Shaver, F. A., Arthur P. Rose, R. F. Steele, and A. E. Adams, compilers. "An Illustrated History of Central Oregon." ("Embracing Wasco, Sherman, Gilliam, Wheeler, Crook, Lake, & Klamath Counties") Spokane, WA: Western Historical Publishing Co., 1905. p. 907. JOHN N. WATSON is register of the United States land office and a prominent wool grower residing in Lakeview, Oregon. He was reared on a farm in Montgomery county, Illinois, and upon the outbreak of the Civil War he enlisted in Company F, One Hundred and Twenty-sixth Illinois Infantry, being a member of the first regiment which was a part of Kimball's provisional division attached to the Sixteenth corps. He joined the army in August, 1862, and was given an honorable discharge in August, 1865. During his term of enlistment he was in many of the prominent battles and in numerous minor fights and skirmishes, prominent among which we may mention the siege of Vicksburg and the battle of Little Rock. He is now a member of the Gen. O. M. Mitchell post, G. A. R., of Reno, Nevada. After the war Mr. Watson returned to Illinois and in 1866 he went to Labette county, Kansas, in fact, prior to the organization of that county, as he was one of its organizers and was elected its first sheriff. In 1875 he came to Portland, Oregon, and the year following to Chico, California, where he engaged in the stock business and freighting. He went to San Francisco in 1884 and there engaged in the business of buying stock for a number of the prominent wholesale meat markets of that city. In 1891 he came to Lake county in the interest of his firms and seven years later he came to locate here, though he still continues to buy stock for the San Francisco markets. He engaged in the sheep business upon coming to this county and rapidly increased his holdings in sheep and land until he now has a large flock of sheep and four hundred acres of choice land in Lake county. He was appointed register of the United States land office during October, 1903. He always has been an uncompromising Republican in politics. He was made a Mason in November, 1868, and is now a member of the Paisley lodge of that order. Mr. Watson is classed as one of the well-to-do citizens of Lake county, although be started in business here with very small means. He is a man of great energy and perseverance and of strict honor, traits to which is wholly due the success he has made of his life. John N. Watson was born in Scott county, Illinois, January 3, 1843, the son of James C. Watson, a native of Ohio, and Serena (Thomas) Watson, whose native state is New York. He was married in May, 1868, to Malissa Craft, in Chetopa, Kansas. Mrs. Watson died in April, 1882, at Chico, California, leaving three children, whose names follow : Bertha, wife of Robert S. Boyd; Maud, wife of Robert W. Gray; and Benjamin C. Watson, married to Irene Lutgen. All of the children are residents of San Francisco. In December, 1904, Mr. Watson married Mrs. Cornelia (Barnard) Knox the daughter of James E. and Luemma Barnard, at Lakeview, Oregon. ******************* Submitted to the Oregon Bios. Project in March 2011 by Diana Smith. Submitter has no additional information about the person(s) or family mentioned above.