DR. CHARLES H. WATSON

The following bio was taken from page 431 of the book entitled "Rusk County History" compiled and edited and used with permission of the Rusk County Historical Commission.

Transcribed by Claudia Schuster

Submitted by Gloria Briley Mayfield, Rusk County TX Coordinator

Charles H. Watson was born November 17, 1919, in Lewisburg, Tennessee, the son of Dr. Ira Charles Watson and Velma Almira Fitzpatrick Watson. Young Charles grew up in Henderson, Kentucky. He attended Fisk University in Nashville, Tennessee and was an honor student. Upon graduation from Fisk, he entered Mehany Medical School.

During World War II, Charles served in the Army. When this duty was over, he began the practice of medicine in Dallas, Texas. This was to last several years. Then the Korean conflict came about, and Dr. Watson entered the Army. The memories of those sights of horror never left his mind. He often recalled the tragedy of the battles in that distant land of Korea and the suffering and deaths of so many young Americans. It was while Captain Watson was in Korea that he learned of his father’s death. Shortly, the Doctor received his Army discharge.

It was in Houston, Texas, that Dr. Charles H. Watson would meet the girl with whom he fell in love. She was a Registered Nurse and was working with the Veteran’s Administration. Although she was several years younger than Charles, Myrtle Marie Mylus became his bride May 16, 1958. Myrtle was the daughter of Lula Lenzy Mylus and Waymon Mylus. She was the granddaughter of Albert and Millie Lenzy of Halletsville, Texas, Lavaca County. Grandfather Lenzy was well known for cattle buying and often traveled to Pine Hill and other places in Rusk County to buy herds of cattle in the early nineteen hundreds. In those days, it was unusual for a black man to buy and sell cattle and land; however, Albert Lenzy was an exception, and his family still owns land throughout Texas.

Dr. and Mrs. Charles Watson came to Henderson in 1958, where he opened an office to practice medicine. Dr. Watson found it discouraging that he could have all the patients he wanted but that he was not allowed to place his patients in the Henderson Hospital. If he did so, he had to turn them over to a white doctor. Integration had not yet cleared the way. However, Dr. Watson made many house calls, especially for the elderly, and delivered hundreds of babies in the Rusk County area. The Negro Chamber of Commerce had asked Dr.Watson to come to Henderson because of a need.

During the first years in Henderson, two children were born to the Watson family. Velma Marie Watson was born February 4, 1959. Murtie Estizer Watson was born July 19 , 1960. Shortly after the birth of the second child, the family returned to Houston. The third daughter was born October 12, 1961 in Houston. Her name was Charla Ratcliffe Watson. The family remained in Houston for several years, and then Dr. Douglas of Jefferson, Texas encouraged Dr. Watson to return to East Texas. With reluctance Dr. Watson brought his family back, and he became a partner with Dr. Douglas, and Myrtle became the Director of the Douglas Memorial Hospital School of Nursing.

Dr. Watson’s health was beginning to fail, and he slowly came back to Henderson where there were old family friends. Dr. Watson never got over the Korean War. Then another tragic event took place in Henderson. The oldest daughter, Velma Marie, age nine was killed by a motorist as she was crossing the street after school on October 15, 1968. Young Velma was taken back to Nashville, Tennessee to be buried near her grandfather, Dr. Ira Watson. Dr. Watson could not seem to accept the death of his daughter and his health grew worse, and on July 5, 1969, he died at the Veteran’s Hospital in Shreveport, Louisiana. He is buried in Nashville, Tennessee.

Dr. Charles Watson was the last black doctor to have an office in Henderson. He was well-educated and served his county well, but knew all too well the pain and heartaches that racial prejudices brought to him and the poor blacks who were his patients. However, he held no bitterness toward any local doctors realizing that time would bring about a change. Though he did not live to enjoy all the privileges, many of his fellow doctors have played an important role in being a part of hospital staffs throughout East Texas.

Myrtle Marie Watson, widow of the late doctor, is still a resident of Henderson, Texas. She is a registered nurse and is president and one of the founders of the Rusk County Improvement Agency, Inc. She is sensitive to the needs of others and has become well known for her interest in the well-being of senior citizens and has played a very strong roll in designing programs for low-income families and the elderly of the area. In the early nineteen seventies, Mrs. Watson went to Wilmington, North Carolina to visit Mrs. Frank Carter Adams, former wife of the publisher of the "Henderson Herald." It was at that meeting that Mrs. Adams wished for Myrtle and others to continue publishing the "Herald." Although the "Herald" is no longer published, Myrtle still does newspaper writing and holds a Texas Press Association card.

Myrtle Estizer Watson is a graduate of Henderson High School and is attending Wiley College in Marshall, Texas. Charla Ratcliffe Watson also graduated from Henderson High School and attends Kilgore College.

Dr. Watson’s mother, Velma, makes her home with the family in Henderson. Shw will be eighty-seven years of age May, 1982.

Submitted by M.M. Watson