Andrew Watson

This is Andrew Watson, Mary Margaret's Great Grandfather on her mother's side. Here is two different accounts of his life story.



Latter-day Saint Biographical Encyclopedia
Volume 2
Biographies
Gillispie, Alexander
Stake of Zion, and a resident of Provo, was born at Kettlebridge, Fifeshire, Scotland, Oct. 13, 1832, the son of Jas. moved with his parents to Balmalcoln, another village, where, as at his birthplace, the principal occupation of the people was handloom linen weaving. There he attended the common school, where the Bible was used as a text book and impressed upon his young and tender mind the beautiful lessons of the gospel. He served a two years' apprenticeship at linen weaving, but had a natural liking for mechanism and the supervision of machinery. At his fathers death, in 1850, he took his place. Two years later he moved to Lumphinan's Coal and Iron Works, where he continued to labor as engine-tender. He was religiously trained, led a Godly life, and was acquainted with the Scriptures and the doctrines of different churches, though he joined none until he became a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. This was when he was about twenty-one. He was ordained a Priest Dec. 18, 1853, and an Elder June 25, 1855. During the latter year he was called into the ministry, and labored for nearly twelve months among saints and strangers prior to coming to Watson, Andrew A., survivor of the hand-cart immigration of 1856, a Patriarch in the UtahWatson and Janet Rumgay. The family were in humble circumstances, the father working for weekly wages as engineer-tender at the Burnturk Collieries. The position was one of care and responsibility for the safety of his fellow workmen. At eight years of age AndrewUtah. Upon leaving his mother's home at Lumphinan April 28, 1856, he received from her the sum of ten pounds, also a suit of clothes from the saints with whom he had labored as a missionary. By way of Edinburgh and Glasgow he reached Liverpool, sailed thence to New York, proceeded to Chicago, and left that city on the 23rd of June for the outfitting camps on the frontier. It was the great hand-cart emigration. Young Watson was enrolled in Captain James G. Willie's company, one of those that suffered most severely while dragging their hand-carts through the piercing winds and heavy snow of the succeeding autumn. He records that on the 19th of October the last morsel of food was served, and that the relief wagons arrived on the 21st, just in time to rescue the starving companies. At Rocky Ridge and South Pass a fierce storm was encountered, and again the heroic little band were thrown into terrible danger. Fifteen died from fatigue and exposure. Bro. Watson himself was thoroughly exhausted, and would have perished but for the kind efforts of some of his companions who encouraged and urged him on. He makes special mention of a Sister Tofield, a Sister Evans, and of William Leadingham, captain of the guard, who proved themselves in that awful extremity devoted and self-sacrificing friends. The date of his arrival at Salt Lake City was the 9th of November. Patriarch Watson settled permanently at Provo, to which place he was sent by Bishop Edward Hunter. He did much pioneer work in that part, and helped to build the Woollen Mills, in which he is still a stockholder. In 1860 (Oct. 16th) he married Jane Allen, by whom he was the father of five children; he has two others by adoption. He married his second wife, Margaret Purvis, in January, 1881, and his first wife died March 21, 1882. From May 17, 1857, to June 20, 1877, he held the office of a Seventy, and was connected with the forty-fifth quorum. He was then ordained a High Priest and set apart as first counselor to Bishop John E. Booth, of the Provo Fourth Ward, serving also as first counselor to his successor, Bishop Joseph B. Keeler, until December 9, 1900, when he was released, owing to age and declining health. Meantime, from 1877 to 1879, he had visited his native Scotland as a missionary. He was ordained a Patriarch under the hands of Apostle Reed Smoot, June 24, 1902. A friend of the subject has said of this good and worthy man: "Andrew Watson's life has been so close an exemplification of the divine injunction, 'Let not thy right hand know what thy left hand doeth' that it would be almost impossible to get from him a resume of his life further than matters of name and date." The writer has seen him in conversation with friends, when his face has became animated and tears streamed down his aged cheeks, as he bore testimony to the goodness of God and the divine mission of Joseph Smith. His boyhood days were spent in an almost constant struggle for the support of himself and his father's family. His greatest joy was that brought by the gospel. His hardships in crossing the plains with, a hand-cart company came very near costing him his life. One of his greatest desire now, as he nears the close of life, is to thank those good sisters, his traveling companions, for the sacrifices they made for him when strength failed and he became stiffened with cold and fatigue. To their kindness and God's mercy he owes his life,—that beautiful life which has been an example of true Christian piety to all who know him. The pioneer residents of Provo remember him as a young man of twenty-five, toiling in a blacksmith shop, where plow-shares were made from wagon tires: again making ditches, grading canyon roads and carding wool at Holdaway's carding machines and the new Woollen Mills, thus helping to make and increase the industries of the growing town. In the "move" from Salt Lake City in 1858 he was a prominent worker, and through many nights of that perilous time he stood guard. Through his liberal contributions the emigration funds were often swelled, though his mother, the dearest emigrant to him, did not live to use the means he provided for her journey to Zion. Through the long years that have followed those pioneer days, whether years of adversity or of prosperity, Brother Watson and his devoted helpmates, Sisters Jane and Maggie, with one accord have held open their hearts and their home for the poor that need aid and the distressed that need comfort. Their home has always been a home for the widow and the orphan and many such have found shelter therein. When the books are opened before the Eternal Judge, Andrew Watson shall not lack for the good testimony of men and of angels. The Father will surely say, "Good and faithful servant, enter thou into my rest."

