Fisherman & farmer. [volume] (Edenton, N.C.) 1887-19??, 1896-07-31
OUR NEXT GOVERNOR.
CYRUS B. WATSON-A SHORT
SKETCH OF HIS BUSY
LIFE.
A PATRIOT AT SIXTEEN.
An Enemy Of Trusts. Self Maze
Man Of the People and for
the People Every Time.
winston .SeHtINsI)

90 IN /" poP'tioii) 4O =" -
throughout Western North Car
olina, is a son of the late John
Watson, Esq, and was born
January I4th, 1874, near Ker-
nersville, i'll what was then a
part of Stokes, but forming now
very important section OF this
(Forsyth) county
From early childhood he was
exceptionally bright and gave
promise of great mental activity
and capacity. His educational
advantages were only those at
forded by the common schools Of
that day.
When the dark clouds of the
late civil war arose and hovered
threateningly over this South
land, although only I6 years OF
age, he was one Of the first to go
out from the home of his boy
hood to fight, suffer and, if need
be, die for the Confederate cause:
He served most valiently as SER
geant of company K, forty-fifth
Regiment N. c., troops. He
was seriously wounded at both
Williamsport, Nd, and Spottsyl-
Vania Court House.
When the war closed Mr..
Watson laid down his arms and
came back to his Kernersville
home. He served both there and
at High Point for year or two
as (, clerk in general nerchan-
disc stores. He afterwards
studied law under the late J. NJ.
Leach at Lexington, and was ad-
mitted to the bar III 1868. Dur
ing the next year, he was united
in marriage to Miss A. +. Hen
ley, daughter Of Mr.. & Mrs. w.
p. Henley.
Since the war, while loyal in
every way to the Federal Cows
ernment, he has at all times, by
both word and action. shown
himself an earnest defender of
the South and her interests. He
is an active member of Norfleet
Camp, No. 42o, United Confed>
crate Veterans.
Mr.. Watson rose rapidly to
prominence i'll his chosen pros
fession, developing into an able
practitioner, especially adroit
and successful ii the conduct of
criminal cases.
In 1883 Mr.. Watson was elect
ed to the North Carolina State
Senate, thirty second district.
He served as all efficient mem
Der of the Committees OH Inter
nal Improvement, the Code, re-
districting the State, judiciary
and several others. He was a
hardworklng Senator, i'll every
way representing his district
with much credit to himself and
constituency. 1t is to Mr.. Wat
son that is due the credit for en-
eineering to successful enact
1nent the most notable ard salu>
tary law of that year the famous
anti-1ynch law. He was elected
to the senate by a majority of
1906.
About 1875 Mr.. Watson form
ed a copartnershlp for the prac>
tice of law with the late w. B.
Glenn, with whom he was asso-
ciated until 1885, when the
present well-known law firm
of Watson & Buxton, which
ranks as one of the foremost lega
combinations in the State was
formed.
Again in 1903 Mr.. Watson was
called into public life, having
been elected to the lower House
Of the Legislature. In this po-
sition he, as III the Senate Of
1883, labored diligently for the
best interests of his constituency
and State at large.
He was the author and earnest
advocate of the famous antitrust
measure introduced III the House
by himself, and passed that body
by a good majority, but was
foundered and defeated in the
Senate by a bare majority. The
direct aim of this measure was
to throw off the heavy yoke OF
trusts aud com binations, which
have for several years been sap>
ping the life from North Carolina
industry and hindering her
material prosperity. 1t aimed
an especial blow at that arch
enemy of the tobacco planter,
the American Tobacco Com
pany.
Mr.. Watson during this term
of the Legislature served as
chairman of the Committee on
Ranks. and was quite active in