John William Watson Sr. (October 31, 1859 - February 8, 1942) was an American politician and businessman who served in a number of elected positions throughout Florida.
Biography
Watson was born in North Carolina. He studied at
Raleigh Academy then traveled and worked various jobs. He eventually settled in Kissimmee, Florida where he established a hardware business and became active in local and state politics. He expanded the business to Miami and eventually moved there, building an edifice that would be known as the Watson Building, downtown.
Watson was elected as state representative for the area that included Kissimmee and later Miami. He was later elected
Speaker of the Florida House of Representatives
The speaker is the presiding member of the Florida House of Representatives. The Speaker and his staff provide direction and coordination to employees throughout the House and serve the members in carrying out their constitutional responsibilitie ...
and a member of the
Florida Senate and served as the City of Miami's 6th and 8th Mayor.
His first Miami election was a landslide.
In between political victories, he owned a grocery store, hardware company and grapefruit grove among his multiple business endeavors.
He built several buildings in Miami which became important to the city's growth and long-term development.
The Watson family is considered to be among Miami's first settlers as they arrived before the railroad to town was complete.
Watson testified before the House of Representatives' Committee on Indian Services regarding his first-hand knowledge of Seminole ''Indian'' culture and his distaste for the plans to drain the Everglades.
He ran for Florida Governor unsuccessfully in 1911–1912.
Watson Island
Watson Island is a neighborhood and man-made island in Biscayne Bay, in Miami, Florida. It is located Immediately east of the Central Business District and Arts & Entertainment District neighborhoods of downtown Miami and is connected to the ma ...
is named after him. He is buried in the Miami City Cemetery.
Fraternal and civic affiliations
Fraternally he was connected with the Masonic order, the
Knights of Pythias
The Knights of Pythias is a fraternal organization and secret society founded in Washington, D.C., on . The Knights of Pythias is the first fraternal organization to receive a charter under an act of the United States Congress. It was founded ...
, and the
Elks.
See also
*
List of mayors of Miami
*
Government of Miami
*
History of Miami
Thousands of years before Europeans arrived, a large portion of south east Florida, including the area where Miami, Florida exists today, was inhabited by Tequestas. The Tequesta (also Tekesta, Tegesta, Chequesta, Vizcaynos) Native American trib ...
References
;Notes
;Bibliography
* ''Hon. John W. Watson.''
Miami Herald
The ''Miami Herald'' is an American daily newspaper owned by the McClatchy Company and headquartered in Doral, Florida, a List of communities in Miami-Dade County, Florida, city in western Miami-Dade County, Florida, Miami-Dade County and the M ...
, vol. 2, no. 110, 19 Mar. 1912, p. Page Three.
* ''John W. Watson, Nominated Mayor I First Primar''y -
Miami Herald
The ''Miami Herald'' is an American daily newspaper owned by the McClatchy Company and headquartered in Doral, Florida, a List of communities in Miami-Dade County, Florida, city in western Miami-Dade County, Florida, Miami-Dade County and the M ...
, July 23, 1913, Page One.
External links
The Magic City Miami History
Findagrave
Mayors of Miami
Speakers of the Florida House of Representatives
Members of the Florida House of Representatives
Knights of Pythias
1859 births
1942 deaths
{{Miami-stub