Treasures of Pioneer History Treasures of Pioneer History: Vol 6 Reminiscences of Christmas Andrew Watson—Firm in the Faith page 236

My grandfather, Andrew Watson, was one of the most inspirational characters I have ever known. He was small in stature, but in his dedication to ideals: in the glowing path of honor, in the willingness to live and fight for what he knew to be right, he was of great size and strength. He was born in King’s Kettle, Fifeshire,[p.236] Scotland, October 13, 1832, and emigrated to Utah with the Willie Handcart company in 1856. When Andrew was nine years of age he contracted smallpox. He was the first in the village to become a victim of the disease. His father was the last, and died because of it. Andrew was the eldest child in the family and, although he was only nine, he left school to work in the coal mines to help keep the family of nine children. He loved good books. He sacrificed comforts, even necessities, to buy them. In his reading he learned of the opportunities to live his religion and to gain economic security for himself and family in the New World. As time passed, and his brothers and sisters became old enough to take his place in supporting the family, his mother agreed and assisted him to prepare for the long journey to America. There is always a way. Andrew’s way was a borrowed wheelbarrow into which he placed a large box of his precious books, and all his belongings and with the help of brothers and sisters pushed it fourteen miles to Dumferline, where he boarded the train. Later, when the company was leaving Iowa City, Iowa, he left his books and nearly all his belongings on the street, praying to the Lord that the books might be a light and testimony to some honest soul. There was no room in his handcart for the precious things he had brought from his home. Andrew, pushing his handcart, became exhausted and fell during a blizzard along the trail. Two women in camp missed him and went back many miles to find him; put him into his handcart, and pushed him back through the snow, to safety. He was so near gone that when he was placed near the campfire to get dry and warm, he did not know that his clothing had caught fire. After many almost unbelievable experiences the company reached Salt Lake City. He said he was very happy and satisfied with the conditions in Zion and did not wish to return, but that wish was not granted for very long. He had taken up one hundred sixty acres in homestead land. He lacked only a few months until he could claim his land when he was called on a mission and the date set for him to leave was but a short time before he could claim his homestead. Believing souls were more precious than acres of land, he left on his mission at the appointed time and consequently lost his claim. Andrew Watson held many responsible positions for his Church and community. He served in the Provo Fourth Ward bishopric over thirty years, when he was appointed and set apart as a patriarch. He had served, sacrificed, and done so much good for his fellow men, that an Apostle of the Church gave him a wonderful blessing, saying: "It is written in the Heavenly Records that Andrew Watson is saved."
—Margaret Mitchell [p.237]
This is a copy of the log from the Ship Thornton, the ship that Andrew Watson traveled on to America. He was the first to sign in.