- DAVID A. WATT. The family of WATT, or at least that branch
thereof to which David W.
- WATT belongs, is of Scottish lineage. His paternal grandfather,
who was also named David, a well-to-do farmer, was born in Virginia,
and removed to Ohio early in life. He was the father of seven
children. He died in 1868, at the age of sixty-nine.
- David WATT, son of David, was the father of the influential
citizen of Janesville whose life is
- under review. He was a farmer, as was his father, and like
him, too, became dissatisfied with his surroundings in early
manhood. In 1849 he went with his family from Ohio, his native
State, to Wisconsin, locating first at Janesville, and removing
within a few months to Green County. There he remained until
1872, his home being near Monroe. In the year last named he
determined to go yet farther West, and bought a farm in the town
of Hamilton, Franklin Co., Iowa. There he died six years later,
in his sixty-first year, his widow following him to the grave
in 1893, after attaining the age of threescore and ten. Her
maiden name was Ruth BALL, and her father, Farlin BALL, who was
a millwright, removed from Vermont to Wisconsin in 1849. He
bought land near Monroe, and there passed the remainder of his
life, dying at the age of seventy-two, respected by his neighbors.
He and his wife reared a family of eight children. To David
and Ruth WATT were born five sons and three daughters of whom
seven are yet living: John M., the sheriff of Franklin County,
Iowa; Elizabeth, wife of Joseph NYE, of Hampton, in that State;
George F., a resident of Hawarden, Iowa; Zanna, Mrs. Joseph NOGGLE,
of Hampton; Charlotte (married); Quigley, of Iowa Falls; and
David W.
- David W. WATT was born in Jefferson County, Ohio, April 24,
1849, and was reared upon his
- father's farm in Green County, Wis. He began life's battle
in 1868, when a youth of nineteen years, he came to Janesville
to enter the store of COLVIN & FARNSWORTH, as clerk. After
eighteen months' experience there he went to Chicago, where for
a year he filled a position with Field, Leiter & Co. At
the end of that time he returned to Janesville, and for two years
following was successfully engaged in the livery business. This
venture made him acquainted with many showmen, and he concluded
to embark in that branch of business himself. His first associate
was Burr ROBLINS, with whom he remained four years. For the
next eight years he was connected with the FOREPAUGHS, and for
a year with BAILEY & COOPER. His connection with these enterprises
carried him into every quarter of the Union. While with FOREPAUGH
& BAILEY he acted as treasurer and ticket agent, and through
his alertness and facility earned the sobriquet of the "lightening
ticket seller," Returning to Janesville, he settled down
to a more quiet life, embarking in business as a real-estate
agent, in which he has been very successful.
- Mr. WATT was married Jan. 4, 1872, to Josephine M., a daughter
of Lorenzo and Mary Ann
- DEARBORN, and they have had two sons, William W. and Bertie
Lorenzo. The elder is a reporter on the staff of the Janesville
Daily Gazette, and the younger a clerk in a shoe store. Mr.
WATT is a republican in politics, and at present (1900) holds
the office of city assessor, a position for which he is well
qualified by native ability, knowledge of men and recognized
integrity.
-
- Taken from "Commemorative Biographical Record of
the Counties of Rock, Green, Grant, Iowa and Lafayette Wisconsin"
(c) 1901, p. 334.
-
- Courtesy of Carol
|