William T. Watson
Encyclopedia
William Tharp Watson was an American banker and politician from Milford, in Kent County, Delaware. He was a member of the Democratic Party, who served in the Delaware General Assembly and as Governor of Delaware.
. He attended Washington College
in Chestertown
, Maryland and for a time lived in Philadelphia. He returned to Milford, where he worked with the Delaware, Maryland and Virginia Railroad and the First National Bank. Watson married Harriet Beale and had one child, William Jr. They lived at 600 North Walnut Street, Milford, and were members of Christ Episcopal Church in Milford.
for a seat in the U.S. Senate. A gas company industrialist, he spent vast amounts of his own fortune to rebuild the Republican Party in Delaware, seemingly for that purpose. This effort was very successful in heavily Democratic Kent County and Sussex County, where he financed the organization of a faction that came to be known as "Union Republicans." Meanwhile he was making bitter enemies of the New Castle County "Regular Republicans," who considered him nothing more than a carpetbagger from Philadelphia.
Watson was a Democrat, and was first elected to the State House in 1884, but his eligibility was challenged due his previous residence in Philadelphia. As a result did not take his seat and waited eight years, until 1892, to seek office again. Then he was elected to the State Senate and served in the 1893/94 session and the 1895/96 session, when he was the Speaker. The 1894 elections, however, resulted in a Republican State House and a Republican Governor. Regardless, the State Senate kept its Democratic majority, and when GovernorJoshua H. Marvil died, the Speaker of the State Senate succeeded him. Watson assumed the office of Governor of Delaware and served from April 8, 1895 until January 19, 1897.
All the while the Delaware General Assembly was attempting to elect a U.S. Senator. Since the two houses voted together, the more numerous Republicans held an overall majority and attempted to elect Henry A. du Pont
to the office. But the Republicans were divided and enough supported the candidacy of Addicks to barely prevent a majority from electing du Pont. Then, with accession of Watson to the Governor's office, the total number of members seemed to be reduced and du Pont had a majority. The Delaware General Assembly went to vote only to find Watson had returned to his old State Senate seat, casting his vote for the Democratic candidate, but more importantly preventing du Pont from receiving a majority. This was an unprecedented action by an Acting Governor, but the Delaware Constitution of 1831
, then in effect, did not address the question. The Republican Speaker of the State House disallowed the vote and certified the election of du Pont, but the Democratic controlled U.S. Senate rejected his credentials, thereby preserving its own majority. This, of course, was the real purpose behind Watson's action. The soon to be drafted, Delaware Constitution of 1897
, resolved the issue for good by creating the independent office of Lieutenant Governor.
Because of Governor Marvil's death, the General Assembly scheduled the next gubernatorial election in 1896, two years into the term. Delaware's gubernatorial elections have been held in the year of the U.S. Presidential election ever since.
{|class=wikitable style="width: 94%" style="text-align: center;" align="center"
|-bgcolor=#cccccc
!colspan=12 style="background: #ccccff;" |Delaware General Assembly
(sessions while Governor)
|-
!Year
!Assembly
!
!Senate Majority
!Speaker
!
!House Majority
!Speaker
|-
|1895-1896
|88th
|
| |Democratic
| |vacant
|
| |Republican
| |Henry H. McMullen
{|class=wikitable style="width: 94%" style="text-align: center;" align="center"
|-bgcolor=#cccccc
!colspan=7 style="background: #ccccff;" |Public Offices
|-
! Office
! Type
! Location
! Began office
! Ended office
! notes
|-
|State Senator
|Legislature
|Dover
|January 6, 1893
|April 8, 1895
|
|-
|Governor
|Executive
|Dover
|April 8, 1895
|January 19, 1897
|acting
{|class=wikitable style="width: 94%" style="text-align: center;" align="center"
|-bgcolor=#cccccc
!colspan=7 style="background: #ccccff;" |Delaware General Assembly service
|-
! Dates
! Assembly
! Chamber
! Majority
! Governor
! Committees
! District
|-
|1893-1894
|87th
|State Senate
|Democratic
|Robert J. Reynolds
|
|Kent at-large
|-
|1895-1896
|88th
|State Senate
|Democratic
|Joshua H. Marvil
|Speaker
|Kent at-large
Early life and family
Watson was born in Milford, Delaware, son of Bethuel & Ruth Tharp Watson and grandson of Governor William TharpWilliam Tharp
William Tharp was an American farmer and politician from Milford, in Kent County, Delaware. He was a member of the Democratic Party, who served in the Delaware General Assembly and as Governor of Delaware....
. He attended Washington College
Washington College
Washington College is a private, independent liberal arts college located on a campus in Chestertown, Maryland, on the Eastern Shore. Maryland granted Washington College its charter in 1782...
in Chestertown
Chestertown, Maryland
Chestertown is a town in Kent County, Maryland, United States. The population was 4,746 at the 2000 census. It is the county seat of Kent County. The ZIP code is 21620 and the area codes are 410 and 443...
