 |
| Samuel Watso |
About 20 Watso families traveled from Waterbury, CT; Albany, NY; Odanak Reserve, P.Q. Canada; Buffalo, NY; and Florida; to converge on a trip to New York City, September 24, 2010 to collect Ironworker Medals on behalf of four Watso men, two sets of first cousins, brothers - Samuel (Sammy) and Raymond; brothers - Thomas (Tommy) and William (Billy Joe) Watso. The four Watso men were Ironworkers (Skywalkers) on the Verrazano-Narrows Bridge, living in Brooklyn, NY (Little Kahnawake) in the 1960's, and Long Island.
Click here for College of Staten Island Archives, Verranzano-Narrows Bridge
There is one recipient left living today at Odanak Reserve, P.Q., Canada, Raymond Watso, who was instrumental in providing me the information necessary to continue the documentation trail for the requirements of the Ironworker Medals. Thank you Uncle Raymond!
 |
| Denise Watso; Denise (Watso) Paul; James Fortunato of MTA; Tommy Watso; Bonnie (Watso) Porter; June (Watso)Wolfe |
Abenaki Nation Tribal members immediate families were in attendance as well as Anthropologist PhD candidate Christopher Roy, from Princeton University attending the ceremony. A trip was scheduled as well to take us to the American Indian Museum in Smithsonian, in NYC to view historical documents and hear from our own Watso family historian and respected elder, June Watso-Wolfe.
I am proud to have finalized a chapter in the lives of the men and women who had the courage, determination and dedication to take all the risks of leaving family, and a small village reservation to venture to New York City, some 500 miles away south and climb steel to provide for their families back home.
A special thank you to all who made the trip worth while, and especially Tom and Holly who had a houseful and didn't hesitate to say yes to 10 people staying for the weekend! The MTA, Bridges and Tunnels, and the College of Staten Island!
 |
| Front of Medal |
 |
| Back of the medal |
No comments:
Post a Comment