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52 Ancestors: Week 10, James Williamson, Eleazer Williamson

Orginal post: 52 Ancestors in 52 Weeks

James Williamson was an early resident of Monroe County, Ohio. Bell and Miller claim in their history of the Williamson family that James was the son Moses Williamson (1774-1850) of Washington County, Ohio and later Fayette County, Indiana but provide no documentation.1 Alvy Ray Smith's detailed work on the Riggs family includes only one child of this Moses Williamson.2 Perhaps, Moses Williamson had additional children by a previous marriage as Bell and Miller claim, but additional research is needed to confirm this relationship.

James Williamson first appears in the 1820 census for Jackson Township.3 He was perhaps a brother of Eleazer and Moses Williamson who are also in Jackson Township. By 1826, he was in Perry Township when he appears on the tax list. He appears on the tax lists there until 1832 when Washington Township was formed from Perry Township. He also appears there the 1830 census.4 From 1833 to 1838 and in the 1840 and 1850 censuses, he appears in Washington Township.5,6,7

James Williamson's wife is known to be Mary from the 1850 census. In 1820, he is living with his wife and no children which suggests he was married very recently. On 17 February 1820, in Belmont County, Ohio a James Williamson married Mary Brown.8 A search of the 1820, 1830, and 1840 censuses on Ancestry.com showed no other James Williamsons living in Belmont or the adjacent counties in those years. In the 1820 census, there is a John Brown, possibly Mary's brother, listed two lines above James. In 1830, there is a John Brown listed directly below James as well. These combined facts make it very likely that the 1820 marriage in Belmont County is James Williamson of Monroe County.

This author has yet to uncover James Williamson's probate records, but a notice published in The Spirit of Democracy 9 May 1855 indicates "that on the 4th day of April, 1855, George Cline, as the administrator of the estate of James Williamson, deceased, filed . . . a petition to sell the following described lands . . ."9 Another notice published 22 April 1857 by Isaac Williamson, one of James' heirs, lists each of the heirs "Eleazer Williamson, Nancy Denbow, Sevilla Williamson, Milly Cline and Eli Cline, her husband, and Elizabeth Ice and John Ice, her husband."10 Nancy Denbow was apparently an adopted daughter. In 1850, she was living with her parents Vincent and Perlina Denbow in Perry Township.11

Genealogical Summary

James Williamson was born in Virginia (probably present West Virginia) about 1794 and died in Monroe County, Ohio before 5 April 1855. He married in Belmont County, Ohio 17 February 1820, Mary Brown. She was born in Virginia (probably present West Virginia) about 1794 and died probably in Monroe County, Ohio after 1850.

Children of James and Mary (Brown) Williamson, born in Monroe County, Ohio:

  1. Isaac Williamson, b. 1821; m. (1) Abigail _____, (2) Mary Alvira Steves.
  2. Elizabeth Williamson, b. about 1824; m. John Ice.
  3. Eleazer Williamson, b. 1824; m. Jemima Davis.
  4. Sevilla Williamson, b. about 1831.
  5. Permilla 'Millie' Williamson, b. 19 Oct. 1832; m. Eli Cline.12

Eleazer Williamson, son of James and Mary (Brown) Williamson, was born in Monroe County, Ohio 1824 and died in Tekamah, Burt County, Nebraska 1899.13 He married in Washington County, Ohio 24 December 1846, Jemima Davis,14 daughter of Aaron P. and Ruth (Edwards) Davis. She was born in Stark County, Ohio 1830 and died in Tekamah, Burt County, Nebraska 1900.15 He and his wife are buried at Tekamah Cemetery.13,15

In 1850, "Lazar" Williamson was listed in the household below James Williamson's in Washington Township living with his wife Jemima and son Harvey.16 On 24 March 1857, he was involved in a pair of deeds with his brother Isaac Williamson probably related to land inherited from their father.17 In 1860, "Leisure" Williamson had five additional children. Nancy Denbow was also living with them.18 By 1870, Harvey moved out and Eleazer and Jemima had five more children.19

Eleazer Williamson's fortunes seem to have changed drastically after 1870. On 28 June 1872, after a judgement against him in 1870 for defaulting on $142.89, his land in Monroe County containing 72 acres was sold at public auction to John N. Genine.20 In 1880, he and his wife were living in Union District, Wood County, West Virginia. They now had their final two sons James B. and Harry L. (who is erroneously called their grandson).21 In 1882, the family went to Nebraska,22 and in 1885, he was living in Herman, Washington County where he is listed as unemployed.23 Harry L. is correctly listed as their son.

Children of Eleazer and Jemima (Davis) Williamson, born in Monroe County, Ohio:24

  1. Harvey Williamson, b. about 1848.
  2. William Williamson, b. about 1850.
  3. Nancy Ann Williamson, b. 16 Feb. 1852; m. Jacob Lindsay Headley.25
  4. Ruth A. Williamson, b. about 1854.
  5. Joseph Eli Williamson, b. July 1854.
  6. Mary E. Williamson, b. about 1856.
  7. Isaiah Williamson, b. Dec. 1858.
  8. Susan Williamson, b. 14 Aug. 1862.26
  9. Millie Jane Williamson, b. about 1864.
  10. Lucretia Williamson, b. about 1866.
  11. Martha Matilda Williamson, b. Jan. 1869.
  12. Harry Logan Williamson, b. 11 April 1872.27
  13. James Brady Williamson, b. 26 Nov. 1873.28

  1. Raymond Martin Bell and Edna Marian Miller, The Williamson Family of Cumberland County, Pennsylvania; Washington County, Pennsylvania; Ohio County, West Virginia (Washington, Pennsylvania: by the authors, 1986), 49; digital images, FamilySearch.↩

