Putnam County, Missouri Historicals - William Williamson
Includes Sullivan County, Missouri

William Williamson of Haywood County,North Carolina and Shelby
County,Illinois
With emphasis on his public service.


WILLIAM WILLIAMSON OF HAYWOOD COUNTY, NORTH CAROLINA AND SHELBY COUNTY,
ILLINOIS


Compilation by Bill Williamson
12649 Mayflower Drive
Nevada City, CA 95959

Preface

Some of you who read this will perhaps be annoyed with the references and
documentation and consider them distractions. I hope you can overlook this
practice, as I have found, that many people who "do" genealogy are careless
in this matter and have no record or memory of how or where they acquired
their "information". I have chosen to do this because the Journals are
often not indexed and others may use this record to find their way through
the Journals chronologically. The collection, Laws of Illinois, in the
Illinois State Library for various years could add to some of what follows.
Given my shortcomings with the computer there are surely errors that need
correction, verification and analysis Some of the commentary is speculation
on my part but included to remind me what my mind set was-- when/if I am
able to return to the record and correlate to other sources. Unfortunately,
I did not usually have copies of the laws that were finally adopted as a
result of these deliberations, nor have I had extensive interpretive and
authoritative history of the legislative process authored by a
professional.
The purpose of this compilation has been primarily motivated by a desire to
learn something of the man, William Williamson and his family. We who have
had no oral tradition handed down can only hope this effort will contribute
to a reconstruction of who he was, what he was like, what he stood for,
what he thought, his motivations, and what molded him into becoming who he
was. Given his later years, there is every reason to see him as a man
attached to "the southern way of life". As a person of southern extraction
living in the North I hoped to learn to what degree he retained Southern
attitudes, attachments and contacts. Some of this can be surmised from his
legislative record. I have reached certain "tentative" conclusions, based
on these accounts, and I would appreciate the comments and corrections
others may offer. For example, I am convinced that he had some benefit of
education beyond what can be accounted for in this record but he probably
lacked a formal education and lived much of his life in a "frontier"
condition. Where or how he acquired the tools to perform as he did is
completely obscured from the ages of 15-25 years. I am somewhat
disappointed that the Journals obscure far more than they reveal because
they focus on procedural questions, rather than substantive ones. It must
be remembered that the Journals record votes on bills by title and rarely
are we given a glimpse of what peripheral language may have been included.
A legislator might vote for or against a titled bill, basing his vote on
the terms and conditions of implementation. Even viewing the bill as
finally passed does not or cannot verify a singular vote during the debate
and vote stage. In any event, the purpose has been to provide a record for
family members to follow. Some of the persons identified in the record may
or may not be family members but have been included because they were part
of his life and the references may later prove useful. Those he served with
in the General Assembly during his legislative years reads like a "who's
who" of early Illinois politics and government and Mr. Williamson had
contact with many of them.
Some who read this may find the comparisons with Abraham Lincoln to be
presumptuous
but there is no intent to reach so far or so high. Much is known of
Lincoln, and very little of Williamson, and I had hoped that a comparison
of their service together in the 11th General Assembly, and what they voted
for or against, might allow some understanding based on common views. I had
hoped to find a record that they had served together on a select or
standing committee or exchanged some direct bond. In this I have also been
disappointed because the record does not reflect this. The possibility
exists that they could have served on conference committees and other
Journals of the House might show that.
A final word about the "Ledbetter connection". A child identified as Polly
Montgomery was taken into guardianship by Asa and Margaret Ledbetter in
Gallatin County in September of 1815. Asa and Margaret moved to Shelby
County about the same time William Williamson did. William and Mary
Williamson named their first daughter Margaret. Margaret Ledbetter, who
survived her husband, was a neighbor of the Williamson's as were the
Scroggins who had signed on as bondsmen for the guardianship in 1815. I
have been unable to demonstrate that this is more than coincidence but
there is too much of that to "let it go". This information came to me by
letter and the author does not reply to further inquiries. At this writing
I believe the best chance to locate/identify Mr. Williamson's parentage is
in the Fines Creek area of North Carolina between the Hurricane Mountains
and the Tennessee line.

