Irving had at least three uncles who settled in the United States. They are Benjamin, Joseph, and Max. All of them worked in the hat industry.
Benjamin and Joseph, at times, went by the name of Watson, but then switched back to Wosnitzer since that name was well-known in the hat industry. They switched to avoid anti-semitism and to sound more American.
However, it now makes sense why Irving called his business the Watson Hat Company. He was using a name used before by his uncles.
To learn more about Benjamin, Joseph, and Max and their families, click on each of their names under the Wosnitzer menu then go to Irving’s Uncles.