The house was torn down about 1936, and the Crosby-Garfield School now occupies the site. Much of the land is still used for parks, public schools and community centers. One part of the estate was developed into a residential community in the early 20th century and named "Watson Addition."
to a commission of six men to select a site and oversee the construction of the Insane Asylum of North Carolina, later known as the Dorothea Dix Hospital
. The other men were Governor John Motley Morehead
, Senator Calvin Graves, Dr. Thomas N. Cameron, George W. Mordecai, and Major Charles L. Hinton. The Insane Asylum is located on Dix Hill
in Raleigh, NC, and was opened in 1856.
and owned 40 shares of company stock at his death. Construction began in 1851 and was completed in 1856.
of Pineville post-office in the 1830's and 1840's.
, and was baptized there on 12 January 1840. He represented the church as a lay delegate at many annual conventions of the Episcopal Church of North Carolina. In 1851, he purchased 5 pews to support the completion of the interior of the new church. In his will, he bequeathed $2500 to be used to finish the tower and steeple of the church, which was completed in 1861. He also gave the church $5000 to be used to fund and employ a teacher for a parish school. A small school was established in 1868, but, in 1937, the Ravenscroft School
was organized using the original funds directed by Dr. Watson.
in Raleigh in the Watson vault with his wife, daughter, and nephew J. W. B. Watson.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
planter
Plantations in the American South
Plantations were an important aspect of the history of the American South, particularly the antebellum .-Planter :The owner of a plantation was called a planter...
, physician
Physician
A physician is a health care provider who practices the profession of medicine, which is concerned with promoting, maintaining or restoring human health through the study, diagnosis, and treatment of disease, injury and other physical and mental impairments...
, and statesman
Statesman
A statesman is usually a politician or other notable public figure who has had a long and respected career in politics or government at the national and international level. As a term of respect, it is usually left to supporters or commentators to use the term...
from North Carolina
North Carolina
North Carolina is a state located in the southeastern United States. The state borders South Carolina and Georgia to the south, Tennessee to the west and Virginia to the north. North Carolina contains 100 counties. Its capital is Raleigh, and its largest city is Charlotte...
. He was the son of John Watson, a Revolutionary War
American Revolutionary War
The American Revolutionary War , the American War of Independence, or simply the Revolutionary War, began as a war between the Kingdom of Great Britain and thirteen British colonies in North America, and ended in a global war between several European great powers.The war was the result of the...
veteran, and Elizabeth (Lowrey) and born at Pineville plantation
Plantations in the American South
Plantations were an important aspect of the history of the American South, particularly the antebellum .-Planter :The owner of a plantation was called a planter...
in Johnston County, NC.
Physician
Josiah Watson studied medicine under Dr. Henry Haywood (d. 1812) in Tarboro, NC, from about 1800-1805. About 1807, he migrated to Georgetown County, SC, and developed a lucrative medical practice, becoming close friends with South CarolinaSouth Carolina
South Carolina is a state in the Deep South of the United States that borders Georgia to the south, North Carolina to the north, and the Atlantic Ocean to the east. Originally part of the Province of Carolina, the Province of South Carolina was one of the 13 colonies that declared independence...
Governor Joseph Alston's
Joseph Alston
Joseph Alston was the 44th Governor of South Carolina from 1812 to 1814.-Early life and career:Born in All Saint's Parish near Georgetown, Alston attended the College of New Jersey, but left in 1796 without graduating. He then went to study law at the office of Edward Rutledge and was admitted to...
family in the area. In 1811, he matriculated at the University of Pennsylvania
University of Pennsylvania
The University of Pennsylvania is a private, Ivy League university located in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States. Penn is the fourth-oldest institution of higher education in the United States,Penn is the fourth-oldest using the founding dates claimed by each institution...
medical department for one year. Returning to South Carolina, he continued practicing medicine and was a parishioner at All Saints, Waccamaw, representing the parish at an Episcopal
Episcopal Church (United States)
The Episcopal Church is a mainline Anglican Christian church found mainly in the United States , but also in Honduras, Taiwan, Colombia, Ecuador, Haiti, the Dominican Republic, Venezuela, the British Virgin Islands and parts of Europe...
convention in Charleston, SC, in 1813.
