Elizabeth Beauchamp Watson, daughter of Edward Monroe Watson and Grace Johnston Beauchamp, was born about five miles north of Fairfield. The log cabin of her birth on Saturday September 11, 1909 was the historic Potter-Watson Cabin now located on the grounds of the Freestone County Museum. She was named for her mother's recently deceased sister.
Elizabeth received her education in the Stewards Mill School; Teague High School; Lon Morris College in Jacksonville, TX; College of Industrial Arts [now North Texas State University] in Denton, Texas; the University of Texas at Austin. She was awarded the BBA with honors in 1933. She earned money for her education by working for Freestone County Judge P. O. French 1927-1929; "The Fairfield Recorder" 1928-1929; and for L. J. Davis, Sr., Freestone County Auditor. From 1929 to 1932, she taught in the Mt. Zion School of Freestone County, teaching during the winter months and attending university during the summers. After receiving her degree, she was an assistant to the personnel manger of Butler Brother, a Dallas wholesale dry goods company, for ten years.
On April 17, 1943, Elizabeth enlisted in the US Navy, joining the WAVES. After receiving her training at the Naval Midshipman School in Northhampton, MA, she was commissioned as Ensign on August 24, 1943. After graduating, she was assigned to the US Naval Barracks, Coronado, San Diego, CA as executive officer.
She was later promoted to Lieutenant and placed on inactive duty on August 15, 1946. Later she was transferred to the Retired Reserve. Her honors: American Area Campaign Medal; World War II Victory Medal.
After serving as manager of an employment office in St. Louis in 1947, she returned to Freestone County in 1948 and opened a gift shop. "Elizabeth B. Watson – Gifts of Distinction," was a successful business which she sold in 1952. In 1960-1961, Elizabeth served as Acting Postmaster of Fairfield Post Office. She was appointed Tax-Assessor and Collector for Fairfield Independent School District in 1962 and served three years.
A life-long Methodist, she served First Methodist Church – Fairfield as a board member, Sunday School teacher and youth leader. In 1962, Elizabeth was the first woman to serve on the Freestone County Hospital Board and her tenure lasted until 1973. A long-time worker for the Republican party, she served as delegate to the National Convention in 1950. A passionate reader, Elizabeth worked tirelessly as a volunteer at the Fairfield Public Library.
During World War II, Elizabeth married Chief Petty Officer William "Bill" Hines; they later divorced. In 1950, she married Lewis Guynes "Jack" Daugherty at the home of her sister Angie May Bonner in Stewards Mill. Jack was a plasterer by trade and they had many adventures crisss-crossing Texas as he worked various jobs. They also operated the "JE Ranch" on land near Tehuacana Creek which
Elizabeth inherited from her father. While Elizabeth and Jack made their home in Fairfield for most of their married life, they spent about ten years in a home
which they built on their ranch before failing health forced their return to town.
Elizabeth suffered a stroke and spent her last years in Fairfield Manor Nursing Home where she died on August 3, 1981.
Elizabeth received her education in the Stewards Mill School; Teague High School; Lon Morris College in Jacksonville, TX; College of Industrial Arts [now North Texas State University] in Denton, Texas; the University of Texas at Austin. She was awarded the BBA with honors in 1933. She earned money for her education by working for Freestone County Judge P. O. French 1927-1929; "The Fairfield Recorder" 1928-1929; and for L. J. Davis, Sr., Freestone County Auditor. From 1929 to 1932, she taught in the Mt. Zion School of Freestone County, teaching during the winter months and attending university during the summers. After receiving her degree, she was an assistant to the personnel manger of Butler Brother, a Dallas wholesale dry goods company, for ten years.
On April 17, 1943, Elizabeth enlisted in the US Navy, joining the WAVES. After receiving her training at the Naval Midshipman School in Northhampton, MA, she was commissioned as Ensign on August 24, 1943. After graduating, she was assigned to the US Naval Barracks, Coronado, San Diego, CA as executive officer.
She was later promoted to Lieutenant and placed on inactive duty on August 15, 1946. Later she was transferred to the Retired Reserve. Her honors: American Area Campaign Medal; World War II Victory Medal.
After serving as manager of an employment office in St. Louis in 1947, she returned to Freestone County in 1948 and opened a gift shop. "Elizabeth B. Watson – Gifts of Distinction," was a successful business which she sold in 1952. In 1960-1961, Elizabeth served as Acting Postmaster of Fairfield Post Office. She was appointed Tax-Assessor and Collector for Fairfield Independent School District in 1962 and served three years.
A life-long Methodist, she served First Methodist Church – Fairfield as a board member, Sunday School teacher and youth leader. In 1962, Elizabeth was the first woman to serve on the Freestone County Hospital Board and her tenure lasted until 1973. A long-time worker for the Republican party, she served as delegate to the National Convention in 1950. A passionate reader, Elizabeth worked tirelessly as a volunteer at the Fairfield Public Library.
During World War II, Elizabeth married Chief Petty Officer William "Bill" Hines; they later divorced. In 1950, she married Lewis Guynes "Jack" Daugherty at the home of her sister Angie May Bonner in Stewards Mill. Jack was a plasterer by trade and they had many adventures crisss-crossing Texas as he worked various jobs. They also operated the "JE Ranch" on land near Tehuacana Creek which
Elizabeth inherited from her father. While Elizabeth and Jack made their home in Fairfield for most of their married life, they spent about ten years in a home
which they built on their ranch before failing health forced their return to town.
Elizabeth suffered a stroke and spent her last years in Fairfield Manor Nursing Home where she died on August 3, 1981.
