Biographies
from
The History of Otsego County, New York
1740-1878
D. Hamilton Hurd
Published by Everts & Fariss, Philadelphia
WATSON, Arnold B. - Unadilla
Arnold Beach WATSON, the subject of the following memoir,
was born in the town of Rensselaerville, Albany county, N.Y., Aug.
12, 1798. His father's name was Josiah Watson. He was a
respectable, responsible farmer, and at times held important offices
in the town. His mother's maiden name was Mary BEACH, who
died when Arnold was only two and a half years old, leaving him
as her only surviving child. The sympathies and attachment of the
father for his orphan son were very great, and continued through
life. He was proud of his moral bearing and scholastic attainments.
He was placed at school at an early age, and there was never a year
of his life from the time he was five years old until June 1, 1824,
but what he was either attending or teaching school. In school he
often took the highest prize awarded to merit or proficiency in his
class.
When Arnold was four and a half years old his father married
his second wife, who was to him a kind and watchful mother. At
eleven years of age he became an anxious inquirer after religious
truth, and a hopeful convert to the teachings of the Bible. At the
age of fourteen he was baptized, and soon after was confirmed by
Bishop Hobart, of the Episcopal church, - neither of his parents at
that time being professing members of any church. At fourteen
years of age his father, at the urgent solicitation of the trustees of a
very large district school in his native town, consented to let him
take charge of the summer school which he, a mere boy, taught
through a term of six months, with an average attendance of about
seventy scholars, to the satisfaction of all. His father, at an early
day, placed him in a select school, taught by a talented clergyman,
where he was associated with young men much older than himself,
who were pursuing the advanced classes. His classical studies were
closed at the Greenville academy, in Greene Co., N.Y., and a very
complimentary certificate tendered him by its principal. He taught
with entire satisfaction a large school in Oakville, Greene Co., N.Y.,
and while there received an application to take charge of an academic
school in Unadilla, Otsego County. The news of his leaving was
received with universal regret in Oakville. The Masonic lodge of that
village held a special session and conferred upon him, without charge,
the three first degrees of that order as evidence of their regard. This
was an agreeable surprise to the subject of our sketch. Not long
after his advent in Unadilla he was elected Master of the Masonic
lodge in that place, and continuously re-elected for fifteen years.
He was also elected High Priest of the chapter of Royal Arch
Masons, holding the office for nearly fifteen years. The grand
royal arch chapter of the State of New York deputized him as an
instituting and installing officer of that body for his vicinity.
Since the fall of 1821 Unadilla has been his residence. After
teaching the academy two and a half years, a prominent merchant
of Unadilla village, whose health was then quite delicate, solicited
him to become a partner in his business. He accordingly dismissed
his school and (June 1, 1824) entered upon his business career.
The co-partnership, which continued six years, was only terminated
by the death of his partner, Mr. WRIGHT, who esteemed him so
highly that he presented him, just before his death, with a valuable
gold seal, and by his will made Mr. Watson the executor of his
estate. In fulfilling the wishes of his late friend and partner, and in
closing up the estate, he received a valuable testimonial to his
faithful services from the lawyer representing the widow and minor
heirs.
In the fall of 1840, without solicitation, he was elected a member
of the State legislature, where he served not only upon several
important committees, but while in "committee of the whole" was
called to the speaker's chair to preside over the deliberations of
the house.
For forty years he was interested in mercantile pursuits. In 1844
he established the Unadilla bank, as an individual bank, with a
capital of $50,000; this bank he owned and operated himself for
twenty years, and during that time no bank in the State stood higher.
In 1852 he became interested and actively engaged in the construction
of the Albany and Susquehanna railroad. One of the original movers
in the enterprise, Mr. Watson, at the first meeting, held in 1852, was
elected a director, and it is but just to say that to no member of that
body is more credit due for the successful completion of the road.
He was offered, but declined, the presidency of the company in
consequence of his own business, which required the greater portion
of his attention. He was, however, chairman of the committee to
locate depots and assess the amount for which each town on the
line of the proposed road should issue bonds to secure the building
of the same.
No man has done more to build up and advance the interests
of his village than Mr. Watson. In his church for thirty years he
was its senior warden and treasurer, and a liberal contributor to
the purchase of the cemetery, parsonage, etc. The Unadilla
academy passed through a long financial struggle, endeavoring to
raise the means for building, etc., but without success, until Mr.
Watson came to its relief; he raised the money in one day to buy
the lot, build the house, and furnish the same with library,
laboratory apparatus, and bell. The institution is now one of the
most flourishing in this section of the country. There are few
persons who, from early childhood, have spent so active and
industrious a life as the subject of this sketch. In his family
relations he has been peculiarly blessed, and his children have
given unmistakable evidence of thorough education as well as
religious and moral training.--
Excerpt from History of Otsego Co., NY, page 349