Born in Freetown. Cortland county, New York, on the 13th of January, 1837. His parents being Joseph and Lydia E. (Leach) Watrous also natives of New York. Charles L. Watrous was reared on the farm attending the country schools. At the age of sixteen he began the life of a student teaching when necessary to obtain money for further study. He taught in New York, Pennsylvania and Illinois. His first public school was the New York Central College, the first in the United States to admit both sexes and all colors on an equality. Later he attended Cortland Academy at Homer, New York, from which he was graduated in 1860 and entered the junior class of the University of Michigan the same autumn upon passing the examinations on the work of the first two years. In the spring of 1861, the war cloud burst. The students formed companies and drilled diligently but thought little of actual war. He was chosen captain and was in command of his company in every duty and danger until the evening of August 29, 1862, when in one of the engagements of the second Bull Run, he received three bullets and was helped to the rear. The wound in the arm did not respond to treatment and in January, 1863, the Captain was honorably discharged and mustered out of service. In the autumn of 1863 he was able to return to the university, passing the examinations in the studies of the senior year of the literary course and receiving his diploma, while carrying on the studies of the course in law, from which school he was graduated in March, 1865. In July the same year he located at Winchester, Virginia, for practice of his profession, assisting in the first attempt at civil rule and served as county attorney for three years. In 1872, he became a member of the State Horticultural Society and has been an active and earnest worker. He became a member of the American Association of Nurserymen soon after its organization. In 1887, he became an active member of the American Pomological Society. On the 25th of December, 1865, Captain Watrous was married to Miss Sophia Glover, a daughter of Oliver and Eliza (Trowbridge) Glover, both of whom were natives of New York. Captain Watrous is a republican in politics. From 1883 to 1885 he served as member of the Iowa legislature. He served several years as school director and for many years as justice of the peace in a democratic township, being reelected by political opponents without opposition. He has always been ready to take active part in works for civic betterment. He was a member of Crocker Post, G. A. R., a senior member of the Iowa Commandery Loyal Legion C. S., and has served as department commander. He also has membership in the patriotic societies, Sons of the American Revolutions,. Sons of the Colonial Wars, and the Society of Mayflower Descendants, and of the Grant Club and the Commercial Club of Des Moines.
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