War of 1812 service
Dr. Watson served as a Hospital Surgeon during the War of 1812War of 1812
The War of 1812 was a military conflict fought between the forces of the United States of America and those of the British Empire. The Americans declared war in 1812 for several reasons, including trade restrictions because of Britain's ongoing war with France, impressment of American merchant...
in Brigadier General
Brigadier General
Brigadier general is a senior rank in the armed forces. It is the lowest ranking general officer in some countries, usually sitting between the ranks of colonel and major general. When appointed to a field command, a brigadier general is typically in command of a brigade consisting of around 4,000...
Joseph Graham's Brigade
Brigade
A brigade is a major tactical military formation that is typically composed of two to five battalions, plus supporting elements depending on the era and nationality of a given army and could be perceived as an enlarged/reinforced regiment...
of the North Carolina and South Carolina militia
Militia
The term militia is commonly used today to refer to a military force composed of ordinary citizens to provide defense, emergency law enforcement, or paramilitary service, in times of emergency without being paid a regular salary or committed to a fixed term of service. It is a polyseme with...
. He was on command in the Creek Nation at the defeat of the Red Stick Creeks
Red Sticks
Red Sticks is the English term for a traditionalist faction of Creek Indians who led a resistance movement which culminated in the outbreak of the Creek War in 1813....
by General
General
A general officer is an officer of high military rank, usually in the army, and in some nations, the air force. The term is widely used by many nations of the world, and when a country uses a different term, there is an equivalent title given....
Andrew Jackson
Andrew Jackson
Andrew Jackson was the seventh President of the United States . Based in frontier Tennessee, Jackson was a politician and army general who defeated the Creek Indians at the Battle of Horseshoe Bend , and the British at the Battle of New Orleans...
at the Battle of Horseshoe Bend on 27 March 1814. It is said that he remained personal friends with Andrew Jackson after the war.
Planter
After the War of 1812, Josiah O. Watson and his brother John Brown Watson inherited their father's plantationPlantation
A plantation is a long artificially established forest, farm or estate, where crops are grown for sale, often in distant markets rather than for local on-site consumption...
in Johnston County on the Neuse River
Neuse River
The Neuse River is a river rising in the Piedmont of North Carolina and emptying into Pamlico Sound below New Bern. Its total length is approximately , making it the longest river entirely contained in North Carolina. The Trent River joins it at New Bern. Its drainage basin, measuring in area,...
in 1815. He bought his brother's portion and accumulated many plantations during his life. When he died in 1852, he owned approximately 10000 acres (40.5 km²) of land in Johnston and Wake Counties and about 350 slaves. The main plantation was called Pineville and was located across the Neuse River from Clayton, NC, where North Carolina Highway 42 intersects Buffalo Road. After his death, most of the plantation was inherited by his nephew J. W. B. Watson, who controlled it until his death in 1897. At that time, much of the land was divided among many heirs and the main plantation and house was eventually sold to the Percy Flowers
Percy Flowers
Joshua Percy Flowers was a moonshining kingpin during the middle of the twentieth century. He operated a moonshining empire from his farm in Johnston County, North Carolina...
family. Currently, much of the land is being developed into a residential community called Flowers Plantation
Flowers, North Carolina
Flowers is an unincorporated community in Johnston County, North Carolina, west of Jordan, and southeast of Archer Lodge. It lies at an elevation of 289 feet ....
. The Dr. Watson Inn, a bed and breakfast
Bed and breakfast
A bed and breakfast is a small lodging establishment that offers overnight accommodation and breakfast, but usually does not offer other meals. Since the 1980s, the meaning of the term has also extended to include accommodations that are also known as "self-catering" establishments...
that is part of Flowers Plantation, sits on the original site of the manor house and has some of the original wood framework. Josiah Watson also owned smaller plantations below Smithfield, NC, on the Neuse River called the Islands that he bequeathed to his nephews Henry Bulls Watson, William H. Watson, and George W. Watson. Dr. Watson also owned land and plantations in Lawrence County, Alabama
Lawrence County, Alabama
Lawrence County is a county of the U.S. state of Alabama, and is included in the Decatur Metropolitan Area, as well as the Huntsville-Decatur Combined Statistical Area. It was named after James Lawrence, a captain in the United States Navy from New Jersey. As of the 2010 census, the population was...
, and Courtland, AL, that were managed by his brother John Brown Watson.
