The People
Homer Ransford Watson
Homer Watson’s desire to draw was evident at an early age. He made images from his food before he ate it, carved images on fence rails with a knife and drew sketches all day long. The self-taught artist used his father’s collection of books as teaching examples. At 15 years old, Watson was given his first set of paints from his aunt and he completed the painting “Swollen Creek”….
Phoebe Amelia Watson
Phoebe Watson was an artist like her older brother Homer. On bright sunny days when Homer was outside painting the landscapes of Doon, Phoebe would be inside their house working on her watercolour paintings and painting her fine china. Homer and Phoebe were very close siblings and helped each other with their artistic careers…
Roxanna "Roxa" Bechtel
Roxanna “Roxa” Bechtel was the daughter of Isaac Bechtel and Jane Tilt, and one of eleven children. According to their niece Ruth Whiting, Homer and Roxa met because they both liked music. He would apparently walk eight miles to the House of C.M Taylor to see her, where the Bechtel family would meet to sing and listen to melodeon. The couple married in 1881 after a seven-year courtship, on News Years Day...