Résumé

Architect, Reid Brothers, Architects, San Diego, CA, c. 1890-1893.

Principal, Watson E. Reid, Architect, New Brunswick, Canada, 1893-c. 1919.

Principal, Watson E. Reid, Architect, Vancouver, BC, Canada, c. 1919-1930.

College

Watson Reid had two years of college at Mount Allison University, Sackville, NB, Canada;

Relocation

Watson E. Reid had deep roots in Albert County, NB. He was listed in Canadian Censuses of 1861, 1871, and 1881 as living in Harvey, Albert County, New Brunswick. (In NB, there have been two towns named "Harvey," one in York County, the other known as "Harvey Bank," in Albert County. The Reids lived in Harvey Bank in Albert County.) (See Ancestry.com, Source Citation Year: 1871; Census Place: Harvey, Albert, New Brunswick; Roll: C-10394; Page: 7; Family No: 28, accessed 05/14/2018.)

The 1891 Canadian Census also listed him as living in Harvey Bank, NB, with his wife and daughter, Lucinda. Ten years later, the Reid Family resided in the Village of Riverside, NB, and had grown substantially, with five children, as well as a niece, Josephine R. West, (born 09/01/1877 in NB), in the house. Riverside would become a single village with Albert, NB, through an merger in 1966, known as "Riverside-Albert."

It is unclear how much Watson Reid lived in the San Diego, CA, area working with his brothers. It is also unknown whether his wife lived with him in San Diego at all. Watson and Jane Reid did have at least five children born in NB between 1891 and 1900, so they did spend some time together. It seems likely that Watson spent much of his time in NB during this time span.

According to some accounts, Watson worked on the design of the Hotel del Coronado, Coronado, CA, with his two elder brothers, James William Reid (1851-1943) and Merritt J. Reid (1855-1932), between 1887-1888; James and Merritt gradually relocated the headquarters of the architectural firm from San Diego, CA, to San Francisco, CA, during 1889-1891. Watson Reid was listed in the San Francisco City Directory, 1891, (p 1156) as living in San Diego, where he collaborated with the Cornell-trained architect William S. Hebbard (1863-1930) to operate the San Diego office of the Reid Brothers firm until about 1893. The remaining Reid Brothers' commissions in San Diego finished by Hebbard and possibly Watson Reid included the Fisher Opera House in San Diego, George Keating House #2 in San Diego, and K.H. Wade House in Coronado. (See Kathleen Flanigan, "William Sterling Hebbard,"Journal of San Diego History, vol. 33, no. 1, Winter 1987.)It appears that Watson Reid left San Diego by 1893 or so, and resumed his practice in the Riverside-Albert area of New Brunswick.

Watson Reid worked in Riverside, NB, Canada, in 1905, where he was supervising the design of the Riverside Consolidated School. The Canadian Census of 1911, indicated that he lived in the Hopewell Parish of Albert, NB, with his children Marion, James, Carlyle, Merritt and Robinson. His wife, Jane, had passed away in 1909.

In 1921, the Canadian Census listed him as living at 1233 11th Avenue East in Vancouver, BC. He resided with his son Carlyle, his daughter-in-law, Rita, (born c. 1895 in the US), and his granddaughter, Isabella, (born c. 1919 in BC). Watson still worked as an architect at age 60, according to census documents.

He died in Vancouver, BC, Canada, in 12/1943 and was buried in Bay View Cemetery in Harvey Bank, NB. (See Ancestry.com, Source Information: Canada, Find A Grave Index, 1600s-Current [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2012, accessed 05/14/2018.)

Parents

His parents were William J. Reid and Lucinda Robinson. According to the Canadian Census of 1861, William worked as a farmer; the Canadian Cenus of 1871, noted that he worked as a house joiner in Harvey Bank, NB. (Watson's brother, James, too, worked as a house joiner, as per this census.) (See Ancestry.com, Source Citation Year: 1871; Census Place: Harvey, Albert, New Brunswick; Roll: C-10394; Page: 7; Family No: 28, accessed 05/14/2018.) Lucinda managed the household that contained eight children. Their offspring included Anna B. Reid, (born c. 1845 in NB), Mary E. Reid (born c. 1847 in NB), Josephine L. Reid (born c. 1848 in NB), Orpha A. Reid (born c. 1850 in NB), James W. Reid (born c. 1853 in NB), Merritt (born c. 1855 in NB), and Charlotte (born c. 1859 in NB).

Spouse

He married Jane Rebecah Turner (07/02/1858-1909) on 03/13/1890 in Albert County, NB.

Children

Jane and Watson Reid had at least five children according to the 1901 Canadian Census: Marion Lucinda Reid (born 04/15/1891 in NB-d. 1960), James William Reid (born 11/15/1892 in NB), Carlyle Watson (born 01/04/1895 in NB-d. 1978), Merritt McClelan Reid (born 07/26/1896-d 1939), and Robinson Allen Reid (born 11/03/1900 in NB-d. 1983). In addition, the 1891 Canadian Census listed a "Virginia Reid" (born c. 04/15/1891 in NB) as living in the household at that time. It is not clear if Virginia was the same person as Marion Lucinda, or whether she was a twin who died early in life.

Biographical Notes

Watson Reid was listed in the Canadian Censuses as being a Baptist.

• Harvey Bank, NB Canada (Architect's Birth)
  Harvey Bank, NB Canada

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• Vancouver, BC Canada (Architect's Death)
  Vancouver, BC Canada

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