James Watson | |
|---|---|
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| United States Senator fromNew York | |
| In office August 17, 1798 – March 19, 1800 | |
| Preceded by | William North |
| Succeeded by | Gouverneur Morris |
| Personal details | |
| Born | (1750-04-06)April 6, 1750 |
| Died | May 15, 1806(1806-05-15) (aged 56) New York City,New York, U.S. |
| Political party | Federalist |
| Alma mater | Yale College |
| Profession | Soldier andPolitician |
James Watson (April 6, 1750 – May 15, 1806) was aUnited States Senator representing the state ofNew York.
Watson was born inWoodbury, Connecticut on April 6, 1750. He graduated fromYale College in 1776, and was commissioned a lieutenant in the Connecticut regiment. He retired as a captain in 1777 and studied law. Watson moved toNew York City in 1786 and became a merchant at 44Broad Street. He was a member of theNew York State Assembly in 1791, 1794–1796 and wasSpeaker in 1794. He was a member of theNew York State Senate (Southern District) from 1796 to 1798 and was a Regent ofNew York University from 1795 until his death.[1]
In1798, Watson was elected as aFederalist to the United States Senate to fill the vacancy caused by the resignation ofJohn Sloss Hobart and served in the5th and6th United States Congress from December 11, 1798, to March 19, 1800, when he resigned to accept an appointment by PresidentJohn Adams as Naval Officer of the Port of New York.[1]
Watson was anunsuccessful candidate forLieutenant Governor of New York in 1801. He was a member of theSociety of the Cincinnati and an organizer and the first president of theNew England Society of New York, from 1805 until his death.[1]
Watson’s townhouse, located at 7 State Street in New York City still stands and is on the National Register of Historic Places.[2] It was also the residence ofElizabeth Ann Seton, the first American Catholic Saint. The home is currently occupied by the rectory of theOur Lady of the Holy Rosary Church and is part of the Seton Shrine.[3]
| Political offices | ||
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| Preceded by | Speaker of the New York State Assembly 1794 | Succeeded by |
| U.S. Senate | ||
| Preceded by | U.S. senator (Class 1) from New York 1798–1800 Served alongside:John Laurance | Succeeded by |
| Class 1 |  | |
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| Class 3 | ||
| International | |
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| National | |
| People | |
| Other | |
