Jerome A. Watrous | |
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| Member of theWisconsin State Assembly from theClark–Jackson district | |
| In office January 1, 1867 – January 1, 1868 | |
| Preceded by | Lorenzo Merrill |
| Succeeded by | James O'Neill |
| Personal details | |
| Born | (1840-09-06)September 6, 1840 |
| Died | June 5, 1922(1922-06-05) (aged 81) |
| Resting place | Forest Home Cemetery Milwaukee,Wisconsin |
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| Profession | journalist,historian |
| Military service | |
| Allegiance | United States |
| Branch/service | United States Volunteers Union Army United States Army |
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| Rank | Lt. Colonel, USA |
| Unit | 6th Reg. Wis. Vol. Infantry Iron Brigade |
| Battles/wars | American Civil War Spanish–American War |
Jerome Anthony Watrous (September 6, 1840 – June 5, 1922) was anAmerican journalist, historian, and soldier. He served with theIron Brigade of theArmy of the Potomac throughout theAmerican Civil War, and later served one term in theWisconsin State Assembly. As a historian, he was the author of the first two volumes ofMemoirs of Milwaukee County.
Born inConklin, New York, Watrous moved with his parents to Wisconsin in 1844.[1] He returned to New York from 1850 until 1857. At that time he moved back to Wisconsin and settled inCalumet County, where he taught school for two years.
Watrous attended Lawrence College (nowLawrence University) for one semester,[1] and briefly worked on the editorial staff of theMenasha Conservator and theAppleton Crescent,[1] a forerunner of theAppleton Post-Crescent. The outbreak of the civil war interrupted his journalism career between 1861 and 1865.
Returning to Wisconsin in 1865, Watrous worked as the editor of theBlack River Falls Jackson County Banner for several years, before moving to edit theFond du Lac Commonwealth in 1869. In 1877, Watrous edited theMilwaukee Sunday Telegraph. Surviving envelopes mailed from the Milwaukee Telegraph, now in philatelic hands, indicate "J.A." and "R.B" Watrous as its editors in 1897 and 1898.
When theAmerican Civil War began, Watrous enlisted in Company E of the6th Wisconsin Volunteer Infantry Regiment.[1] During the war, he rose to become a sergeant, and briefly attained the rank of adjutant general of theIron Brigade. He was taken prisoner on March 31, 1865.[1] He mustered out in 1865 with thebrevet rank of captain.
Thirty-three years later, Watrous was commissioned as a major in theU.S. Army with the outbreak of theSpanish–American War in 1898.[1] He served for a while as paymaster of the Department of Columbia headquartered inPortland, Oregon, before being sent toManila in thePhilippines in 1900. He was made chief paymaster of the Department of the Southern Philippines in 1901, and was promoted to lieutenant colonel in 1904.[1] Shortly thereafter, Watrous retired from the military and returned to Wisconsin.
Politically, Watrous was a Republican. He served in theWisconsin State Assembly in 1867, as a state pension agent from 1887 to 1889, and the Milwaukee customs collector from 1890 to 1892.
Returning to Wisconsin after the Spanish–American War, Watrous devoted time to writing works on history and the military. He lived inWhitewater, Wisconsin.
This article incorporates text from the 1909 edition ofMemoirs of Milwaukee County, byJerome Anthony Watrous which is in thepublic domain in theUnited States.
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