Thomas N. Watson was born in 1824 (probably in Philadelphia) and at age 13 was apprenticed to William J. Young.  After completing his apprenticeship he stayed on with Young as an instrument maker and after 1850 as shop foreman.  In 1857 he left Philadelphia, apparently with Young's blessing, and moved to Detroit, Michigan where he was a partner with William A. Burt's sons John and William Burt in the firm of Burt & Watson.  Shortly after the death of William A. Burt, his sons closed down the business and by 1861 Watson was back in Philadelphia employed again by Young.  In January 1866 the firm of William J. Young & Co. was formed with William J. Young, Thomas N. Watson and Charles S. Heller as partners.  On April 12, 1869, Watson left the firm and became foreman for Kuebler & Seelhorst at 727 Jayne Street.  Some time shortly after the death of William J. Young in 1870, Watson returned to the Young's establishment as both foreman and partner with Alfred Young in running the business, first as William J. Young & Sons and later as Young & Sons.  After the death of Alfred in 1882, Watson continued in the same capacity with Alfred C. Young.  Upon the death of Thomas Watson in 1892 his share of the partnership was valued at $3,700.

The only known instruments signed by Watson are those made in Detroit by Burt & Watson.  There are four known solar compasses:  #75, #79 and two #85's.  They are all marked "Burt & Watson Makers"  and "Detroit Mich" and the serial number is engraved in the compass box, as was Young's practice.  On compass #75 there is the additional marking "1857*9" under the sight vane nearest the words "Burt & Watson Makers."  In addition to the solar compasses, there is a surveyor's vernier compass, #82, and one computing equatorial sextant without serial number.

NOTE:  The information regarding Thomas Watson that appears in Charles E. Smart's book "The Makers Of Surveying Instruments In America Since 1700" is wrong.  One of the methods Smart used to determine dates of birth and death was to write the local cemeteries asking for dates found on tombstones.  Apparently in this case a tombstone bearing the name of Thomas Watson was located, but unfortunately it was not the correct Thomas Watson and thus the entry given on page 164 of Smart's book is in error.  The two Solar compasses at the Henry Ford museum #79 and #85 are marked simply "Burt & Watson Makers Detroit Mich", #79 has the additional marking "Made for Henry Merryweather".  Neither are marked "Burt Solar February 25, 1836 Patented" as claimed by Smart on page 25.