John Hampton Watson (December 31, 1804 – August 16, 1883) was an American medical doctor, lawyer, and judge for various periods of his life in Pennsylvania, Ohio, and Kansas.
[3] Over the winter of 1857 and into 1858 Watson built a five room house made of stone, and planted what was thought to be the first Wisteria in Kansas that he had brought with him from Ohio.
[4] He practiced law in Kansas from 1558 until 1862 when the vacancy for the office of chief justice of the supreme court became available due to Thomas Ewing Jr. going into military service.
[6][1] It was a surprise to many that at the convening of the new session it was not Watson as the chief justice-elect but Nelson Cobb who presented to the court instead as appointed by Governor Charles L. Robinson, with some calling the matter fraudulent.
[8][9] A few months later in April 1663 Watson filed a challenge for his right to take the Chief Justice position,[10] but in October the court pronounced in favor of Judge Cobb meaning elections would be held later that year.