Other family members have contributed to the project. They are:

Roger Ash
Jeanne Williamson Henson
Lillie Smart Howard, now deceased
Beulah Livingston
Marilyn Molenda
Kenneth Norby
Ann Cade Phelps
Grace Rhoads, now deceased
Lorena Yount Smith
Arabella Williamson Steward, now deceased
Jackie Williamson
Kay Wilson
Marge Woods, now deceased


Since the focus of this file is William Williamson I have sometimes used
the pronoun form in reference to him or where it seemed obvious I have not
named him at all. The references are from the ILLINOIS SENATE JOURNAL
1832-1833 unless otherwise noted. This Journal is not indexed.

William Williamson:

Migrated into Fayette County, later to become Shelby County, about 1825. At
that time the state's population was 72,817, an increase from 34,620 in
1818 when Illinois became a state. He purchased from William Wegar a
squatter's improvement at the head of Carr's Creek. All we know of him
before that comes from his military service record and his relationship to
his brothers who were to stay behind in the North Carolina, Georgia and
Tennessee areas, HISTORY OF SHELBY AND MOULTRIE COUNTIES, 1881,page 237. It
may or may not prove significant but the Ledbetter family also came to the
county in that same year, HISTORY OF SHELBY AND MOULTRIE COUNTIES,
1881,page 324.

The relationship between William, Martin and George Williamson has been
established from a book he owned that was last known to be in the
possession of Lillie Smart a foster child of James Daniel Williamson and
Nancy DeJarnet. The name of the book: The Rise and Progress of Religion In
the Soul is probably not relevant except for the record. In the book are
recorded William and Mary's birth dates, those of his brothers (George and
Martin), and those of each of William and Mary's children. William also
recorded, as if in a prayer," I hope God never turn his face from me". This
and the title may give some indication of his character. Separately, are
given the names of Martin Bonaparte Williamson and George Williamson with
their birth dates. I have from correspondence received copies but they are
of poor quality. Probably, George had moved through the mountains into what
is now Cocke County Tennessee. Martin was clearly in Haywood County by 1828
and had signed a petition requesting that, what became Macon County, be
severed from Haywood.
His birthdate can be obtained from a military record found in the national
archives. This document entitled" MILITARY RECORD OF MEN WHO ENLISTED IN
THE US ARMY PRIOR TO THE PEACE ESTABLISHED 17 MAY 1815."Enlisted as a
private in Robert Love's Company which was a part of the 43rd Regiment of
US Infantry. Present at a muster in Greenfield, NC on May 17,1815. Served
in Captains Wilson's Detachment as late as 31 August 1815. The Treaty of
Ghent, ending the war, had been signed on 24 December 1814 and the Battle
of New Orleans fought after the peace was signed 8 January 1815. Robert
Love SR., Robert Love JR. and John B. Love were prominent men in early
Haywood County records. For the next ten years we have no documentation for
his location or movements. The 1810 Haywood County census (reported
alphabetically), where we would expect to find him, was taken under
difficult circumstances. Haywood County was a sprawling one, and the census
taker admitted to the possibility of errors in his poll. Additionally, the
Williamsons were most likely frontier dwellers and could easily have been
overlooked; See US Federal Census, Haywood County, N.C., 1810. On page
82,Thomas Love reports that "the settlements on Fines Creek and the East
Fork of Pigeon also lye Very remote from the body of the county". The
Census was taken in November and one wonders if the season may have
contributed to an incomplete poll.

On 7 March 1825 he was named on a juror's list in Fayette County, Illinois.
See FAYETTE COURT RECORDS, page 131.