, Maryland and for a time lived in Philadelphia. He returned to Milford, where he worked with the Delaware, Maryland and Virginia Railroad and the First National Bank. Watson married Harriet Beale and had one child, William Jr. They lived at 600 North Walnut Street, Milford, and were members of Christ Episcopal Church in Milford.
Professional and political career
At the turn of the twentieth century Delaware was going through a political transformation. Most obvious to the public was the unprecedented division in the Republican Party caused, in part, by the ambitions of J. Edward "Gas" AddicksJ. Edward Addicks
John Edward Charles O'Sullivan Addicks was an industrialist and capitalist who used his wealth from financing and building gas works to wage four unsuccessful campaigns for a United States Senate seat in Delaware. His struggle with Henry A...
for a seat in the U.S. Senate. A gas company industrialist, he spent vast amounts of his own fortune to rebuild the Republican Party in Delaware, seemingly for that purpose. This effort was very successful in heavily Democratic Kent County and Sussex County, where he financed the organization of a faction that came to be known as "Union Republicans." Meanwhile he was making bitter enemies of the New Castle County "Regular Republicans," who considered him nothing more than a carpetbagger from Philadelphia.
Watson was a Democrat, and was first elected to the State House in 1884, but his eligibility was challenged due his previous residence in Philadelphia. As a result did not take his seat and waited eight years, until 1892, to seek office again. Then he was elected to the State Senate and served in the 1893/94 session and the 1895/96 session, when he was the Speaker. The 1894 elections, however, resulted in a Republican State House and a Republican Governor. Regardless, the State Senate kept its Democratic majority, and when GovernorJoshua H. Marvil died, the Speaker of the State Senate succeeded him. Watson assumed the office of Governor of Delaware and served from April 8, 1895 until January 19, 1897.
All the while the Delaware General Assembly was attempting to elect a U.S. Senator. Since the two houses voted together, the more numerous Republicans held an overall majority and attempted to elect Henry A. du Pont
Henry A. du Pont
Henry Algernon du Pont , known as "Colonel Henry", was an American soldier and politician from Winterthur, near Greenville, in New Castle County, Delaware. He was a veteran of the American Civil War, and a member of the Republican Party, who served two terms as U.S...
to the office. But the Republicans were divided and enough supported the candidacy of Addicks to barely prevent a majority from electing du Pont. Then, with accession of Watson to the Governor's office, the total number of members seemed to be reduced and du Pont had a majority. The Delaware General Assembly went to vote only to find Watson had returned to his old State Senate seat, casting his vote for the Democratic candidate, but more importantly preventing du Pont from receiving a majority. This was an unprecedented action by an Acting Governor, but the Delaware Constitution of 1831
Delaware Constitution of 1831
The Delaware Constitution of 1831 was the third governing document for Delaware state government and was in effect from its adoption on December 2, 1831 until replaced on June 4, 1897 by the present state Constitution....
, then in effect, did not address the question. The Republican Speaker of the State House disallowed the vote and certified the election of du Pont, but the Democratic controlled U.S. Senate rejected his credentials, thereby preserving its own majority. This, of course, was the real purpose behind Watson's action. The soon to be drafted, Delaware Constitution of 1897
Delaware Constitution of 1897
The Constitution of the State of Delaware of 1897 is the fourth and current governing document for Delaware state government and has been in effect since its adoption on June 4 of that year.-Executive:...
, resolved the issue for good by creating the independent office of Lieutenant Governor.
Because of Governor Marvil's death, the General Assembly scheduled the next gubernatorial election in 1896, two years into the term. Delaware's gubernatorial elections have been held in the year of the U.S. Presidential election ever since.
{|class=wikitable style="width: 94%" style="text-align: center;" align="center"
|-bgcolor=#cccccc
!colspan=12 style="background: #ccccff;" |Delaware General Assembly
Delaware General Assembly
The Delaware General Assembly is the legislature of the U.S. state of Delaware. It is a bicameral legislature composed of the Delaware Senate with 21 Senators and the Delaware House of Representatives with 41 Representatives...
(sessions while Governor)
|-
!Year
!Assembly
!
!Senate Majority
!Speaker
!
!House Majority
!Speaker
|-
|1895-1896
|88th
Delaware General Assembly
The Delaware General Assembly is the legislature of the U.S. state of Delaware. It is a bicameral legislature composed of the Delaware Senate with 21 Senators and the Delaware House of Representatives with 41 Representatives...
|
| |Democratic
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...
| |vacant
|
| |Republican
Republican Party (United States)
The Republican Party is one of the two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Democratic Party. Founded by anti-slavery expansion activists in 1854, it is often called the GOP . The party's platform generally reflects American conservatism in the U.S...
| |Henry H. McMullen
Almanac
Elections are held the first Tuesday after November 1st. Members of the Delaware General Assembly took office the first Tuesday of January. State Senators have a four year term. The Governor takes office the third Tuesday of January and has a four year term.{|class=wikitable style="width: 94%" style="text-align: center;" align="center"
|-bgcolor=#cccccc
!colspan=7 style="background: #ccccff;" |Public Offices
|-
! Office
! Type
! Location
! Began office
! Ended office
! notes
|-
|State Senator
Delaware Senate
The Delaware Senate is the upper house of the Delaware General Assembly, the state legislature of the U.S. State of Delaware. It is composed of 21 Senators, each of whom is elected to a four-year term, except when reapportionment occurs, at which time Senators may be elected to a two-year term....
