Obituary Colonel Benjamin W. F. Watson Contributed by Jean Caddel   Born in Virginia in 1830,  Benjamin Watson was the son of Richard Price Watson and Elizabeth McGeehee.  He came to Texas with his father in 1833 - the latter buying land on the south side of Chambers Creek a few miles from the present Italy. Ben Watson's complete name was for his father's six brothers: Benjamin William, Abner, Joseph, John  and Frederick. Richard Watson was not living when his son raised a company of cavalry (known as Watsons Company) in 1862 at the old settlement on Chambers Creek.  The company later became Company C, 19th Texas Cavalry Regiment which later joined Parsons' Brigade in Arkansas.   Just a month after forming the  company of which he was captain, Watson was promoted to Lieutenant Colonel of the regiment.. Colonel Watson returned to Ellis County in 1865 after being parolled.  His first wife was the sister of Winfield Scott.  He later married Margaret Overstreet of  Marshall, Texas by whom he had four daughters and two sons:  Elizabeth (Mrs. E. P.Anderson (Nancy Margaret (Mrs P. H. Templeton); Miriam Melwood "Molly" (Mrs. E. A. Dubuse), Ruth (Mrs. Y. D. Kemble), John F. Watson and William Watson.  Colonel Watson died in September 1873, aged 43.   Copyright © 2007-2016, Ellis County TXGenWeb. All Rights Reserved. This page was last modified: Thursday, 01-Jul-2021 13:21:20 MDT