Watson, William James.

1898-1899

Participated in gold rush through Valdez and over Glacier in 1898-99 with his younger brother Edward Gage Watson, Nora Foster Letter. Born in St. Louis, MO in 1866, lived in Albany,NY and later moved to Flagstaff, AZ, Nora Foster, e-mail 3/12/97; Signer of Petition to the President from Quartz Creek and Teikell Mining Dist, 5/8/1899 requesting Capt. Abercrombie be given “permission to employ [on the trail to interior Alaska] those men who need work, and thus enable them to remain in the country. With a good trail those who have means will be able to bring in machinery, and the development of the country will be accelerated.” NARA RG 107, Entry 80. Office of the Secretary of the War Department: 1667-103;