Marriage to Mary Montgomery documented in FAYETTE COUNTY RECORDS OLD BOOK
A, page 2. They shared these children:

Jefferson3 1826-1883 m. Mary Jane Shields
Lucinda Angeline 1828
George 1830-1856 m. Nancy Shields
Margaret 1832-1917 m. Monroe Minor
Thomas Anderson4 1834-1898 m. Martha Ann Goddard
Mary Ann 1838 m. John H. Johnson
William 1840-1908 m. Sarah Shields
Wilson 1841-1863 m. Martha Hewitt
John Henry 1844-1909 m. Nancy Tamar Walker
Martin 1846-1910 m. Winifred Albertine Gaddis
James Daniel 1848-1926 m. Nancy De Jarnet
All of the children were born and married (except Jefferson and George who
were married in Bond County) in what was, or was to become, Shelby County,
Illinois.
Mary must have been a remarkable woman. In addition to child bearing she
would be challenged by all manner of hardships. Since her husband would be
away as a public official she would have had responsibility for the farm
properties. In the words of one observer "Words cannot tell of this life.
The prairies of Illinois are watered with the tears, and enriched by the
graves of her women...for the women-God forgive the men who brought them
here ". Another, commenting on the challenges facing pioneer women, "I am
sure this land was settled before the Lord was willing".

In December 1826, the State Assembly and State Senate consented to the
appointment of William Williamson to the office of County Surveyor in
Shelby County. Apparently, the actual appointment was made locally but the
approval of the General Assembly was required. The Representative from
Fayette County, Mr. McLaughlin submitted the resolution:" Resolved that
William Williamson, of the County of Shelby, be and he is hereby
recommended to the Senate as a fit person to fill the office of county
surveyor for said county". On the motion of Mr. Berry the resolution was
laid on the table, page 309-310. Subsequently, on Mr. Berry's motion, the
resolution was adopted and the Senate asked to concur, Page 437-438. The
Senate confirmed the nomination, page 442. HOUSE JOURNAL FIFTH GENERAL
ASSEMBLY, 1826, pages 309,437-438,442 and the SENATE JOURNAL FIFTH GENERAL
ASSEMBLY, 1826, page 265.On 14 February 1827 he was appointed to the office
of County Surveyor and served continuously until 1847. On April 25 the
County Commissioners met and issued the following:
" Ordered by the court that William Williamson be appointed to survey and
lay out the seat of justice for the county of Shelby, and that the same be
laid off according to the plan of the town of Vandalia, and the stakes
shall be three inches square, two feet and a half long, one half well drove
in the ground; the said Williamson is required to make a return of the
same, at the next term of the court, with a good plat with the name of the
streets, blocks, number of the lots, etc."History of Shelby and Moultrie
Counties Illinois 1881,page 55. . EXECUTIVE RECORDS.1818-32, page151.
ELECTION RETURNS, vol.26, page 24. William Williamson was subsequently paid
$30 for his services in surveying the town of Shelbyville.
Mr. William Lee D. Ewing, at that time the Clerk of the House, carried the
bill from the House to the Senate. After serving as Clerk for the House of
Representatives Mr. Ewing became Speaker of the Illinois House of
Representatives (1830) and the representative for the counties of Shelby,
Bond, Macon, Montgomery, Tazewell and Fayette. Mr. Ewing was on the
committee that determined the site of Shelbyville to be the county seat of
Shelby County and served as one of the early Fayette County Commissioners.
There can be little doubt that Williamson's appointment to these offices
came to him, in part, because he became attached to a faction headed by
William Lee D. Ewing who was a stalwart Democratic Party loyalist. In the
frontier state politics were fluid, revolving about factions with frequent
switching of allegiances obscured by attachments to personalities and/or
provincial interests. These constituted a plethora of interests/ideas that
could each be called "My Friends Party" or "Men not Measures". Principles
were accepted without appreciation for consequences. Jackson, the hero,
became an icon and the politics of his supporters came to be: "He who is
not with him cannot be with us". In the broader society respect was based
on attainment in the frontier condition rather than accretive culture. A
meritocracy, with its promise of efficiency, but threat of exclusion, was
discredited if the cost was to be an inclusive society based on the purest
of democratic principles. In some respects the kind of society one lived in
was more important than how it performed. Because the Democratic Party did
provide some chance of mobility, and protection for his interests, Mr.
Williamson held fast to it. However, as a legislator, he was at his best
when party dogma did not bind him, and he was allowed to cast his vote on
the merits of the issue.
During the Black Hawk War, Mr. Ewing had commanded a spy battalion. As a
leader in the Democratic Party Mr. Ewing held many offices from 1826- 1843.
Included in this list of service are: Clerk of the House, Speaker of the
House, President of the Senate, Lieutenant Governor (interim), Governor
(interim), US Senator and floor leader for his party. At one point the
intensity of politics led Mr. Ewing to contemplate challenging Abraham
Lincoln, who described Mr. Ewing as a "whole hog Democrat", to a duel that
never transpired. On recorded votes in this session we see Messers Ewing
and Williamson often voting together, however, it must not be concluded
that William was a "rubber stamp" as his voting record will show. An
interesting passage in the Senate Journal for 1835 demonstrates the
collaboration between Mr. Ewing and Mr. Williamson who was presiding as
chairman of the Committee of the Whole while Mr. Ewing, from the floor,
maneuvered amendments to the rules defining the powers of the Speaker and
the Sergeant of Arms, SENATE JOURNAL, 1834-1835,pages, 149-150. In the 9th
General Assembly on procedural and substantive questions they will often be
adversely joined. As a staunch Democrat, one of the mysteries in the record
is the degree to which Mr. Williamson tended to vote with the minority
although his party held the majority of seats in the General Assembly.

