Claude A. Watson (June 26, 1885 – January 3, 1978) was an American politician, lawyer, businessman, and minister from

Hermon Mount Hermon ( / ALA-LC: ('Mountain of the Sheikh', ), , ) is a mountain cluster constituting the southern end of the Anti-Lebanon mountain range. Its summit straddles the border between Syria and Lebanon and, at above sea level, is the ...

, California, who was nationally active in the

temperance movement The temperance movement is a social movement promoting Temperance (virtue), temperance or total abstinence from consumption of alcoholic beverages. Participants in the movement typically criticize alcohol intoxication or promote teetotalism, and ...

and the

Prohibition Party The Prohibition Party (PRO) is a Political parties in the United States, political party in the United States known for its historic opposition to the sale or consumption of alcoholic beverages and as an integral part of the temperance movemen ...

. He is currently the most recent presidential nominee of the Prohibition party to have received over 100,000 votes. A certified pilot, Watson was the first American presidential candidate in history to fly his own airplane and flew over 16,000 miles campaigning.

Life

On June 26, 1885, Claude A. Watson was born near Manton, Michigan to Reverend Joseph A. Watson and Emma Jane Dove. On December 27, 1911, he married Maude L. Hagar and would later have three children with her. In 1928, he was admitted to the legal bar in California, with a license to practice before the Federal and US Supreme courts after moving there and established a law practice. In

1936 Events January–February * January 20 – The Prince of Wales succeeds to the throne of the United Kingdom as King Edward VIII, following the death of his father, George V, at Sandringham House. * January 28 – Death and state funer ...

, he was selected as the

vice presidential nominee, was a keynote speaker at the party's 1940 convention, and served as its presidential nominee in

1944 Events Below, the events of World War II have the "WWII" prefix. January * January 2 – WWII: ** Free France, Free French General Jean de Lattre de Tassigny is appointed to command First Army (France), French Army B, part of the Sixt ...

and

1948 Events January * January 1 ** The General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade (GATT) is inaugurated. ** The current Constitutions of Constitution of Italy, Italy and of Constitution of New Jersey, New Jersey (both later subject to amendment) ...

. He also served as a

Free Methodist The Free Methodist Church (FMC) is a Methodist Christian denomination within the holiness movement, based in the United States. It is Evangelicalism, evangelical in nature and is Wesleyan theology, Wesleyan–Arminian in theology. The Free Met ...

pastor and conference superintendent. Watson ran for attorney general of California in 1938, 1942, and 1950 and ran for Los Angeles District Attorney in 1952. On January 3, 1978, he died in Los Angeles at age 92.

References

1885 births 1978 deaths 20th-century American businesspeople California Prohibitionists Prohibition Party (United States) presidential nominees Prohibition Party (United States) vice presidential nominees Candidates in the 1944 United States presidential election Candidates in the 1948 United States presidential election 1936 United States vice-presidential candidates Activists from California 20th-century American lawyers {{California-politician-stub

Life

See also

References