  2. Alvy Ray Smith, FASG, Edwardian Riggses of America, 10 vols. to date (2006-), vol. 9, James Riggs of Prince George's County, Maryland, and his Descendants to 2025, 144-146; digital images, AlvyRay.com. The author has continuously updated the electronically published volumes; the current version of this volume is "v30Jun25."↩

  3. 1820 U.S. census, Monroe County, Ohio, population schedule, p. 109, Jackson Township, entry for James Williamston; digital images, FamilySearch, DGS 5156936 > image 213.↩

  4. 1830 U.S. census, Monroe County, Ohio, population schedule, p. 109, Perry Township, entry for James Williamson; digital images, FamilySearch, DGS 5156959 > image 224.↩

  5. 1840 U.S. census, Monroe County, Ohio, population schedule, p. 54, Washington Township, entry for James Williamson; digital images, FamilySearch, DGS 5154857 > image 114.↩

  6. 1850 U.S. census, Monroe County, Ohio, population schedule, sheet 382 (stamped), Washington Township, dwelling 108, family 108; digital images, FamilySearch, DGS 4093954 > image 383; citing NARA microfilm M432.↩

  7. Monroe County, Ohio, Tax Duplicates, 1826-1838, various townships; digital images, FamilySearch, DGS 4021678, 4021688, 4021689, 4021646.↩

  8. Belmont County, Ohio, Marriage Book B:206, entry 377, James Williamson-Mary Brown, 17 February 1820; digital images, FamilySearch, DGS 4016302 > image 208.↩

  9. The Spirit of Democracy (Woodsfield, Ohio), 9 May 1855, p. 3, col. 4, notice to John Ice from George Cline, administrator of James Williamson's estate; digital images, Newspapers.com.↩

  10. "Notice in Partition," The Spirit of Democracy (Woodsfield, Ohio), 22 April 1857, p. 3, col. 6; digital images, Newspapers.com.↩

  11. 1850 U.S. census, Monroe County, Ohio, population schedule, sheet 534 (stamped), Perry Township, dwelling 150, family 150; digital images, FamilySearch, DGS 4093954 > image 689; citing NARA microfilm M432.↩

  12. Ancestry, Find a Grave, memorial 6143813, Permilla Cline (19 October 1832-16 November 1919), Low Gap Cemetery, Cline, Monroe County, Ohio.↩

  13. Ancestry, Find a Grave, memorial 55355680, Eleazer Williamson (1824–1899), Tekamah Cemetery, Tekamah, Burt County, Nebraska.↩

  14. Washington County, Ohio, Marriage Record 2:223, Eleazer Williamson-Jemima Davis, 24 December 1846; digital images, FamilySearch, DGS 4017369 > image 409.↩

  15. Ancestry, Find a Grave, memorial 55355708, Jemima Williamson (1830–1900), Tekamah Cemetery, Tekamah, Burt County, Nebraska.↩

  16. 1850 U.S. census, Monroe County, Ohio, population schedule, sheet 382 (stamped), Washington Township, dwelling 109, family 109; digital images, FamilySearch, DGS 4093954 > image 383; citing NARA microfilm M432.↩

  17. Monroe County, Ohio, Deed Record 16:486-487, Eleazer Williamson to Isaac Williamson, Isaac Williamson to Eleazer Williamson, 24 March 1857; digital images, FamilySearch, DGS 4022365 > image 255.↩

  18. 1860 U.S. census, Monroe County, Ohio, population schedule, p. 121 (penned), Washington Township, dwelling 836, family 836; digital images, FamilySearch, DGS 5170608 > image 581; citing NARA microfilm M653.↩

  19. 1870 U.S. census, Monroe County, Ohio, population schedule, pp. 23-24 (penned), Washington Township, dwelling 163, family 163; digital images, FamilySearch, DGS 4093979 > images 617-618; citing NARA microfilm M593.↩

  20. Monroe County, Ohio, Deed Record 28:299-300, John S. Spriggs to John N. Genine, 28 June 1872; digital images, FamilySearch, DGS 4022371 > image 494.↩

  21. 1880 U.S. census, Wood County, West Virginia, population schedule, enumeration district 165, sheets 333A-B, Union District, dwelling 88, family 89; digital images, FamilySearch, DGS 5162827 > images 264-265; citing NARA microfilm T9.↩

  22. Burt County Herald (Tekamah, Nebraska), 24 May 1918, p. 8, col. 3, obituary of Isaiah Williamson; digital images, Newspapers.com.↩

  23. 1885 Nebraska state census, Washington County, population schedule, enumeration district 761, p. 17, Herman Village, dwelling 19; digital images, FamilySearch, DGS 4639882 > image 26; citing NARA microfilm M352, roll 54.↩

  24. Birth dates from various censuses unless otherwise notated.↩

  25. "Mrs. Headley Dead," The Craig News (Craig, Nebraska), 22 September 1910, p. 1, col. 3; digital images, Newspapers.com.↩

  26. Washington State Department of Health, Certificate of Death, state file no. 8862, Susan Davis, 28 May 1951; digital images, Ancestry, "Washington, U.S., Death Records, 1907-2017" > image 1879.↩

  27. "Heart Trouble Fatal to Harry Williamson," Burt County Herald (Tekamah, Nebraska), 7 September 1933, p. 1, col. 7; digital images, Newspapers.com.↩

  28. "U.S., World War I Draft Registration Cards, 1917-1918", digital images, Ancestry > Nebraska > Burt County > ALL > Draft Card W > image 107, card for James Brady Williamson, serial no. 586, Local Board Burt County, Tekamah, Nebraska.↩