In the early years the Illinois constitution reserved to the legislature
approval rights for surveyors and other local officials. In a practical
sense, appointment required that nomination be acceptable to, and
recommended by, the county organization/leadership in order to secure
majority support in the legislature. According to a law in force on June
1,1829 which repealed the Act of 1821 the House of Representatives
nominated candidates to the Senate whose approval required the Governor to
issue a commission to serve on good behavior. The surveyor was then
required to take an oath and perform duties specified in law. Some of these
included: to make all surveys within the county," furnish themselves with
the field notes of the original survey" and "all surveys made shall be
agreeable to the original survey made". The surveyor was required to keep a
book of all survey records he had made and furnish the proprietor copies of
these original field notes. His "book" was to be made available to any/all
interested parties and this record was acceptable as prima facie evidence
in court. His "book" was to be delivered to his successor. He was to be
entitled to whatever compensation provided by law. He had the power to
deputize assistants and hire chainmen but was to be the responsible party
for their acts as well as his own. Prior to 1833 it was the practice that
county court commissioners appointed county surveyors to serve as ex
officio members of the three person board of Road Commissioners to assist
as "viewers" to lay out the route of county roads.

The fee schedule for an official county surveyor was set by act of the
state legislature. In 1832-33 it was:
For establishing one quarter section $2.50
For each half section $2.00
For each town lot over ten-forty .371/2
For each town lot forty-one hundred .25
For each lot aver one hundred .181/4
For laying off land under a writ of ad hoc damnum $2.50
For travel each day while engaged in official duties $2.00
LAWS OF 1833,page,296.

There can be no doubt that the office of Shelby County surveyor required
some degree of competence as well as political allegiance to the Democratic
Party. After the disputed Presidential election of 1824 the adherents of
Andrew Jackson began to solidify with the intent to undo a perceived
injustice. These "new men" would include men similarly situated to Mr.
Williamson.
The task of surveyor could be brutal work particularly in the winter months
or where there was swamp, brier patch or uneven terrain. The work did
provide cash income although some payments were made in kind. Abraham
Lincoln worked a compass and chain before he established himself in the
law. Mr. Lincoln's employer in this activity was John Calhoun, the Sangamon
County surveyor and later the President of the Kansas Convention that
delivered the Lecomption Constitution that provoked the free soil element
there. Since Lincoln had had no training he undertook to teach himself,
under the tutelage of Mentor Graham, using two books that were useful to
the trade: Gibson's, THEORY AND PRACTICE OF SURVEYING OR HIS TREATISE ON
PRACTICAL SURVEYING as well as Flint's, TREATISE ON GEOMETRY, TRIGONOMETRY
AND RECTANGULAR SURVEYING. Part of the job was to settled disputes between
property owners and a trusted surveyor was useful in court or as an
alternative to court. We cannot know how William Williamson learned this
trade but it is probable, like Abraham Lincoln, that he had a sponsor or
advocate. The trade required some learning, particularly in mathematics,
and it is likely that, among the books listed in his estate were those such
as cited above. See Carl Sandburg's, THE PRAIRIE YEARS, page 36 and David
Herbert Donald, LINCOLN, page 51.

