About: John Watson (college president)

John Watson was the first principal and president of and professor of moral philosophy at Jefferson College. Watson, a native of Western Pennsylvania, was born in 1771 and was a student at Canonsburg Academy (later Jefferson College, now Washington & Jefferson College). He was a student of the school's founder, John McMillan, who was arranged for him to attend the College of New Jersey (now Princeton University), from where he graduated in 1797. Watson married McMillan's second daughter, Margaret. In his time, Watson was known as an accomplished Latin and Greek scholar. He was one of the founders of the Philo Literary Society at Jefferson College.