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Ophelia wound up in Talladega, Alabama, where she gave birth to Leah Jane on April 1st, 1847. Leah had no visible traces of her African ancestry. She was practically white, with blue eyes and smooth, straight hair. Leah was a misfit of a slave. No white "Missy" wanted a child as white-looking as Leah Jane in her house, around her husband and sons. Consequently, no Slave Master would buy her. Leah had little to do: she wasn't even allowed an education.

Leah was loved by her mother Ophelia, despite her strange status on the plantation. Ophelia taught her daughter kindness, thoughtfulness, and consideration. She also told Leah the story of her own two half-sisters, and the little boy sold away from his mother.

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Meanwhile, on a plantation in another part of Alabama, there lived a Planter and Stockraiser named Watson. Samuel Watson was of Scotch-Irish ancestry. In addition to his farm work, or because of it, Samuel Watson owned slaves. One Slave Woman, in particular, was a favorite; with her, Samuel Watson sired a son, Wallace McClelland Watson, born March 2, 1845.

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Little Wallace was brought into the Watson house to be a body servant to the two white Watson brothers - Sam and Park. The three boys were all around the same age. Wallace quickly became a fixture in the Watson household, beloved by his two white half-brothers, Sam Watson born in 1843, and Park Watson born in 1844. Although it was against the law to teach a slave to read and write, his half-brothers educated Wallace. He was an attractive boy; with light brown skin, kinky-curly hair, and sparkling brown eyes. Wallace was so quick, bright, and eager to learn that he absorbed knowledge quickly and easily. Soon, Sam and Park relied on Wallace to do all their schoolwork. By doing this, Wallace was getting the same education as his brothers.

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Somehow, Wallace and Leah met, fell in love, and married on September 30, 1866. They move to Chicago, Illinois. The first of the Wallace M. Watson offspring was born in Chicago on July 25, 1867, Samuel Henry Watson. He was named in part for Wallace's white half-brother. Although the new baby made them happy, Wallace and Leah found Chicago to be a strange land. Both Wallace and Leah were rural people and used to the ways of farming, so just before the great Chicago Fire, Wallace, Leah, and baby Sam migrated to Texas. Texas had recently become a state, and Wallace was familiar with the territory. He knew just where they could settle.

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Just out from Sherman, Grayson County, in East Texas, the Watson Clan set up their homestead. Texas was and is Cattle Country, so Wallace began raising stock. The Watson Family increased; Delvy Thomas was born on July 4, 1868, with Barbara Jimerson - Harry Park on July 4, 1869, with Leah. They named Harry in honor and love of Wallace’s other white half-brother. Independence babies for the newly independent family! Other children were born to Wallace and Leah in fairly quick succession:

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Porter, 1870 - Lee Andrew, 1871 - Mark McEldry, 1873 - Daniel W, 1875 - Lou Georgia, 1876 - Baby Watson, 1877 dies shortly after birth - Mary Lillie, 1878 Sept. 29th - Ophelia Charlotte, 1880 Aug. 8th – George McCain, 1880 Dec 14th – Abraham Lincoln, 1883 Nov, 15th – Carrie Metella, 1884 Nov 14th – Ida Bertha, 1887 Nov. 22nd – Tobbie D., 1890 Feb 20th –Baby Watson 1894

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Wallace was discovering many things about his wife. Not only was she pretty; Leah was a thoughtful, kind, and loving daughter-in-law to his mother, who lived with them. He was touched and grateful and made a vow to Leah that if ever her mother needed a home, she could have one in his house. And, in time, Ophelia indeed came to live with the Watson Clan.

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Captain Wallace Watson served in the Texas militia, i.e., Company B - Tennessee Colony, Anderson County - lead by Captain Wallace Watson on July 28, 1871, as listed in the Texas Adjunct Library Archives Military Rolls https://legacy.lib.utexas.edu/taro/tslac/30074/tsl30074.html. Tennessee Colony is a suburb of Palestine Texas and was 166 miles from Grayson County. Captain Wallace served in the Texas Militia from 1870 to 1873. Many subsequent Watson Descendants in different generations also served. They served in the Army, Navy, Air Force, and Marines. We honor his service and all of our relatives for serving, fighting for, and preserving our Freedom. Captain Wallace and all of his descendants have instilled an excellent work ethic in our children who in terms passed those values along to subsequent generations.

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Back at the ranch, Captain Watson was a very industrious, prosperous man, and respected in his community by both blacks and whites. He'd bought the land his homestead was on fairly cheaply, i.e., about 10 cents an acre. It was prime land and was desired by the whites. Racism was about to rear its ugly head.

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One day, Captain Watson was out plowing and he heard footsteps approaching. Glancing over his shoulder, he saw one of the local whites behind him with a shotgun, Captain Watson wheeled around, pretending to have a pistol in one of his pockets. "Wh-- Why, Good day, Cap'n Watson!" the man sputtered, caught off guard, "And Good day to you, Suh," returned Wallace. He watched as the man stumbled away, foiled. He knew times, they were a'changin'.

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Soon after, one twilight evening, the Watson Clan saw a mob of angry whites taking a local black man across their land, to an adjoining farm. They discovered after talking with neighboring black people that the man was going to be lynched. "I'd like to see the color of a man's eyes that wants to lynch me!” young George Mack Watson said angrily. Mack's words soon got out to the whites. That night, Captain Watson armed his entire family, and they lay on the land about their farm waiting. Captain Watson taught all of his children to ride and shoot and was proud that his girls were just as expert as his boys. And so they waited to see if the whites would come for them.

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They headed for Wildcat Indian territory, just north of Texas. In 1901, the group set up a township which was named Grayson, after the county in Texas they had just left. This part of the country was also known as Oklahoma, and soon became a state in its own right. Among the group that made the trek into Oklahoma was Henry Moore, Captain Wallace’s half-brother on his mother's side. Henry Moore, birth and death dates are currently unknown. Also, Captain Wallace’s half-sister on his mother's side, Lottie Hunter Dixon born on February 22, 1862, and his death is unknown. Lottie had taken her sons with her, Sam Watson Dixon born Nov. 29, 1904, and died in 1904 and Homer Lloyd Dixon born September 1888, and died between 1900 – 1909.

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The adventure didn't end with them. These people and their offspring went on to live happy and prosperous lives, which is why we are here to tell about it.

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Captain Wallace Watson, fathered 17 children that we know of, 15 of those with his wife Leah Jane Brown Watson. Of the 15, 13 lived long enough to be named. In those days, infant mortality was much higher, and a fact of life. It has been said that many died from dehydration. Wallace looked at many of his infants, thinking, "so beautiful, but prone to death."

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Here are some facts about Captain Wallace’s kids. Of the 17 children, nine (9) lived for some time. Their names are Sam, Delvy, Park, Lou Georgia, Lillie, George Mack, Abraham Lincoln, Carrie and Ida Bertha. Sam left home at 17 years of age, and no one ever knew what happened to him. Lou Georgia went to Bishop College in Dallas, Texas where she fell ill, came home, and died of a ruptured appendix.

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Here are some facts which are unknown to the writers of this history, therefore it is incomplete. We are asking you for any further information, anecdotes, trivia, birth and death dates, names, photos, or anything which will make the picture more detailed for all of us. We are proud of our heritage and would like to leave as complete a picture as possible for those who will come after us. Because... The Adventure Continues!