William Williamson was also appointed constable and sheriff", HISTORY OF
SHELBY AND MOULTRIE COUNTIES, 1881,page 54, SENATE JOURNAL, page 2.
Elected sheriff of Shelby County 25 April, 1827 and served until 1833.
EXECUTIVE RECORDS, vol.1, page 155,243. ELECTION RETURNS, vol.14, page 70.
On 20 July, 1830 "Be it remembered that on this day came in office, William
Williamson, the person named in the commission as Sheriff, and took the
oath to support the constitution of the United States and the state of
Illinois and also the oath respecting dueling. And that he would in all
things and to the best of his knowledge, faithfully execute and discharge
all the duties required of him by law. In testimony whereof I, Joseph
Oliver, Clerk of the County Commissioners Court, do set my and affix my
private seal of office provided at Shelbyville this 6th day of September,
1830". , SHELBY COUNTY ANCESTORS, Vol. 1,page 9-11.
The task of discharging all of the "duties required by law" could be an
onerous chore for the sheriff of that age, In an infamous case, People vs.
John Spalding in 1828 the following judgment was recorded:
"This day the prisoner was led to the bar by the sheriff, and having
nothing to say why judgment should not be pronounced against him, it is
ordered and adjudged by the court now here, that the defendant, John
Spalding, receive for the offence aforesaid thirty-nine lashes on his bare
back, and the sheriff of Shelby County between the hours of twelve and two
o'clock on this day execute the judgment." Additionally, he was to be fined
$2.71 and given three days in jail and stays committed until these costs
were paid. The sentence was "faithfully executed and discharged "by William
Williamson, sheriff of Shelby County from 1827-1832, HISTORY OF SHELBY AND
MOULTRIE COUNTIES, 1881,page, 61. The whipping post and pillory was
abolished in Illinois in 1833 although John Snyder in, ADAM SNYDER AND HIS
PERIOD IN ILLINOIS HISTORY, 1817-1842, page 78 states that the Fifth
General Assembly, on the initiative of John Reynolds, had accomplished this
in 1827.
. A commission, issued by the governor, for a term of two years followed
certification of election as sheriff. In addition to the required
previously cited oaths, a bond of $10,000 was required. The duties of
sheriff were extensive as was the fee schedule. In a public law made
effective June 1,1827,Sections 5-7,9,10 summarized these duties as follows:
"execute and return all writs, warrants, serve process orders,
decrees...."conserve the peace, suppress all riots, routs, affrays,
fightings and all crimes and breaches of the peace" He was to convey
prisoners to court and "attend all circuit courts, and courts of county
commissioners" as well as "maintain "custody and care of the court house
and jail". "An act concerning Jails and Jailers effective 1 July 1827
required the sheriff to provide meals, medical care and amenities for those
in custody if they could not afford bed and board. These costs were added
to court costs for the convicted person in custody and made reimbursable to
the sheriff or jailor. Because he collected public monies he was required
to "make a settlement with the county commissioners court of his county for
the taxes and moneys by him collected" and " settle and account with the
auditor of public accounts for all taxes and moneys due the state..." LAWS
OF ILLINOIS EIGHT GENERAL ASSEMBLY 1832-1833,pages 366-370, 573-578.

As the fee schedule demonstrates, the office was an income producer but
probably required too much time away from farm and family for Mr.
Williamson to try to hold or recover it. Clearly, he had his sights set on
the Senate by the end of his term as sheriff and could not hold a Senate
seat while simultaneously holding a county office.