Elizabeth Beauchamp Watson, daughter of Edward Monroe Watson and Grace Johnston Beauchamp, was born about five miles north of Fairfield. The log cabin of her birth on Saturday September 11, 1909 was the historic Potter-Watson Cabin now located on the grounds of the Freestone County Museum. She was named for her mother's recently deceased sister.
Elizabeth received her education in the Stewards Mill School; Teague High School; Lon Morris College in Jacksonville, TX; College of Industrial Arts [now North Texas State University] in Denton, Texas; the University of Texas at Austin. She was awarded the BBA with honors in 1933. She earned money for her education by working for Freestone County Judge P. O. French 1927-1929; "The Fairfield Recorder" 1928-1929; and for L. J. Davis, Sr., Freestone County Auditor. From 1929 to 1932, she taught in the Mt. Zion School of Freestone County, teaching during the winter months and attending university during the summers. After receiving her degree, she was an assistant to the personnel manger of Butler Brother, a Dallas wholesale dry goods company, for ten years.
On April 17, 1943, Elizabeth enlisted in the US Navy, joining the WAVES. After receiving her training at the Naval Midshipman School in Northhampton, MA, she was commissioned as Ensign on August 24, 1943. After graduating, she was assigned to the US Naval Barracks, Coronado, San Diego, CA as executive officer.
She was later promoted to Lieutenant and placed on inactive duty on August 15, 1946. Later she was transferred to the Retired Reserve. Her honors: American Area Campaign Medal; World War II Victory Medal.
After serving as manager of an employment office in St. Louis in 1947, she returned to Freestone County in 1948 and opened a gift shop. "Elizabeth B. Watson – Gifts of Distinction," was a successful business which she sold in 1952. In 1960-1961, Elizabeth served as Acting Postmaster of Fairfield Post Office. She was appointed Tax-Assessor and Collector for Fairfield Independent School District in 1962 and served three years.
A life-long Methodist, she served First Methodist Church – Fairfield as a board member, Sunday School teacher and youth leader. In 1962, Elizabeth was the first woman to serve on the Freestone County Hospital Board and her tenure lasted until 1973. A long-time worker for the Republican party, she served as delegate to the National Convention in 1950. A passionate reader, Elizabeth worked tirelessly as a volunteer at the Fairfield Public Library.
During World War II, Elizabeth married Chief Petty Officer William "Bill" Hines; they later divorced. In 1950, she married Lewis Guynes "Jack" Daugherty at the home of her sister Angie May Bonner in Stewards Mill. Jack was a plasterer by trade and they had many adventures crisss-crossing Texas as he worked various jobs. They also operated the "JE Ranch" on land near Tehuacana Creek which
Elizabeth inherited from her father. While Elizabeth and Jack made their home in Fairfield for most of their married life, they spent about ten years in a home
which they built on their ranch before failing health forced their return to town.
Elizabeth suffered a stroke and spent her last years in Fairfield Manor Nursing Home where she died on August 3, 1981.
Elizabeth received her education in the Stewards Mill School; Teague High School; Lon Morris College in Jacksonville, TX; College of Industrial Arts [now North Texas State University] in Denton, Texas; the University of Texas at Austin. She was awarded the BBA with honors in 1933. She earned money for her education by working for Freestone County Judge P. O. French 1927-1929; "The Fairfield Recorder" 1928-1929; and for L. J. Davis, Sr., Freestone County Auditor. From 1929 to 1932, she taught in the Mt. Zion School of Freestone County, teaching during the winter months and attending university during the summers. After receiving her degree, she was an assistant to the personnel manger of Butler Brother, a Dallas wholesale dry goods company, for ten years.
On April 17, 1943, Elizabeth enlisted in the US Navy, joining the WAVES. After receiving her training at the Naval Midshipman School in Northhampton, MA, she was commissioned as Ensign on August 24, 1943. After graduating, she was assigned to the US Naval Barracks, Coronado, San Diego, CA as executive officer.
She was later promoted to Lieutenant and placed on inactive duty on August 15, 1946. Later she was transferred to the Retired Reserve. Her honors: American Area Campaign Medal; World War II Victory Medal.
After serving as manager of an employment office in St. Louis in 1947, she returned to Freestone County in 1948 and opened a gift shop. "Elizabeth B. Watson – Gifts of Distinction," was a successful business which she sold in 1952. In 1960-1961, Elizabeth served as Acting Postmaster of Fairfield Post Office. She was appointed Tax-Assessor and Collector for Fairfield Independent School District in 1962 and served three years.
A life-long Methodist, she served First Methodist Church – Fairfield as a board member, Sunday School teacher and youth leader. In 1962, Elizabeth was the first woman to serve on the Freestone County Hospital Board and her tenure lasted until 1973. A long-time worker for the Republican party, she served as delegate to the National Convention in 1950. A passionate reader, Elizabeth worked tirelessly as a volunteer at the Fairfield Public Library.
During World War II, Elizabeth married Chief Petty Officer William "Bill" Hines; they later divorced. In 1950, she married Lewis Guynes "Jack" Daugherty at the home of her sister Angie May Bonner in Stewards Mill. Jack was a plasterer by trade and they had many adventures crisss-crossing Texas as he worked various jobs. They also operated the "JE Ranch" on land near Tehuacana Creek which
Elizabeth inherited from her father. While Elizabeth and Jack made their home in Fairfield for most of their married life, they spent about ten years in a home
which they built on their ranch before failing health forced their return to town.
Elizabeth suffered a stroke and spent her last years in Fairfield Manor Nursing Home where she died on August 3, 1981.
Gravesite Details
Daughter of Edward M. and Grace J. Watson
Family Members
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