U.S. Data Repository http://www.us-data.org/ -- USGenNet Inc. -- Please read the U.S. Data Repository Copyright Statement on the following page: --------------------------------------------------------------------- Watson, James Edwin (1859-1926) --------------------------------------------------------------------- Source: West Virginia and Its People, Volume III Author: Thomas Condit Miller and Hu Maxwell Volume III, Pages 1073-1074 James Edwin Watson James Edwin, son of James Otis and Matilda (Lamb) Watson, was born at Fairmont, West Virginia, January 8, 1859. He secured his education in the Fairmont public schools and Eastman's Business College, Poughkeepsie, New York. He is a coal operator, and has spent the major part of his life in the coal industry. In 1885 he took charge of the J. O. Watson coal interests, which practically contained all the coal operations in this district at that time, and was at the head of the same until his health failed in 1899, about which time he gave up the active management of the coal business. He was one of the original stockholders and promoters of the Montana Coal & Coke Company, and before the F. M. & P. railroad was completed he with others purchased small tracts of coal at Montana, and on July 7, 1886, with a few men, with J. C. Gaskill in charge, commenced grading for necessary sidetracks. This mine was the first to successfully make coke in this field, and the development of the same was practically the beginning of the development and making of the Fairmont region. On July 1, 1890, he bought at forced sale, in front of the courthouse, the entire property belonging to the West Fairmont & Marion Consolidated Coal and Coke Company, which then owned the West Fairmont, Marion and Shaft mines, all three of which had been abandoned at that time, and the Marion and Shaft mines allowed to fill up with water. He then organized the West Fairmont Coal & Coke Company, and these mines have been worked successfully ever since. This same company purchased in August, 1894, what is known as the New England Mine, from the New England, Fairmont & Western Gas Coal Company. An expensive railroad and bridge across West Fork river had been built by this company, who worked the mines a short time and then abandoned them, allowing the railroad and mine improvements to go to wreck; when bought by the West Fairmont Coal & Coke Company, the railroad was rebuilt, mines newly opened up, necessary and expensive improvements made, the town of New England built, and this mine now has the largest capacity of any single mine in Marion county. Mr. Watson was also interested and a director in the Gaston Gas Company and the Briar Hill Coal & Coke Company. These four companies were the nucleus for the formation of the Fairmont Coal Company, now the Consolidation Coal Company. He was one of the organizers of the Bank of Fairmont, now the National Bank of Fairmont, in 1895, and has been president since its organization. He is president of the Watson Company, owners of the Watson building, in which is located the National Bank of Fairmont, the offices of the Consolidation and other coal companies and corporations, including the Fairmont & Clarksburg Traction Company, Fairmont Gas & Light Company, and Fairmont Chamber of Commerce. The Watson Company also owns a large acreage of valuable real estate in the suburbs of Fairmont. He is president of the Fairmont Development Company, Fairmont, West Virginia; Watson, Malone & Miller Company, Fairmont, West Virginia; Watson Coal Company, owners of valuable coal lands in the Pocahontas District, on lines of the Norfolk & Western railroad, in McDowell county, West Virginia, and are being operated by two different companies under lease, on royalty basis, from the Watson Coal Company. He is director in the Ohley Coal Company, owners of a large tract of coal lands on the Cabin creek branch of the Chesapeake & Ohio railroad, Kanawha county, West Virginia, and is now being operated by four different companies, operating seven mines, on a royalty basis, under lease from the Ohley Coal Company; the Fairmont & Clarksburg Traction Company, Fairmont Development Company, South Side Land Company, Watson Coal Company, Watson Company, Fairmont Gas and Light Company, and the Consolidation Coal Company. Politically he is a Democrat. In church connection he is of the Episcopal denomination. He married Mattie Elizabeth Moderwell, September 1, 1890. Children: Sue Kearsley, Virginia Fleming, deceased; James Edwin, and Otis Moderwell, deceased; Robert Lamb. --------------------------------------------------------------------- Additional Information: --------------------------------------------------------------------- DEATH CERTIFICATE, Marion County WV, #11129 James Edwin Watson died 2-Aug-1926 in Fairmont WV born: 8-Jan-1859 in Marion County WV marital-status: married son-of: James Otis Watson and Matilda Lamb occupation: Banker place-of-burial: Woodlawn Cemetery DEATH CERTIFICATE, Marion County WV, #3133 Mattie Moderwell Watson died 15-Mar-1946 in Fairmont Street-addr: 314 1st Street born: 11-Jul-1868 in Genesee, Illinois burial: Woodlawn Cemetery ---------------------------------------------------------------------