Family
Josiah Watson married Penninah Tartt of Edgecombe County, NC, on 6 December 1818. She was the daughter of Elnathan Tartt and Obedience Thomas. Their only child was a daughter Elizabeth Obedience Watson who was born 24 September 1819 and died 3 December 1839 in Wilmington, NC, on the way to CubaCuba
The Republic of Cuba is an island nation in the Caribbean. The nation of Cuba consists of the main island of Cuba, the Isla de la Juventud, and several archipelagos. Havana is the largest city in Cuba and the country's capital. Santiago de Cuba is the second largest city...
for treatment of respiratory distress. Penninah Tartt Watson died 30 January 1848 at their home Sharon near Raleigh.
Statesman
J. O. Watson served for many years on the Johnston County Court of Pleas and Quarter SessionsQuarter Sessions
The Courts of Quarter Sessions or Quarter Sessions were local courts traditionally held at four set times each year in the United Kingdom and other countries in the former British Empire...
as a Justice of Peace. He was elected to the 1828 North Carolina House of Commons representing Johnston County and served on the Committee of Education. He was a member of the Democratic Party
Democratic Party (United States)
The Democratic Party is one of two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Republican Party. The party's socially liberal and progressive platform is largely considered center-left in the U.S. political spectrum. The party has the lengthiest record of continuous...
and was a delegate to the Democratic National Conventions in 1835
1835 Democratic National Convention
The 1835 Democratic National Convention was a presidential nominating convention that was held from May 20 to the 22nd, in Baltimore, Maryland. This was the second national convention of the Democratic Party of the United States...
, 1844
1844 Democratic National Convention
In 1844, the Democratic Party held their National Convention in Baltimore. At first, the Democrats were split; the three nominees for the Presidential candidate were:* Martin van Buren, a former president and leader of the dominant Jacksonian faction...
, and 1848
1848 Democratic National Convention
The 1848 Democratic National Convention, a presidential nominating convention of United States Democratic Party delegates representing all thirty states in the union at the time, met in Baltimore on May 22, 1848. Former Speaker of the House Andrew Stevenson of Virginia was made the president of...
. He ran on the presidential electoral ticket in 1832
United States presidential election, 1832
The United States presidential election of 1832 saw incumbent President Andrew Jackson, candidate of the Democratic Party, easily win re-election against Henry Clay of Kentucky. Jackson won 219 of the 286 electoral votes cast, defeating Clay, the candidate of the National Republican Party, and...
, 1836
United States presidential election, 1836
The United States presidential election of 1836 ushered Martin Van Buren into the White House. It is predominantly remembered for three reasons:...
, and 1840
United States presidential election, 1840
The United States presidential election of 1840 saw President Martin Van Buren fight for re-election against an economic depression and a Whig Party unified for the first time behind war hero William Henry Harrison and his "log cabin campaign"...
and was a member of the Electoral College in 1832, casting his vote for President Andrew Jackson, and in 1836, casting his vote for President Martin Van Buren
Martin Van Buren
Martin Van Buren was the eighth President of the United States . Before his presidency, he was the eighth Vice President and the tenth Secretary of State, under Andrew Jackson ....
. Josiah O. Watson ran unsuccessfully in 1841 for the 27th Congress of the United States House of Representatives
United States House of Representatives
The United States House of Representatives is one of the two Houses of the United States Congress, the bicameral legislature which also includes the Senate.The composition and powers of the House are established in Article One of the Constitution...
, representing the 4th District
North Carolina's 4th congressional district
The Fourth Congressional district of North Carolina is located in the central region of the state and contains most of the area commonly known as The Triangle. It includes all of Durham and Orange counties, part of Wake County and a small section of Chatham County...
of North Carolina.
Estate near Raleigh
In 1836, Josiah Watson purchased approximately 600 acres (2.4 km²) of land just outside the city of Raleigh, NC, in Wake County from John Sugg. He named the estate "Sharon" and lived most of the later years of his life there. The estate covered an area from the original 1792 city limit southeast of Raleigh east to the rock quarry and south across Walnut CreekWalnut Creek, North Carolina
Walnut Creek is a village in Wayne County, North Carolina, United States. The population was 858 in 2008. It is included in the Goldsboro, North Carolina Metropolitan Statistical Area.The village is built around the Walnut Creek Country Club.-Geography:...
