James Watson, also known as Santiago Pedro, Felipe Santiago, David, and James Potter Watson, was born in Surrey, England, in 1800 of Scottish parents.
He arrived in Santa Barbara in 1824, by ship, and subsequently walked to Monterey. He established a hide and tallow business, and became a part of the community, which at that time admitted few foreigners.
On August 8, 1830 he married Marianna (Mariana?) Escamilla, a native of San Francisco (San Francisco marriage 996). Marianna was born on September 27, 1805 (San Francisco baptism 3196). Her parents were Tomás Escamilla and Ygnaciade de Alba, born ca. 1780 and 1783, in Mexico.
In 1850, James bought Rancho San Benito near San Lucas. The present town of San Lucas is within the boundaries of this rancho.
They had at least one son, Thomas (Tomás) Watson, who was born in Monterey on June 13 or 14, 1834.
James died on April 7, 1863, and Marianna died in October, 1871.
Source:
- Clark, Donald T., Monterey County Place Names (Kestrel Press, Carmel Valley, 1991).