|Legislature
Legislature
A legislature is a kind of deliberative assembly with the power to pass, amend, and repeal laws. The law created by a legislature is called legislation or statutory law. In addition to enacting laws, legislatures usually have exclusive authority to raise or lower taxes and adopt the budget and...
|Dover
Dover, Delaware
The city of Dover is the capital and second largest city in the U.S. state of Delaware. It is also the county seat of Kent County, and the principal city of the Dover, Delaware Metropolitan Statistical Area, which encompasses all of Kent County. It is located on the St. Jones River in the Delaware...
|January 6, 1893
|April 8, 1895
|
|-
|Governor
|Executive
Executive (government)
Executive branch of Government is the part of government that has sole authority and responsibility for the daily administration of the state bureaucracy. The division of power into separate branches of government is central to the idea of the separation of powers.In many countries, the term...
|Dover
Dover, Delaware
The city of Dover is the capital and second largest city in the U.S. state of Delaware. It is also the county seat of Kent County, and the principal city of the Dover, Delaware Metropolitan Statistical Area, which encompasses all of Kent County. It is located on the St. Jones River in the Delaware...
|April 8, 1895
|January 19, 1897
|acting
{|class=wikitable style="width: 94%" style="text-align: center;" align="center"
|-bgcolor=#cccccc
!colspan=7 style="background: #ccccff;" |Delaware General Assembly service
|-
! Dates
! Assembly
! Chamber
! Majority
! Governor
! Committees
! District
|-
|1893-1894
|87th
Delaware General Assembly
The Delaware General Assembly is the legislature of the U.S. state of Delaware. It is a bicameral legislature composed of the Delaware Senate with 21 Senators and the Delaware House of Representatives with 41 Representatives...
|State Senate
Delaware Senate
The Delaware Senate is the upper house of the Delaware General Assembly, the state legislature of the U.S. State of Delaware. It is composed of 21 Senators, each of whom is elected to a four-year term, except when reapportionment occurs, at which time Senators may be elected to a two-year term....
|Democratic
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...
|Robert J. Reynolds
Robert J. Reynolds
Robert John Reynolds was an American farmer and politician from Petersburg in South Murderkill Hundred, Kent County, Delaware...
|
|Kent at-large
Kent County, Delaware
Kent County is a county located in the central part of the U.S. state of Delaware. It is coextensive with the Dover, Delaware, Metropolitan Statistical Area. As of 2010 the population was 162,310, a 28.1% increase over the previous decade. The county seat is Dover, the state capital...
|-
|1895-1896
|88th
Delaware General Assembly
The Delaware General Assembly is the legislature of the U.S. state of Delaware. It is a bicameral legislature composed of the Delaware Senate with 21 Senators and the Delaware House of Representatives with 41 Representatives...
|State Senate
Delaware Senate
The Delaware Senate is the upper house of the Delaware General Assembly, the state legislature of the U.S. State of Delaware. It is composed of 21 Senators, each of whom is elected to a four-year term, except when reapportionment occurs, at which time Senators may be elected to a two-year term....
|Democratic
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...
|Joshua H. Marvil
Joshua H. Marvil
Joshua Hopkins Marvil was an American merchant and politician from Laurel, in Sussex County, Delaware. He was a member of the Republican Party, who served as Governor of Delaware.-Early life and family:...
|Speaker
Speaker (politics)
The term speaker is a title often given to the presiding officer of a deliberative assembly, especially a legislative body. The speaker's official role is to moderate debate, make rulings on procedure, announce the results of votes, and the like. The speaker decides who may speak and has the...
|Kent at-large
Kent County, Delaware
Kent County is a county located in the central part of the U.S. state of Delaware. It is coextensive with the Dover, Delaware, Metropolitan Statistical Area. As of 2010 the population was 162,310, a 28.1% increase over the previous decade. The county seat is Dover, the state capital...
Images
- Hall of Governors Portrait Gallery Portrait courtesy of Historical and Cultural Affairs, Dover.
External links
- Biographical Directory of the Governors of the United States
- Find a Grave
- Delaware’s Governors
- The Political Graveyard
Places with more information
- Delaware Historical SocietyDelaware Historical SocietyThe Delaware Historical Society began in 1864 as an effort to preserve documents from the Civil War. Since then, it has expanded into a state-wide historical institution with several venues and a major museum in Wilmington and the historic Read House & Gardens in New Castle.The society...
; website; 505 North Market Street, Wilmington, Delaware 19801; (302) 655-7161 - University of DelawareUniversity of DelawareThe university is organized into seven colleges:* College of Agriculture and Natural Resources* College of Arts and Sciences* Alfred Lerner College of Business and Economics* College of Earth, Ocean and Environment* College of Education and Human Development...
; Library website; 181 South College Avenue, Newark, Delaware 19717; (302) 831-2965