Los Angeles County
Biographies
PATRICK J. WATSON
Number 303 North June Street, Los Angeles, is one of the most beautiful of the many modern and attractive examples of domestic architecture in the city. This beautiful home is occupied by the Patrick J. Watson family. Its builder was the late Patrick J. Watson, a Californian, who among his many friends and acquaintances was known as a charming gentleman, a highly successful business man and also in his character and make-up represented a happy combination of the enterprising American with the grace and dignity of the Spanish gentleman.
Patrick J. Watson was born in Los Angeles county, on the old Manuel Dominguez ranch, March 17, 1867. Death came to him suddenly and without warning on September 30, 1930, while at his home. He was a son of Colonel James Alexander and Maria Dolores (Dominguez) Watson. Some of the interesting particulars in the career of his honored father and mother are given in the preceding sketches. Patrick J. Watson was given the name of Patrick by his mother because he was born on St. Patrick’s day. His early advantages were of the best. He attended St. Vincent’s College, later was a student in Santa Clara College, and on leaving college he entered upon the duties and responsibilities of a business career. His first work was assisting in the management of the homestead. He engaged in general ranching, specializing in stock raising. He was also one of the owners of the copper mine known as the Lucky Boy in Lower California and had interest in mines in Colorado. Mr. Watson lived at and conducted his ranch until April, 1923, devoting his property to general farming, stock raising and dairying. He sold the ranch at that date to the Pan American Oil Company, one of the subsidiaries of the Doheny Company. It is located at Watson Station, four miles south of Compton. The property has since been bought by the Richfield Oil Company. The old ranch is now the scene of the Richfield & Shell refinery and tank farm. In the homestead property was a ten-acre tract which was enclosed and had become known as one of the show places between Los Angeles and San Pedro. The entire ranch comprised a hundred acres, but Mr. Wilson, all told farmed about six hundred acres. The spacious old residence is now in use as an office building at the refinery. Some years ago Mr. Watson disposed of his interest in the Lucky Boy copper mine and in his Colorado mines. His chief business from 1896 until 1923 was dairying at the ranch. He built the ranch house which is now the office of the Richfield & Shell Oil Company. On this property he constructed what is probably the longest stretch of privately owned cement walk in the state, about one-half mile long, with flowers and trees on both sides. He was a director of the Security-First National Bank of Wilmington, of the California Bank of Wilmington, vice president of the Watson Land Company and a director of the Dominguez Water Company. He owned valuable oil properties at Torrance.
In 1927 Mr. Watson built his magnificent home in Los Angeles at the northwest corner of Beverly boulevard and June street. Mr. Watson’s mother, who died September 17, 1924, left a large donation for the building of the St. Peter and St. Paul Church in Wilmington, and Patrick J. was also a liberal contributor. This church was dedicated in March, 1931. The late Mr. Watson was a republican in politics and fraternally was affiliated with the Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks, belonging to Los Angeles Lodge, No. 99. He also held membership in the Brentwood Country Club, Ensenada Club, and he Southern California Yacht Club. He was a member of Christ the King Catholic Parish in Los Angeles.
On the 17th of October, 1894, Mr. Watson was united in marriage to Miss Mamie O’Farrell, of San Francisco, a cultured and socially charming lady whose father was the prominent pioneer, John Joseph O’Farrell. Mrs. Watson was born in San Francisco and attended school at Grass Valley but has spent most of her life in Southern California. She is a member of the Women’s Athletic Club of Los Angeles. Mr. and Mrs. Watson reared two nieces, Harriet A. Lowrey, now Mrs. James P. Bradley and Rachel Lowrey, now Mrs. J. M. Berry, of Marysville, California and the mother of three children.
Transcribed
by Joyce Rugeroni.
Source: California
of the South Vol. II, by John Steven McGroarty, Pages 59-61, Clarke Publ., Chicago, Los Angeles, Indianapolis. 1933.
© 2012 Joyce Rugeroni.
GOLDEN NUGGET'S LOS ANGELES BIOGRAPIES