Watson Tyson, Sr.

Watson Tyson and Home

Great-grandfather Watson Tyson, Sr., was born in Braughton, England, November 30, 1831. When Watson was 19 years old, he came to the United States with his parents, George and Jane Tyson, landing July 4, 1850. The family settled in Lafayette County, Wisconsin. In the year 1858, at age 27, Watson married Eliza Anderson who had been born in Christiana, Norway, in 1833. Eliza had immigrated to Mineral Point, Wisconsin, in 1855 with her parents, Andrew and Mary Anderson. Two of Watson and Eliza’s nine children, Mary Jane abd Eliza Ann, were born in Wisconsin. In 1859 Watson crossed the plains to Pikes Peak with an ox outfit, but returned home several months later. In 1862, with the aid of a yoke of cows and a yoke of oxen, Watson, Wliza and their two girls made their way west. While his family stayed with relatives in New York Creek west of Herman, Nebraska, Watson drove the ox team to Portland Oregon. He spent 21/2 years prospecting in Oregon. Because of Indian troubles, he returned to Nebraska by was of Isthmus of Panama, New York City, by train to Grinnell, Iowa, stage to Omaha, and on foot from Omaha to New York Creek. His gold ore had been changed in New York City into $1600 U.S. Money. In the spring of 1864 the Tysons homesteaded 76 acres which is a part of the 240 are farm now known as the "Tyson Homeplace." Seven children, Hannah (1865), Caroline (1866), George William (1869), Peter (1871), Watson Jr. (1873), Alfred (1875), and Eva Grace (1879) were born in the log cabin which still stands as does the house which was built in 1882. Watson followed farming, fine stock raising, buying, feeding, and selling stock and prospered well, owning over 1000 acres of prime farm land. Watson served as a country commissioner from 1869 to 1875, was a member of the Nebraska House Representatives in 1887, and served 30 consecutive years as a member of his local school board. Eliza passed away in 1906 and in 1907 Watson moved into Blair. He passed away at his home on West Colfax in 1921. In 1898 Grandfather Watson Tyson Jr. was married to Nellie A. Morrill who had been born in Magnolia, Iowa in 1875. Although Watson would have liked to own a livery stable, he and Nell set up housekeeping in a home across the road from the School and entered into farming the family acre along with his brothers Peter and George. Watson and Nell had two sons, Harry Morrill (1898) and Kenneth Earl (1900). Around 1907 the family moved onto one of the Tyson farms 5 miles north west of the "homeplace." In 1920 Nell and "Watty" moved into the Tyson West Colfax house in Blair with Watson Sr. and brother Pater. Watson became a tollkeeper on the Blair Bridge and collected the 1st toll on the new bridge. He died on 1944, Peter in 1945 and Grandma Nell passed away in 1950. Submitted By Mrs. Paul Tyson

Source: Washington County Nebraska History 1980, page 367. The Washington County Historical Association. Taylor Publishing Company, Dallas, Texas, 1980.