Longtime County Rancher Ernest Watson Dies at 92

Ernest Watson, a merchant, rancher and real estate broker whose career mirrored the booming growth of Orange County, died Wednesday after a short illness. He was 92.

Watson, who was born in Ohio, moved with his family to Southern California at an early age and eventually graduated from USC. In 1913, at the age of 20, he moved to Orange County and started a parcel delivery service from the train depot in Santa Ana.

The same year, he was wed to Gladys Dofflemyer. The marriage lasted 68 years until Mrs. Watson’s death four years ago.

After several years, Watson opened a small chicken ranch in the fledgling town of Tustin, and subsequently acquired a gas station, motel and grocery store in that city.

Watson “saved his pennies” and soon began acquiring orange groves, first in Orange County and later throughout the state, according to his granddaughter, Catherine Watson.

Within 10 years, Watson had developed large ranches in Orange and San Diego counties, especially in San Juan Capistrano, El Toro, Costa Mesa and Tustin. Later, amid the rapid growth of Orange County agriculture, Watson diversified into hay, beans, walnuts, horses and cattle.

Watson foreshadowed the county’s next big trend in 1927, however, when he bought a home in Newport Beach and entered the real estate business. Although Watson’s first love was ranching, he continued to work in real estate until his death.

He was an active member of the Silver Cord Masonic Lodge, No. 505 in Santa Ana, as well as the Orange County Farm Bureau and the Orange County Lapidary Society.

Watson is survived by his sister, Christine Douglas of Costa Mesa; two children, Barbara Haskell and Dr. Norman Watson, the former chancellor of Coast Community College District, both of Newport Beach; 10 grandchildren, and five great-grandchildren.

Funeral services are scheduled for today at 11:30 a.m. at Pacific View Memorial Park in Newport Beach.