Background
Watterson, Harvey Magee was born on November 23, 1811 in Beech Grove, Tennessee, United States. Son of William S. Watterson.
lawyer politician representative
Watterson, Harvey Magee was born on November 23, 1811 in Beech Grove, Tennessee, United States. Son of William S. Watterson.
He pursued classical studies, studied law, was admitted to the bar, and commenced practice in nearby Shelbyville.
Watterson established and edited a newspaper in Shelbyville in 1831. Elected as a Democrat to the Twenty-sixth and Twenty-seventh Congresses, representing Tennessee"s ninth district in the United States. House of Representatives, Watterson served from March 4, 1839 to March 3, 1843. Immediately succeeding Mr.
Polk, and such a youth in appearance, he attracted instant attention.
Fortunately for both of them, they were whisked out of Washington by their families in 1843. Watterson was sent by President John Tyler on a diplomatic mission to Buenos Aires, where he remained for two years.
The editor and proprietor of the Nashville Union from 1847 to 1851, Watterson was also the editor of the Washington Union starting in 1851. With his friend Pierce"s election as President of the United States in 1853, the Washington Union became the "organ of the Administration." Again according to Watterson"s son, the two"s "rather conspicuous frivolity" resumed:
he national capital was still rife with stories of their escapades.
And there they were found and rescued by a party of passers, very well pleased with themselves.
Watterson was a delegate to the Democratic National Convention at Baltimore, Maryland in 1860, and was a presidential elector on the Douglas ticket for that year"s presidential election. After the Civil War, he was appointed by President Andrew Johnson as one of a commission to investigate the behavior in the states "lately in rebellion."
Watterson practiced law in Washington, District of Columbia for fourteen years. Watterson died in Louisville on October 1, 1891.
He is interred at Cave Hill Cemetery.
Member lower house Tennessee Legislature, 1831-1839. Member United States House of Representatives (Democrat) from Tennessee, 26th-27th congresses, 1839-1843. Member diplomatic mission to Buenos Aires, Argentina, 1841.
Member Tennessee Secession Convention, opposed secession.
Member commission to investigate conditions in the states “lately in rebellion”, 1866. Member editorial staff Courier Journal, Louisville, Kentucky, 1891.
Married Talitha Black, 1830, 1 son, Henry.