American journalist, born in Washington, DC, on the 16th of February 1840. His father, Harvey McGee Watterson (1811–1891), was a journalist and lawyer, and was a Democratic representative in Congress in 1839–1843. The son was educated by private tutors, and between 1858 and 1861 was editor of the Washington States and of the Democratic Review. During the Civil War he served in the Confederate army as aide-de-camp to General Nathan B. Forrest and to General Leonidas Polk in 1861–1862; he was editor of the Chattanooga Rebel in 1862–1863, and was chief of scouts in General Joseph E. Johnston’s army in 1864. In 1865–1867 he was an editor of the Republican Banner, at Nashville, TN, and in 1867–1868 was editor of the Journal at Louisville, KY. In 1868, with W. N. Haldeman, he founded and became editor of the Louisville Courier-Journal, a consolidation of the Courier (1843), the Democrat (1844), and the Journal (1830); and it soon became one of the most influential of Southern newspapers. He was a Democratic representative in Congress from August 1876 to March 1877, and was delegate at large to the National Democratic Conventions of 1876, 1880, 1884, 1888 and 1892, serving as temporary chairman in 1876, and as chairman of the platform committee in 1880 and 1888. He became widely known as a lecturer and orator. He was among the first to urge, in 1911, the nomination of Governor Woodrow Wilson as Democratic candidate for president. In August 1918 he retired from active editorship of the Louisville (KY) Courier-Journal, remaining “editor emeritus.” On March 2, 1919 a special edition of this paper was published, containing tributes from his admirers throughout the world. In April he severed all connection with the paper because of its support of the League of Nations which he opposed. He died at Jacksonville, FL, on the 22nd of December 1921. His publications include History of the Spanish-American War (1899); The Compromises of Life (1902); Old London Town (1910); History of the Manhattan Club (1915) and “Marse Henry”: an Autobiography (1919). See also “The New South.”
