Wingfield W. Watson

Wingfield Scott Watson was born April 22, 1828, in Ireland. His parents were Protestant. ==St. Louis==

Watson moved to the United States in 1848. ==Leaving Beaver Island==

Watson kept records for Strang and accompanied Strang until Strang was murdered on Beaver Island on June 18, 1856. This led to fear that other Strangite leaders would be killed, so they left the island. Watson left for Chicago, Illinois, in July of that year, and the Strangite colony disintegrated. Watson then moved to Livingston, Wisconsin. After some time, however, he was approached by Lorenzo Dow Hickey, who was one of the Strangite church's apostles. Hickey convinced Watson to move to Black River Falls, Wisconsin, where several of the residents of Beaver Island were living. Six years later, Hickey convinced Watson to move again, but this time to Boyne City, Michigan. There Watson became a leader of the Strangites. He published pamphlets and preached to the people. He wrote letters from 1862 to 1883 to affirm Strang's authority. Watson lived in Michigan until 1891. ==Contributions to the Strangite faith==

The Strangites believed that James Strang was the rightful successor to Joseph Smith. The group formed after the death of Smith and is separate from the LDS Church, which teaches that Brigham Young was Smith's successor. He published thirteen pamphlets related to the church. ==Later life==

In 1907, Watson moved to Voree, Wisconsin. The Strangites believed that this area had been sanctified by God as a settling place of the Latter Day Saints. His wife, Jane, died in 1908. He died on October 29, 1922. ==References==