For serving a writ or summons per defendant 50 cents
Taking a special bail 25 "
Serving witness with subpoena 25 "
Summoning petit jury in each case 50 "
Advertising property for sale 25"
Returning writ 12 1/2"
Mileage each mile on official duty 06 1/4"
Calling in jury in each cause 12 1/2"
Levying an execution 50 "
Returning the same 12 1/2"
Serving and returning a scire facias to revive a judgment, too
Foreclose a mortgage, or against bail 62 1/2" Committing a person to jail
37 1/2"
Discharging a person from jail 37 1/2"
Dieting each prisoner each day 37 1/2"
Attending before a judge with prisoner or on a writ of habeas corpus 1.00
For each mile of travel in the appearance aforesaid .06 1/4
Serving a writ of possession with the aid of a posse comitatus 2.00
Serving the same without aid of a posse comitatus 1.00
Executing a writ of ad quod damnum, attending an inquest, and returning
the writ with the verdict of a jury 2.00 For summoning a jury in a case of
forcible entry and detainer, and
attending the trial 2.00 For attending the circuit and county commissioners
courts, to be
allowed and paid from the county treasury 1.00
For summoning appraiser to value property 25 cents
For swearing each appraiser to value property .0 6 1/4 "
Executing a deed on sale of real estate 1.50
Taking a bond in a criminal case when required by law .50
For executing a capias on a defendant in a criminal cause where
the offence is infamous 1.00
For executing a capias on a defendant in a criminal case where
The offense is not infamous 50 cents

Serving a declaration of ejectment and making affidavit of service .62 1/2
Mileage for each mile for conveying a prisoner from a jail in
another county .6 1/4
For each months month's use of the jail during the confinement of a
Prisoner .50
For discharging such prisoner .37 1/2
A commission of 5% allowed for each sale of real and personal
Property to a maximum of $200 in commission
If monies exceed $200 then 21/2% allowed
If the transaction is stopped in these case the maximum commission in the
above cases is one half the amounts above
For execution of a sentence any fee for punishment not allowed by
this act shall be the duty of the county commissioner' court
In all criminal cases where the defendant is discharged as acquitted the
Sheriff shall not be allowed any fees
Except the commissioners' court shall annually allow ex-officio
Compensation not exceeding $30 as they think proper
LAWS OF ILLINOIS 1833,page 289-292.

In the 1830 Shelby County Census, page 123,lines 25-42 an unaccountable
female is listed with the family. An extraction from a copy by Trella Hall,
printed by the Decatur Genealogical Society, page 7 does not show this
unexplained person.
Males 2-0-0-0-0-1 Females 1-0-0-0-1

There were two separate calls for volunteers during the Black Hawk War.
General Whiteside played a prominent role in both the 1831 and the 1832
campaigns but the militiamen who answered one call did not necessarily
answer both. The 1831 call came after the planting season and the 1832
muster at the time of planting. During the 1831 campaign Whitesides'
Battalion was a "spy" battalion attached under the command of General
Edmund Pendleton Gaines and the Militia Commander, Governor John Reynolds.
These men were volunteers and undisciplined combatants. Their pay was
minimal and they had to campaign at times that took them from their
seasonal duties. They assembled in 1831 at Beardstown and after the Sac Fox
retired west of the Mississippi they disbanded. In the 1832 campaign there
were three organizationally distinct armies called into voluntary service.
The first of these was Whiteside's Brigade which was composed of five
Regiments, one Spy Battalion, one Odd Battalion of Mounted Volunteers and
one Odd Infantry Battalion, pages 122-224.
William Williamson took no part in the first campaign against the Sauk Fox
that resulted in their movement west of the Mississippi River in 1831. On
April 5,1832 this band determined to move back east of the Mississippi
River and take up their traditional villages in the Rock River drainage,
Governor John Reynolds on 17 April, 1832 called for volunteers and it was
this call that resulted in Mr. Williamson's enlistment for sixty days.
These volunteers were to assemble at Beardstown where on 24 April, 1832 Mr.
Williamson was elected First Lieutenant in Daniels Price's Company which
was a part of an Odd Battalion of Mounted Volunteers under Major Thomas
James of Monroe County in General Samuel Whiteside's Brigade that was
designated the First Army. Term of service was to be 60 days.

