James Cruickshank Watt

ALLEN, BLACKMORE, POLLOCK, WATT, WOLFE

Posted By: Kent Transier (email)
Date: 1/7/2010 at 18:03:16

“A Memorial and Biographical Record of Iowa”
The Lewis Publishing Company, Chicago, 1896

James Cruickshank Watt, residing on section 11, Madison township, Madison county, Iowa has one of the finest farms in the southern part of the State, his improvements all being first-class in every particular.

He is a native of Pittsburg, Pennsylvania, born April 20, 1847. His father, James C. Watt, a native of Scotland, grew to manhood in his native country, and married Jane Allen, also a native of that country. His father, James Watt, the grandfather of our subject, was a naval officer in the old country, and died at sea. Three brothers of his were killed in the Crimean war. Shortly after his marriage the father of our subject came with his young bride and located in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

By trade he was a tailor, and on his arrival in this country worked as a journeyman tailor until his removal to Pittsburg early in the ‘40s. He removed with his family to Pittsburg with teams and canal-boats. On his arrival there he opened a tailor shop, where his business steadily grew until in time he had the leading clothing establishment in the city of his adoption. At the beginning of the war he furnished five regiments with uniforms. For many years he occupied the position as the leading merchant of Pittsburg, and was one of the first in the city to use plate glass. He died in Pittsburg, at age forty-one years. Soon after the commencement of hostilities in the States he enlisted in a cavalry company, and was hurt by a horse, which was the cause of his death. In politics he was a strong Republican, and a very strong anti-slavery man. Mrs. Jane Watt died in 1851.

They were the parents of four children: William A., who was a member of Sickles’ brigade in the late war, was killed in a a railroad accident at Allegheny City, Pennsylvania, two weeks after his marriage. David M., who was also in Sickles’ brigade, was mustered out as a Captain, and now resides in Pittsburg, and is superintendent of the West Penn division of the Pennsylvania Railroad. George D., who served his country as a private soldier in the war for the Union, was captured, taken to Belle Isle, and later removed to Andersonville prison, where he died. James C., the subject of this sketch, was the last born. After the death of Jane Watt, which as already stated, occurred in 1851, James C. Watt was united in marriage to Mary Jane Pollock, by whom she had one son and three daughters.

The subject of this sketch was but about three years of age when his mother died and but fourteen years old when the death of the father occurred. Soon after the death of the latter he secured employment in the Iron City Bank, of Pittsburg, as clerk, receiving at first a salary of fifteen dollars per month. He remained with the bank for about one year after its incorporation as a National bank, in 1864.

By permission of the officers of the bank, he enlisted in Battery A, First Pennsylvania Light Artillery, his salary in the bank continuing while in the service. Later, in 1864, he was honorably discharged from the service and returned to Pittsburg, where he accepted a position in a wholesale grocery house of Shoemaker & Lang, as a salesman. He remained with this house until 1869, when he engaged with E. H. Myers & Company, who conducted a pork packing business. His duties with this house were as traveling salesman in Western Pennsylvania.

In 1871, he left the employ of Myers & Company and went to Fayette county, Pennsylvania, and engaged with the Fairchance Iron & Coal Company as store manager and assistant manager of the furnace. He served that company until 1873, when he engaged with W. W. Young as railroad contractor, returning to Pittsburg, Pennsylvania, as manager of his work in building extensions of the Pennsylvania Railroad, in Pennsylvania, and retaining this position until 1876.

On the 26th day of November, 1875, Mr. Watt was united in marriage with Miss Laura A. Wolfe, a native of Pittsburg and daughter of Dr. B. A. and Ellenor (Blackmore) Wolfe. Her mother was a sister of the late James Blackmore, ex-Mayor of Pittsburg, while her father was a prominent physician of the place. Mrs. Watt was the second child in a family of five children. She was educated in the Pittsburg Female College and the Cedar Hill College, of Mount Joy, Pennsylvania, and also at Norristown Academy, of Norristown, Pennsylvania.

In 1877, Mr. Watt secured the contract of clearing the wreck caused by the great railroad strike of that year, and had in his employ about twelve hundred men. While the strike was in progress, he brought the first train from Blairsville intersection, with troops to suppress the riot. On the completion of his contract in clearing the wreck he engaged in contracting and bridge-building for the Pennsylvania Railroad, in which he continued until 1890. The following year he came to Madison county, Iowa, and purchased the farm where he now resides, consisting of 440 acres of finely improved land, and at once engaged in the stock business – feeding, buying and shipping stock. On the 1st of January, 1895, he had on hand one hundred head of horses, a large number of cattle, including Jerseys and Polled Angus, together with many head of hogs.

In politics, Mr. Watt is a Republican but in local elections he usually supports the man best capable of filling the office to which he aspires. Fraternally he is a member of the Masonic order, with which he has been connected for twenty-four years. He is also a member of the Royal Arcanum, of Pittsburg; Star of the West Lodge, Knights of Pythias, of Pittsburg, and of the McPherson Post, No. 117, Grand Army of the Republic of Pittsburg. While a citizen of Iowa but comparatively a short time, he has yet made many friends and is greatly esteemed for his sterling worth.