James Finley Watson (March 15, 1840 – June 12, 1897) was an American judge and politician in

Oregon Oregon ( , ) is a U.S. state, state in the Pacific Northwest region of the United States. It is a part of the Western U.S., with the Columbia River delineating much of Oregon's northern boundary with Washington (state), Washington, while t ...

. A native of

Iowa Iowa ( ) is a U.S. state, state in the upper Midwestern United States, Midwestern region of the United States. It borders the Mississippi River to the east and the Missouri River and Big Sioux River to the west; Wisconsin to the northeast, Ill ...

, he was the 25th associate justice of the

Oregon Supreme Court The Oregon Supreme Court (OSC) is the highest State court (United States), state court in the U.S. state of Oregon. The only court that may reverse or modify a decision of the Oregon Supreme Court is the Supreme Court of the United States.

serving from 1876 until 1878. Previously he served in the state legislature and later served as United States Attorney for the District of Oregon.

Early life

James Finley Watson was born on March 15, 1840, in

Dubuque, Iowa Dubuque (, ) is a city in Dubuque County, Iowa, United States, and its county seat. The population was 59,667 at the 2020 United States census. The city lies along the Mississippi River at the junction of Iowa, Illinois, and Wisconsin, a region ...

, to James and Emily Watson.Corning, Howard M. ''Dictionary of Oregon History''. Binfords & Mort Publishing, 1956. In 1853, the family relocated to Douglas County in

Oregon Territory The Territory of Oregon was an organized incorporated territory of the United States that existed from August 14, 1848, until February 14, 1859, when the southwestern portion of the territory was admitted to the United States, Union as the Oreg ...

. Watson then was educated in

Eugene, Oregon Eugene ( ) is a city in and the county seat of Lane County, Oregon, United States. It is located at the southern end of the Willamette Valley, near the confluence of the McKenzie River (Oregon), McKenzie and Willamette River, Willamette rivers, ...

at Columbia College before it closed after two major fires. After attempting gold mining he would learn the law under

Rufus Mallory Rufus Mallory (January or June 10, 1831 – April 30, 1914) was an American educator, lawyer, and politician in the state of Oregon. A native of New York, he was a teacher in Iowa before moving to Oregon where he became an attorney. He was a dis ...

Roseburg, Oregon Roseburg is the most populous city in and the county seat of Douglas County, Oregon. It is located in the Umpqua River Valley in southern Oregon. Founded in 1851, the population was 23,683 at the 2020 census, making it the principal city of th ...

, with admittance to the legal bar in 1863. He then served as a prosecutor for Oregon’s Second Judicial District from 1864 to 1872.

Political career

In 1872, Watson was elected to the

Oregon State Senate The Oregon State Senate is the upper house of the State legislature (United States), statewide legislature for the US state of Oregon. Along with the lower chamber Oregon House of Representatives it makes up the Oregon Legislative Assembly. Ther ...

as a Republican from Douglas County. He won re-election in 1874 to the same seat in the senate.Oregon Legislative Assembly (8th) 1874 Regular Session.
Oregon Secretary of State. Retrieved January 11, 2008. Next, in 1876 Watson won election to the Oregon Supreme Court to replace John Burnett.Oregon Blue Book: Earliest Authorities in Oregon - Supreme Court Justices of Oregon.
Oregon Secretary of State. Retrieved January 11, 2008. His term ended in 1878 and he left the bench, however, his younger brother Edward B. Watson would join the court in 1880. In 1878, the circuit court functions of the Oregon Supreme Court were split off and a separate circuit court was created with the number of judges on the high court reduced from five to three. The following year Watson was appointed to the circuit court where he won re-election in 1880 and served until 1882.

Later life

In 1882, Watson was appointed by the

United States President The president of the United States (POTUS) is the head of state and head of government of the United States. The president directs the executive branch of the federal government and is the commander-in-chief of the United States Armed For ...

to the position of

U.S. District Attorney United States attorneys are officials of the U.S. Department of Justice who serve as the chief federal law enforcement officers in each of the 94 U.S. federal judicial districts. Each U.S. attorney serves as the United States' chief federal c ...

for the District of Oregon. He kept that position until 1886 when he returned to private practice in

Portland, Oregon Portland ( ) is the List of cities in Oregon, most populous city in the U.S. state of Oregon, located in the Pacific Northwest region. Situated close to northwest Oregon at the confluence of the Willamette River, Willamette and Columbia River, ...

. In 1883, he married his second wife, Virginia Kinney. He was previously married to Isabella Flint in 1872, and they had two children. James Finley Watson died on June 12, 1897.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Watson, James F. Justices of the Oregon Supreme Court Oregon state court judges 1840 births 1897 deaths Oregon state senators United States attorneys for the District of Oregon 19th-century American judges 19th-century members of the Oregon Legislative Assembly