With all that was taking place with the new Spokane Spokesman, J. Howard Watsons health had become seriously impaired. At his doctors recommendation, he sold his interest in the new paper and took up a homestead on Lake Chelans south shore at First Creek. This was in early 1892. Upon regaining his health, Mr. Watson resumed his newspaper and political work. For some time he was special correspondent of the newly merged Spokesman-Review. In 1895 J. Howard Watson was appointed to the Washington State Road Commission. This was an appointment that he accepted with great honor and one which devoted much of Mr. Watsons Time. This position lasted two years. Following his road commission work, in 1897 he became manager of the circulation department and political editor of The Post Intelligencer and in 1898 he was writing a number of articles when the Republicans were discouraged with the current political fusion that was going on. It was about this time that there was some type of title wave on Lake Chelan, its cause unknown. A few days following the wave the Seattle P.I. came out with a statement Lake Chelan had an upheaval one day last week! Can it be that J. Howard Watson is on its shores preparing political letters for the campaign of 1900? In 1900 J. Howard Watson was installed as editor for the Walla Walla Union. He was said to have been well known over the state and a brilliant writer but these were not the feelings of all who knew Mr. Watson. - Political Pot Pie: Last week, while the Pie-maker was attending the State Press Association, which was held in Tacoma, he met Editor J. Frankland, of the Walla Walla Record, who pre-dicted that it would not be very many more months before J. Howard Watson, the prince of political liars of the Northwest, would loose his position as editor of Lovi Ankenys Walla Walla Union. Editor Frankland was convinced of that fact because, said he, Watson is the most ungrateful whelp that was ever given a brief breath of authority. The men who were responsible for him getting the place that he was then holding, he had endeavored to do everything in his power to injure in a political way as editor of the Union and even in a business .......... More history reveals that a J.G. Frankland, Loyd Armstrong and Bert La Due had purchased the Union and conducted it successfully for one year prior to the Union being purchased by Mr. Ankeny. At the time of Mr. Watsons employment Mr. Watson was said to have been an editorial writer of exceptional vigor and intelligence and was making things hum since he took up his abode in Walla Walla. J. Howard Watson stayed on with the Walla Walla Union for two years until 1902. Some said he left for health reason but the real reason for his leaving was because he was appointed by Washington Governor McBride to be his private secretary. J. Howard was able to accept this position for it was this same year that his homestead on Lake Chelan had been approved and he was able to relocate to Olympia, WA. with his family. J. Howard loved his new position and his wife Katherine loved the social aspects of their new life in Olympia. Trips back to their homestead in Lake Chelan were made when time allowed. The Chelan Leader noted once Major and Mrs. J. Howard Watson returned to Olympia Friday , after a pleasant week or two visit at Harverene Lodge, their elegant Lake Chelan home Major you may wonder? After accepting the Governors secretary position, J. Howard was given the honorable title Major Assistant Adjutant General and Military Secretary of Staff of the Commander in Chief People called him Major for short. In 1905 a new administration came into power for the State of Washington thus the Watsons moved to Seattles Capital Hill. J. Howard dabbled in Realstate and Insurance Sales for a spell but before to long he was back at it as a Editorial Writer. This time for the Seattle Times. It was shortly thereafter that J. Howard Watson, at the age of 48, died on December 5, 1906.
Posted on: Mon, 12 Jan 2015 01:23:06 +0000
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