I am sure, gentlemen, that, when the history of our brilliant sons of Jamaica comes to be written up, the name of Jim Watson will go into the archives of the record as one of our worthy sons - a worthy Spanishtonian. (Jacob Hume Stewart) September 4, 1931.

As a judge James S Watson was involved in several landmark cases. The most often noted is his decision in 1934 in the case brought against the North German Lloyd Steamship Company by a bondholder in that Company, when he ruled that a German government moratorium on interest payments to bondholders was not binding; his decision was upheld by the higher court. He was honoured in 1938 for his record of public service by a testamonial dinner from the New York City Bar Association. In 1943 he became the first African American lawyer admitted to the American Bar Association, since 1912 when 3 Black lawyers had been admitted because their 'race' was not known; after that applicants were required to state their 'race' and no African-Americans were admitted.

Watson was active in various civic organisations including among others the NY Urban League, the Prince Hall Masons and the YMCA. He was also involved in West Indian organisations and was awarded the CBE in 19?? for his work for West Indians in the USA.

In 1931, after winning election to the Municipal Court bench in New York, Judge Watson visited Jamaica, with one of his closest supporters, another Jamaican, Dr Lucien Brown, staying at the Myrtle Bank Hotel in Kingston. As recorded in the Gleaner of September 4, 1931, a fine banquet was held in his honour in Spanish Town, put on by his old friend, Jacob Hume Stewart, a prominent Black business man, at his hotel, Marble Hall. The Custos, and the MLC, for St Catherine were among the numerous distinguished guests; also present was Charles Milton Hinchcliffe, Judge Watson's elder step-brother, to whom he paid tribute for his sound advice and good example when he was growing up. The two men were enthusiastically entertained, at Kensington Club, by the Imperial Association, out of respect and admiration for their achievements.

In 1917 James Watson had married Violet May Lopez of Christiana, in New Haven, Connecticut. His bride had come to America in 1915; her sister Nessa, who also went to the States, married Charles Llewellyn, and they were the parents of J Bruce Llewellyn, one of the most successful African American businessmen. The families were also related to Colin Powell's family. The Watsons' children were as remarkable as the rest of the families.

Their two daughters, Barbara and Grace, became lawyers. Barbara was the first

woman and the first African-American, to be U.S. Under Secretary of State for

Security and Consular Affairs, and later was the U.S. ambassador to Malaysia.

Grace was the Deputy Director of the Horace Mann Learning Center at the

Department of Education. One son, Douglas, was the first African-American

aeronautical engineer in the United States. The other son, James L Watson,

followed in his father's footsteps, after serving in World War II. He became the

most senior African American federal judge, and was the first Black Customs

Court judge in modern times assigned to cases in the deep South.

James S Watson died in 1952, and his funeral took place at St Martin's Episcopal Church in Harlem where he had long been a devoted member. Thousands, including most high-ranking city officials and civic leaders, attended the service, and the interment at Woodlawn Cemetery. Thousands more watched the funeral procession. A fitting farewell to a devoted public servant and fine human being.