It is possible to reconstruct Lt. Williamson's participation in this
campaign by following the route and movements of Whitesides's Brigade,
Whiting, THE BLACK HAWK WAR, VOL II, PART I, Map # 3.
At the time the militia was mustered into service it included three
companies commanded by Peter Warren and Daniel Price from Shelby County and
Thomas Harrison's company from Monroe County. The latter company was
detached May 18 and sent back to Rock Island. Vol II, part 1, page 332.
General Samuel Whiteside detached the infantry volunteers to protect the
steamboats at the mouth of Henderson's River Vol II, part 1, and page 334.
On 29 April Governor Reynolds ordered General Whiteside to move his command
from Beardstown to the Yellow Banks (Oquawka) on the Mississippi River by
the most direct route, Vol II, part 1, page 338.
William Headen in a letter to his brother from Beardstown 1 May 1832 wrote:

"We have just arrived at headquarters and have been mustered into service.
Fifteen hundred men were just equipped and ferried across the Illinois
River at this place. We will draw provisions for five days this evening be
armed with Harpers Ferry muskets and take up the line of March again in the
morning. I believe from every circumstance that we will have fighting to
do. The men and horses are all well. We have suffered a great deal with
hunger, fatigue and wet since we started". Vol II part 1,page 341-342.
Since Mr. Headon was a resident of Shelbyville, and attached to Peter
Warren's company, in is probable that Daniel Price's Company traveled the
same route in the same time frame.
Whitney's footnote to the letter is interesting on several counts:
1.Mr. Headon had medical training and was a Doctor in Shelbyville where he
resided until his
death there in 1863.
2.Whitney notes: "It seems likely that the Shelby county companies arrived
at Beardstown before May 1st. William Thomas' Quartermaster Book also shows
that both Shelby county Captains (Peter Warren and Daniel Price) drew corn,
pork, lead and powder on April 29. On April 29 also, Governor Reynolds
ordered those companies to be organized as part of an odd battalion of
mounted troops, the officers to be elected immediately. It would have been
unusual for a unit to elect officers if part of its members were absent.
The May 1 date of the letter may be correct, however, since the Shelby
county men could have arrived at Beardstown barely in time for the election
of battalion officers but not in time to be fully armed and equipped to
leave with the main body of the brigade. Another possibility is that the
election of battalion officers was taken later; the muster roll dates their
service to April 28,impossible in view of the April 29 order.
3.Governor Reynolds implies in MY OWN TIMES, page 227,that the Shelby
County companies were late in joining the army: ['The evening after we
reached the Yellow Banks, in a torrent of rain, Captain Warren of Shelby
County, with his company and another company, had swam the streams and
joined us. It afforded the army much pleasure to witness the energy of
these troops and the volunteers greeted them with loud cheering'] ", MY OWN
TIMES, page 342.These reports make the notation that Lt. Williamson was on
leave at the time of the muster and election of officers all the more
mysterious and provocative.
A Letter from John Reynolds to Henry Atkinson reported that the mounted
volunteers reached Yellow Banks 3 May 1832. Samuel Whiteside's General
Order of the day for 5 May reports they were encamped at Yellow Banks in
Camp# 6. Whitney, Vol II part 1,page 353.
John Reynolds relinquished command of the Illinois volunteers and General
Henry Atkinson of the Regular Army assumed command on May 8th. At that time
Reynolds was at the Old Sac Village and Atkinson was at the mouth of Rock
River. Presumably, the volunteers were still with Reynolds, page 355-356.
General Atkinson ordered Whiteside's brigade to move up Rock River to the
Winnebago Prophets Village where Black Hawk's band was presumed to be in
the vicinity of Dixon's Ferry. Whiteside had authority to engage or wait
for the Regulars under Col. Zachary Taylor and the Illinois volunteer
infantry that was coming by water, page 360f. General Atkinson's aide,
Albert Sidney Johnston, states in his diary that Whiteside's Battalion
marched the morning of May 10th for Dixon's Ferry Vol II part II, page
