Clarence W. Watson
Clarence Wayland Watson | |
|---|---|
| Born | Error: Invalid birth date for calculating age West Virginia, U.S. |
| Died | 24 May 1940 (aged 76) Cincinnati, Ohio, U.S. |
| Occupation(s) | Coal industry executive, politician, military officer |
| Years active | Late 19th century–1940 |
| Known for | President and chairman of Consolidation Coal and Mining Companies; U.S. Senator from West Virginia (1911–1913) |
Clarence Wayland Watson (born May 8, 1864 – died May 24, 1940) was a prominent figure in the coal industry from West Virginia who consolidated multiple coal enterprises into the Consolidation Coal and Mining Companies, which operated across West Virginia, Maryland, Pennsylvania, and Kentucky. He held the position of president until 1911 before becoming chairman. Subsequently, he served as President of Elk Horn Coal Company and acted as trustee for various corporations, railroads, and banking institutions throughout the country.
Watson represented West Virginia as a Democratic U.S. Senator from 1911 to 1913, assuming office following the passing of Senator Stephen B. Elkins. During the First World War, he attained the rank of Lieutenant Colonel in the U.S. Army Ordnance Department and was stationed in France from 1918 to 1919. While deployed overseas, he was nominated for Senate re-election but was unsuccessful. He made his home at Fairmont Farms in Marion County, West Virginia, where he bred horses that earned significant accolades.
Political career
A member of the Democratic Party, Watson took office as U.S. Senator for West Virginia from 1911 until 1913 after the death of Senator Stephen B. Elkins. In March 1918, he received a commission as lieutenant colonel in the U.S. Army Ordnance Department and served with the American Expeditionary Forces in France until January 1919. He sought re-election to the Senate in 1918 but was defeated.
Equestrian pursuits
Residing at Fairmont Farms located in Marion County, West Virginia, Watson bred horses that achieved numerous honors domestically and internationally. Among his distinguished horses was Lord Baltimore, which competed successfully at events including those organized by the Bay Shore Horse Show Association in Bay Shore, New York.
Personal details
He was married to Minnie Owings Watson from Ellicott City, Maryland, whose portrait is exhibited in the Governor's Mansion ballroom in Charleston, West Virginia. The couple maintained homes in New York City—currently the location of Rockefeller Center—and in Baltimore.
Watson passed away in Cincinnati, Ohio, while engaged in business related to Elk Horn Coal Company and was laid to rest at Woodlawn Cemetery in Fairmont.