Merritt Watson Bio

Provided by the Watson family

 

Captain Merritt was born on October 23, 1912. He was the first of 10 children born to Kelly and Ada Mercer Watson of Lowland, NC. He had 4 brothers, two of which are deceased, and 5 sisters, one of which died as an infant. In addition there was one “adopted” sister that grew up in the family. All of Ada’s children were born in different months of the year.

Captain Merritt was reared on Goose Creek Island in the community of Lowland. He went to school at the old one room schoolhouse on Lowland, and because his father did not want him to go to the Hobucken School, he sent him to live with his Aunt Norvella to attend school in Whitsett, NC. He graduated from high school in 1931 at the age of 19, when there were only 11 grades of school. His education had been interrupted by a long recovery from an injury to his arm and also by working as a youth.

Captain Merritt and Mary Jane Ireland of Hobucken were married on March 14, 1936, in the basement of the Stonewall Methodist Church. Their union produced 5 children, one of which died as an infant. Their family has now grown to 11 grandchildren and 12 great grandchildren, with an additional great grandchild expected in August. Mary Jane passed away April 10, 2002, and her parting words to her children about their father was, “You will have your hands full.” She knew him well—that he would never give up his ambition to work and to follow the life of a fisherman he had known from his youth. This he has done until just over a year ago when health and strength failed to the extent it was no longer possible.

Though most of his life was spent as a fisherman there was a decade from about 1962 to about 1972 that he operated and managed the Rose Hill Poultry Plant. Together with his brother Ebern Watson, they owned the controlling interest in the plant and Merritt managed the operation of the plant. Ebern owned and managed Watson Seafood and Poultry in Raleigh and the Rose Hill Plant was an extension of that business. In 1960 Merritt had sold his trawler, the Mary Jane, and invested the money in building the plant. In the early 1970’s he sold his interest in the plant and invested the money in building a new steel hull trawler, the Gladys Irene.

Captain Merritt was a member of the Fisherman’s Association and also a member of the Lowland Church of Christ, where he served as an Elder. Though the life of a fisherman often took him away from home for months at a time, when he was home he was faithful to be in church. Even living in Rose Hill and managing the poultry plant, each weekend he brought the family to Lowland to attend church.

Captain Merritt’s fishing and work career has extended for at least 80 years of his life. As a young man he worked for his father as a haul netter. For a while shortly after he was married, he drove a produce truck that ran from Florida to New York, hauling onions, potatoes, and watermelons. It was his fishing career, however, that occupied most of his life. His first boat was a Bateau sailboat built on Harker’s Island. He doesn’t remember the name of that boat, but his second boat, also a Bateau sailboat, was named the Clara L. His third boat was a 65-foot trawler named after his first daughter, the Jane Carolyn. His next boat was the 110-foot trawler named the Mary Jane. He then built the 85-foot steel hull trawler, the Gladys Irene, named after his second daughter. His last two boats, much smaller in size, were named the Miss Watson and the Miss Watson 2.

Captain Merritt was blessed to be a very successful fisherman and fortunate to have survived one of the most dangerous occupations a man can choose. To be a crewmember on his boat was an enviable position to hold because of the reputation his boats had of making better than average incomes. In many ways he was a pioneer in the fishing industry in North Carolina since he was one of the first to take a large boat out into the ocean to harvest the bounties of our beautiful coastline. His reputation as a fisherman is known up and down the east coast.  From his crews have come several other trawler owners and captains who have followed Captain Merritt in the life of a fisherman.

 

A Tribute to Captain Merritt Watson

Sunday, July 27, 2008 2:00 PM

The Pamlico County Heritage Center

Sponsored by The Pamlico County Historical Association

 

Opening and Welcome - Larry Prescott, President, PCHA

Invocation - Norman Miller, Minister - Lowland Church of Christ

 

Introduction of the Watson Family - Merritt Watson, Jr. Minister, Bethany Christian Church

 

The Life of a Fisherman - Merritt Watson, Jr.

 

Remarks - Sean McKeon, President, NC Fisheries Association

Remarks - Norman Miller

Remarks by Guests

Remarks, George Peacock, Chairman, PCHA Heritage Village

Refreshments

Home