Watson was born December 1, 1826 in East Windsor Hill, Connecticut. Graduating from Yale in 1847 in Biology, he drifted through various occupations until, in California, he joined the Clarence King Expedition and eventually became its expedition botanist.
Watson was born December 1, 1826, in East Windsor Hill, Connecticut. He graduated from Yale with a degree in Biology in 1847 and then explored various careers before joining the Clarence King Expedition in California, where he became a leading figure in the expedition's botanical endeavors.