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Foster (JOHN WATSON an American)

JOHN WATSON, an American statesman and diplomat. He was born in Pike co., Ind., March 2, 1836.

He graduated in 1855 from Indiana State University and for a time attended the Harvard Law School. When the Civil War broke out he enlisted as a major in the United States Volunteers, rising to the rank of Brigadier-General by the time the contest closed. After taking a prominent part in the councils of the Republican party he began his diplomatic career as minister to Mexico. After serving seven years at this post and one as minister to Russia he practiced international law at Washington and thus in 1883 became Minister to Spain. From 1885 to 1891 he negotiated for the United States a series of reciprocity treaties with Germany and Brazil. President Harrison in 1892 appointed him Secretary of State, a post he held until Cleveland was inaugurated the following year. The closing years of his life saw him engaged on many important diplomatic missions for the United States, FOSTER and for a few years he acted as adviser to the Emperor of China. He died Nov. 15, 1917. He wrote several important works, among them being: "A Century of American Diplomacy" (1900) and "American Diplomacy on the Orient" (1903).