Claude A. Watson (June 26, 1885 – January 3, 1978) was an American politician, lawyer, businessman, and
minister from
Hermon
Mount Hermon ( ar, جبل الشيخ or جبل حرمون / ALA-LC: ''Jabal al-Shaykh'' ("Mountain of the Sheikh") or ''Jabal Haramun''; he, הַר חֶרְמוֹן, ''Har Hermon'') is a mountain cluster constituting the southern end of th ...
, who was nationally active in the
temperance movement
The temperance movement is a social movement promoting temperance or complete abstinence from consumption of alcoholic beverages. Participants in the movement typically criticize alcohol intoxication or promote teetotalism, and its leaders emph ...
and the
Prohibition Party. He is currently the most recent presidential nominee of the Prohibition party to have received over 100,000 votes.
A certified pilot, Watson was the first American presidential candidate in history to fly his own airplane and flew over 16,000 miles campaigning.
Life
On June 26, 1885, Claude A. Watson was born near Manton, Michigan to Reverend Joseph A. Watson and Emma Jane Dove. On December 27, 1911, he married Maude L. Hagar and would later have three children with her.
In 1928, he was admitted to the legal bar in California, with a license to practice before the Federal and US Supreme courts after moving there and established a law practice.
In
1936
Events
January–February
* January 20 – George V of the United Kingdom and the British Dominions and Emperor of India, dies at his Sandringham Estate. The Prince of Wales succeeds to the throne of the United Kingdom as King E ...
, he was selected as the
Prohibition Party vice presidential nominee, was a keynote speaker at the party's 1940 convention, and served as its presidential nominee in
1944
Events
Below, the events of World War II have the "WWII" prefix.
January
* January 2 – WWII:
** Free French General Jean de Lattre de Tassigny is appointed to command French Army B, part of the Sixth United States Army Group in Nor ...
and
1948. He also served as a
Free Methodist
The Free Methodist Church (FMC) is a Methodist Christian denomination within the holiness movement, based in the United States. It is evangelical in nature and is Wesleyan–Arminian in theology.
The Free Methodist Church has members in over 100 ...
pastor and conference superintendent. Watson ran for attorney general of California in 1938, 1942, and 1950 and ran for Los Angeles District Attorney in 1952.
On January 3, 1978, he died in Los Angeles at age 92.
See also
*
Temperance organizations
The temperance movement is a social movement promoting temperance or complete abstinence from consumption of alcoholic beverages. Participants in the movement typically criticize alcohol intoxication or promote teetotalism, and its leaders em ...
References
1885 births
1978 deaths
20th-century American businesspeople
California Prohibitionists
Prohibition Party (United States) presidential nominees
Prohibition Party (United States) vice presidential nominees
Candidates in the 1944 United States presidential election
Candidates in the 1948 United States presidential election
20th-century American politicians
1936 United States vice-presidential candidates
Activists from California
20th-century American lawyers
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