Pvt. Emory B. Watson
From the Report of the Adjutant General of the State of Illinois
K Co. 89th Ill. Vol. Inf.
Three Years Service
Railroad Regiment
Mustered In Aug. 25, 1862.Home of record listed as Junction, Ill's.
Wounded in Action at Missionary Ridge. Treated at the Military Hospital in Louisville, Ky.
Discharged Sept. 25, 1864 due to Disability.
Veteran's Reserved Corps.
Detailed to the Provost Marshal's Office.Known actions;
Lawrenceburg, Tenn. Oct. 7, 1862
Perryville, Ky. Oct. 8, 1862
Stones River, Tenn. Dec. 31, 1862
Liberty Gap Jan. 24, 1863
Chickamauga, Ga. Sept. 19, 1863
Lookout Mt., Ga. Nov. 24, 1863
Mission Ridge, Ga. Nov. 25, 1863
From the Post #49 Files
Joined Elgin GAR Veteran's Post #49 Aug. 19, 1884.
From the 1900 Census
Name - Emory Watson
Aged - 61 Years
Born - Pennsylvania
Home in 1900 - Elgin, Kane Co., Ill.
Occupation - Agent for the Railroad
Article; Oct. 3, 1908 issue of The Elgin Advocate.
Emory B. Watson of this city, for half a century in the constant employ of the Chicago & Northwestern railroad, was retired from service Wednesday under the pension rules of the company. Mr. Watson's retirement follows an extraordinary railroad career, begun when a boy of twenty years and concluded only after he had passed the prescribed age limit - seventy years.
When the white-haired veteran closed his books in the Carpentersville depot at 6 o'clock Wednesday, it marked the first time in two score hears that he had been relieved of the responsibilities as an employe of the company. His notice of retirement was received late Wednesday afternoon from the superintendent's office. Mr. Watson was 70 years old September 6.
Mr. Watson is one of the most widely known railroad men in Elgin. He came here in 1873 as temporary agent in this city. That fall he took up his residence in this city, and despite the fact that he was transferred twenty years later to Carpentersville, has continued to reside here. His home is at 909 Spring street.
Born to a family of railroad men, Mr. Watson began his career at the foot of the ladder. November 18, 1858, he became a telegraph messenger at West Chicago. The company was then the old Chicago & Galena railroad. The name was later changed to the Chicago & Northwestern. For several years he worked at the West Chicago depot. He was married in that city July 18, 1861.
When Illinois railroad men organized a regiment known as the railroad regiment, Mr. Watson enlisted as a color corporal. He served two years. Wounded, he was dispatched to Washington, D.C., where he worked until the close of the war as a clerk.
His life was saved only by a small testament which he carried in his vest pocket. A Bullet pierced the pages of the little bible, but the resistance of the paper halted the deadly shot. He still has the book. Mrs. Watson, pensioned as were the wives of all railroad men who entered the war, served as a hospital nurse at Louisville, Ky., where her husband lay wounded.
Returning he was appointed a cashier. His duties were of a nature that required him to move from station to station. Until 1873 he continued in that capacity. As cashier at West Chicago he was appointed temporary agent at Elgin. His appointment was never made permanent, although he acted as temporary agent for twenty years.
Since 1893 he has been agent at the Carpentersville station. Five years ago, the company volunteered to place him upon the pension roll, but his exceptional health led him to refuse the offer. His retirement Wednesday was compulsory under the rigid pension rules of the company.
Many men that have been high in railroad circles began under Mr. Watson. During the last thirty years he has served as instructor to many relatives of officials, sent to him that they might learn the details of an agent's work.
A unique feature of his retirement is the fact that his brother-in-law, J. A. Norris, of West Chicago, was also retired Wednesday. Mr. Norris has been an employe of the company for forty-two years.
Mr. Watson was of a family of railroad people. His father, Charles Watson, was ticket agent at the watch factory station here for years. Two brothers were engineers on the Lake Shore railroad, one being still in service. Of his eight children, two sons and three daughters are engaged in different braches of railroad work.
Mr. Watson was summoned Thursday a.m. to the office of the division superintendent in Chicago. He will probably be at the Carpentersville depot for a few days, assisting his successor.
Obit; July 12, 1913 issue of The Elgin Daily News.
Emory B. Watson died at his summer home at Crystal Lake at 1 o'clock this morning of paralysis, following a stroke of apoplexy. He was in excellent health until July 4 when he became ill from the excessive heat. His condition improved until Monday when he suffered a stroke of apoplexy which left him partially paralized. He was unconscious from that time and died without recognizing the members of his family, all of whom were at his bedside.
Mr. Watson was one of the best know men of this section and one of the oldest living employes of the Chicago and Northwestern railroad. He was in active service in the employ of the company for fifty-two years. During that time he was for twenty years agent at Elgin and for fifteen years in charge of the business of the company at Carpentersville. His death was bulletined at every station on the line this morning.
Mr. Watson was born at Springfield, Pa., Sept. 6, 1838, and came west when a boy. He commenced his services for the railway company when 18 years of age. When the Civil War came on he was a clerk in the office at West Chicago. He was active in the enrollment of the Eighty-ninth Illinois infantry, known at the "Railroad Regiment". He enlisted in August, 1862, and was seriously wounded at the battle of Stone River. He was confined to hospital at Louisville, Ky., for a year and when able was assigned to duty at headquarters there as a clerk. Later he rejoined his regiment and served until the close of the war.
He resumed his duties at West Chicago and in 1874 was made agent at Elgin. In April, 1894, he was transferred to Carpentersville but retained his residence in Elgin.
In November, 1908, he was retired and had not been engaged in active business since.
Mr. Watson was married to Maylina S. Woodward July 18, 1861, at Batavia. When he was wounded in the battle of Stone River, Mrs. Watson went south and did much to assist the wounded and sick of the army.
Mrs. Watson and eight children survive. The latter are: Mrs. Flora Morgan, Mrs. Lucy Robbins, March A., Earl b., Delia, Allie, Clara and Evelyn, all of this city.
The remains were brought to Elgin this morning and the funeral will be held at the family home, 116 North Porter street Monday afternoon at 1 o'clock. The Rev. A. F. Purkiss, pastor of the First Baptist church of this city, of which Mr. Watson was an attendant, will officiate.
Veteran Post No. 49 G.A.R. of this city, of which he was a member will attend.
Interred at Bluff City Cemetery in Elgin, Ill.
Location - Lot 150, Section 12
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| Used with permission Dan Mallett |
Many members of Post #49 sewed watch faces to their ribbons to show they were from Elgin.
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