Jesse was the son of Lewis and Clarissa Ferguson Watson. He married Jane L. Smith.
A merchant, he died of a stroke at the age of 74 years old.He was laid to rest on 2/21/1929.
MO death cert. #9252

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MR. JESSE FRANKLIN WATSON

The subject of this sketch, whose death was announced in last week's issue of the Herald, was born in Raleigh, North Carolina, July 18, 1854; died February 20, 1929, making his age at time of death 74 years, 7 months and 2 days. He was a son of Lewis and Clarissa Watson. November 25, 1875, Mr. Watson was married to Miss Jane Smith, of Licking, Mo., and to this union one son and four daughters were born: Charles L. Watson, Houston, Mo.; Dorothy Levy, St. Louis, Mo.; Clarissa Watson, deceased; Vada Emsheimer, Chicago, Ill.; Florence Rothschild, St. Louis, Mo. He is survived by the wife and four children, and by two brothers, Burt and Edd Watson, and two sisters, Amanda Hanlin, Birmingham, Alabama, and Irene Capps, Anutt, Mo.

He was a member of Houston Baptist church since 1906, being baptized by his brother, Rev. W. T. Watson, a Baptist minister, now deceased. Funeral services were conducted at Houston Baptist church Thursday afternoon, by his pastor, Rev. H.B. Tillery, attended by a large gathering of his friends and fellow citizens. Beautiful flowers covered the casket and the impressive song service was by Mr. and Mrs. A.H. Rumple and Jewell T. Alexander.

For long years Mr. Watson had been a member of Texas Lodge No. 372, I.O.O.F., and of Texas Lodge No. 177, A.F. and A.M. In Masonic lodge he held the office of Treasurer for a number of years, for Uncle Jesse Watson was always looked upon as the personification of honesty and integrity. He was laid away with full Masonic honors in Houston cemetery, a large gathering of Masons attending and Judge W.E. Barton being very impressive in the Masonic burial ceremony.

Beginning his life here in Houston at the blacksmith trade, Mr. Watson began the hardware business in a small way until now as the firm of J.F. Watson & Son it is one of the leading businesses in our little city.

He was a man who always stood for the right, a man held in highest esteem by all, served as school director and city alderman, always tried to do the right thing with his fellow man and died honored and respected by all. Our sympathy is with the bereaved wife and children. We suffer with them in their great loss.

--Houston Herald, 2/28/1929 p. 1