. After his death, the main house on East Lenoir Street was sold to State Treasurer Jonathan Worth
Jonathan Worth
Jonathan Worth was the 39th Governor of the U.S. state of North Carolina from 1865 to 1868, during the early years of Reconstruction.-Early life:...
before he became governor and is also known as the Watson-Worth House. It was later bought by Josiah's nephew J. W. B. Watson and after his death sold to the city of Raleigh to be transformed into the Crosby School for Negroes in 1897. The house was torn down about 1936, and the Crosby-Garfield School now occupies the site. Much of the land is still used for parks, public schools and community centers. One part of the estate was developed into a residential community in the early 20th century and named "Watson Addition."
Dorothea Dix Hospital
In 1849, Josiah O. Watson was appointed by the North Carolina General AssemblyNorth Carolina General Assembly
The North Carolina General Assembly is the state legislature of the U.S. state of North Carolina. The General Assembly drafts and legislates the state laws of North Carolina, also known as the General Statutes...
to a commission of six men to select a site and oversee the construction of the Insane Asylum of North Carolina, later known as the Dorothea Dix Hospital
Dorothea Dix Hospital
The Dorthea Dix Hospital is a psychiatric hospital located on Dix Hill in Raleigh, North Carolina and named after mental health advocate Dorothea Dix.In 1848, Dorothea Dix visited North Carolina and called for reform in the care of mentally ill patients...
. The other men were Governor John Motley Morehead
John Motley Morehead
John Motley Morehead was the 29th Governor of the U.S. state of North Carolina from 1841 to 1845. He is known as "the Father of Modern North Carolina."...
, Senator Calvin Graves, Dr. Thomas N. Cameron, George W. Mordecai, and Major Charles L. Hinton. The Insane Asylum is located on Dix Hill
Dix Hill
Dix Hill is the informal name for a high, rolling expanse of land in Raleigh, North Carolina.The Dorothea Dix Hospital, a historic institution caring for the mentally ill, is located on the site.Dix Hill is referred to in David Sedaris's novel Naked...
in Raleigh, NC, and was opened in 1856.
North Carolina Railroad
In 1849, Dr. Watson was a strong proponent of the North Carolina Central Rail Road. He individually subscribed $10,000 of stock in the North Carolina RailroadNorth Carolina Railroad
The North Carolina Railroad is a state-owned rail corridor extending from Morehead City, North Carolina to Charlotte, North Carolina. The railroad carries over seventy freight trains and eight passenger trains daily...
and owned 40 shares of company stock at his death. Construction began in 1851 and was completed in 1856.
Businessman
J. O. Watson was involved in several businesses including the Neuse Manufacturing Company, the North Carolina Mutual (Fire) Insurance Company, and the North Carolina Mutual Life Insurance Company. Josiah was also postmasterPostmaster
A postmaster is the head of an individual post office. Postmistress is not used anymore in the United States, as the "master" component of the word refers to a person of authority and has no gender quality...
of Pineville post-office in the 1830's and 1840's.
Christ Church and Ravenscroft School
Dr. Watson was a parishioner at Christ Episcopal ChurchChrist Episcopal Church (Raleigh, North Carolina)
Christ Episcopal Church is an Episcopal church in Raleigh, North Carolina located on Edenton Street.It is located within Capitol Area Historic District, a National Historic Landmark district and has a distinctive bronze weather vane at the peak of its steeple...
, and was baptized there on 12 January 1840. He represented the church as a lay delegate at many annual conventions of the Episcopal Church of North Carolina. In 1851, he purchased 5 pews to support the completion of the interior of the new church. In his will, he bequeathed $2500 to be used to finish the tower and steeple of the church, which was completed in 1861. He also gave the church $5000 to be used to fund and employ a teacher for a parish school. A small school was established in 1868, but, in 1937, the Ravenscroft School
Ravenscroft School
Ravenscroft School is an independent, formerly Episcopal, college preparatory school located in Raleigh, North Carolina. It enrolls students from pre-school through grade 12...
was organized using the original funds directed by Dr. Watson.
Death and burial
Josiah Ogden Watson died at his Raleigh estate Sharon on 12 June 1852. He is buried in Old City CemeteryCity Cemetery (Raleigh, North Carolina)
The City Cemetery of Raleigh, also known as Old City Cemetery, was authorized in 1798 by the North Carolina General Assembly as Raleigh's first burying ground. It was laid out on of land just outside the original 1792 eastern boundary of Raleigh and bounded by East Street on the west, East...
in Raleigh in the Watson vault with his wife, daughter, and nephew J. W. B. Watson.