Mattison (Madison) Watson) was born into slavery around 1819 in Albemarle County, Virginia, and his owner moved him to Missouri at some point before the war. He married Malvinia Scott, and they had at least six children together: Matthew, born around 1852; Isabella, born around 1854; Philip, born around 1857; Lucy, born around 1859; Mary, born around 1866; and Lucilla, born around 1876.
He enlisted in the Union army on May 14, 1864, in Quincy, Illinois, for a period of three years and mustered in as a private in Company F of the 29th USCT Infantry Regiment on July 8. His enlistment records describe him as 6 feet, 1 inch tall, with black hair, black eyes, and a black complexion. He took part in the Siege of Petersburg and saw action on July 30. He fell ill later that year, and the army sent him to the local general hospital to recover. He was discharged for disability near City Point, Virginia, on May 18, 1865.
After the war, Watson returned to Lincoln County, Missouri, where he worked as a farmer. Malvinia died on October 3, 1882, and Watson married a woman named Susan on October 27, 1884. Watson eventually secured a $12 monthly pension, complaining of chronic diarrhea and rheumatism. He died in Lincoln County on June 6, 1900.
