From information furnished I record the following: Ichabod Thomas Watson was born in Pittsylvania county, Virginia, June 2, 1811, died near Byhalia, Marshall County, Miss., September 26, 1888, being 77 years, 3 months and 24 days old. He was a brother of the late John H. Watson of the Virginia Conference and also of Thomas J. Watson of Chatham, Va., who is five years his senior, who is enjoying a green old age. Mr. Watson possessed a fine order of intellect and in youth and early manhood at Lynchburg, Va., and elsewhere he obtained a liberal education. Having made teaching his profession he spent some time in charge of an institute of learning in Talidega, Ala. He then returned to Virginia and in Chatham engaged in the merchantile business as the partner of Jones W. Burton, a brother-in-law. In 1833 he professed religion and joined the Methodist Episcopal church, whose doctrines he firmly believed and government fully endorsed and at whose altars he delighted to worship, and whose offices of steward, class leader, Sunday school superintendent and trustee of church property he faithfully filled until failing health forced him to retire from active service. In 1840 he was happily married to Miss Elizabeth Adams, who was an excellent christian lady as many can testify who used to worship with her at Emory on the Byhalia circuit. She has been at rest for several years. They raised eight children. In 1850 Bro. Watson moved to Mississippi and settled near Watson in DeSoto county where he engaged in farming. He was successful until the war. In 1866 he moved to Byhalia and again engaged in selling goods but as Bright's disease had fully developed he was at times a great sufferer. He closed his business and bought a farm one mile east of Byhalia, where he spent the remainder of his days and attended church up to the week of his death. His death was sudden but his testing was clear and he had no fear of death. By request the writer preached his funeral to a large congregation of relatives and friends in the church at Byhalia, after which he was buried in Ingram's Cemetery, where many of his friends and relatives are waiting the morning of the resurrection to meet the Lord in the air. May Heaven's choicest blessing rest on all the children relatives and friends. — J. H. Brooks
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