From Tales & Trails of Bailey County, the First 70 Years, Taylor Publishing Co, Dallas, TX 1988

C.A. "Charlie" Watson was born November 8, 1907 in Itowamma, Mississippi and came to Texas and then Oklahoma in a covered wagon as a young child. He moved to Bailey County in 1928 from Fredrick, Oklahoma and farmed for a while with his brother Tom south of Muleshoe.
On September 12, 1935 he married Della Lutishia Bass in Portales, New Mexico. Lutishia was born April 22, 1911 in Blanket, Brown County, Texas.
They lived in the Watson community where their first three children were born. The first two were twin girls; Charlene and Billie born May 10, 1934. Their first son Howard was born June 24, 1935.
They lived in Meadow where they ran a variety store for a while before moving back to Bailey County to the Baileyboro area in the early 1940s.
Three more sons were born to the union. They were Don, born July 28, 1944 in Clovis, New Mexico; Benny born July 19, 1946 in Amherst and Leon born February 24, 1948 in Amherst.
Charlie and Lutishia were charter members of the Muleshoe Primitive Baptist Church and raised their children in a strong Christian home. They knew most of the scriptures by heart.
The Watsons moved to Parmer County and lived three miles north of Clay's Corner for twenty-one years before moving back to Bailey County and retiring.
Charlie farmed most of his life and always raised a big garden, or "truck patch," as he called it. He loved to hunt with coonhounds and greyhounds, and usually had a "pack" around the farm. He also had a herd of cattle, raising and selling calves as well as raising hogs. He always had a cowpony around as he was a good horseman.
Charlie was a talented artist, using oils to paint pictures for housewarmings, Christmas presents, and special gifts for his grandchildren. He was a quiet man, slow to anger and always had an interesting story to tell about haunted houses or cowboy days. Charlie's wisdom and hard work carried the family through some hard times.
Lutishia wrote poems, songs and had a talent for drawing with a pencil. She also made quilts, and was always making things or doing things for other people. She had a song, "O, Lord We Sing," publiished in the Harp of Ages Hymn Book. Her faith in God was the foundation which held the family together and made it a close, loving family.
Charlie had a heart attack in Plainview on May 5, 1984 while helping Morris Nowlin deliver a new pulpit to a church there. He was rushed to the hospital by his son Leon and Morris, but died on May 7 of another attack while in the hospital.
Lutishia moved into Muleshoe in 1984. At this time two of her sons still live in Bailey County. Howard has Watson Alfalfa, Inc. and Leon owns West Plains Publishing. The Watsons opened the West Texas Ranger Newspaper March 29, 1987.
Of the other children, Billie Chandler lives in Lubbock and is a buyer for Dillards. Charlene Cargile is a housewife and helps Leon with a Bass family history newspaper. Don is a U.S. Army Colonel and heads the army section at Bell Helicopter in Amarillo. Benny is owner of a live DJ and entertainment company in Dallas. (Submitted by Leon Watson)