John S. Watson (New Jersey politician) John S. Watson (New Jersey politician) John S. Watson (August 14, 1924 – June 15, 1996) was an African-American Democratic Party politician who served six terms in the New Jersey General Assembly, where he represented the 15th Legislative District. Born in Camden, New Jersey, Watson served with the United States Merchant Marine fleet during World War II. In 1970, Watson became the first African-American elected to the Board of Chosen Freeholders in Mercer County, New Jersey. In 1977, he became the President of the Board. For 12 years, Watson was a member of the New Jersey State Assembly, where he
Burl S. Watson industry and served as a national leader of the American Red Cross and Salvation Army. Watson served for many years as the director of the American Petroleum Institute. Born in the small town of Lincoln, Alabama to farmer Byron Alexander Stephens Watson, he was the first graduate of Lincoln High School and went on to the University of Alabama, where he majored in electrical engineering. There is a scholarship in his name at Alabama to this day due to a donation he made to the university, which was later enhanced by Cities Service Company. He was awarded an Honorary Doctorate