1310. On May 11th the Odd Battalion's Morning Report shows 4 captains
(Harrison, Price, Warren and White) and 4 First Lt.'s present for duty.
Captain Price's company and Peter Warren's companies included, page 364.
The Battalion included 320 officers and enlisted fit for duty, page 364.
Samuel Whiteside's letter to General Atkinson reports the Odd Battalion at
Camp # 10 at Dixon's Ferry on 12 May. The Indians were presumed to have
withdrawn up Rock River to Old Man's Creek that would thereafter be called
Stillman's Creek or Stillman's Run. At this point an order, given on
Whiteside's authority, but written in Governor Reynolds hand, was issued,
for Stillman's force to move up to Old Man's Creek and take " all cautious
measures to coerce said Indians into submission". Whiteside later denied
issuing this order, pages 366-367.
On the 14th Stillman's regiment made contact with Indians and a skirmish
ensued which led to bloodshed on both sides and subsequent engagements that
placed Stillman's force at a disadvantage. Panic among the militia resulted
in a headlong flight back into the Brigade lines at Dixon's Ferry.
Lieutenant Albert Sidney Johnston's diary report indicates that the
Regulars under General Atkinson joined Whiteside's brigade at Dixon's Ferry
after the volunteers moved up to bury those who were killed on the 14th at
Stillman's Run, Vol II part II, page 1311. (In Eckert's account, pages
316-318, on 15 May, Whiteside's force numbering 1400 mounted volunteers,
almost without provisions, advanced to the site of Stillman's defeat and
buried the mutilated bodies of the militia men killed on the 14th.) Eckert,
without attribution, has it that the Indians were carrying a red flag that
the militia took to be a challenge to fight, but instead the Indians had
been attempting to signal to negotiate. Without attribution this seems
questionable. Lt. Johnston's account states that on the 19th the Regulars
and the Militia, in pursuit of the Sacs, encamped 14 miles above Dixon's,
Vol II part II, page 1311.
Following the "run" Whiteside's Brigade remained at Dixon's Ferry on Rock
River awaiting orders and provisions and for the Regulars under Atkinson to
come up. On 18 May General Atkinson ordered that the Illinois volunteers
draw ten days rations and General Whiteside's Brigade be held ready to move
on the morning of the 19th. On the 21st the Regulars and the volunteers
encamped above and below Sycamore Creek and on the following day the
volunteers were ordered to search the Sycamore and Fox Creek drainages, Vol
II, part II, page 1312. On May 22, General Atkinson issued special order #
11 that ordered General Whiteside's brigade to advance up Sycamore Creek.
Probably with an eye to the terms of service and the growing disaffection
for those under his command this was a final push to engage and drive the
Indians from the country before the volunteers would be discharged.
On 23, May General Atkinson issued the following order: "Lt. Williamson of
Col.James'odd battalion of Illinois state troops will take command of the
men at this place, belonging to the several regiments of the State troops
now in the field, and remain at Dixon's Ferry until further orders", page
413. The Brigade had moved up Rock River to Fox River by the 25th,page 440.

On the 27th of May General Whiteside reported to General Atkinson that" The
troops under my command having been mustered into service for no particular
length of time; and having entered the service on very short notice under
the impression that they would be retained only about three or four weeks,
have become impatient and anxious to return home", page 461
Albert Sidney Johnston's Journal for the 28th records that Whiteside's
force had arrived at Fox River on the 24th and "disbanded the whole and
thus put further operation against the Sacs out of the question for the
present, these troops were disbanded by the order of Governor Reynolds who
was compelled by their clamors to do an act which might have been followed
by the most injurious results", Vol II, Part II, page1312.
On the 31st of May General Atkinson reported by letter that the Illinois
Volunteers had pursued the Indians up Rock River without result and that
the Governor on arrival at Ottawa on Fox River discharged the militia, page
491. Whitney describes the conditions that led to their discharge: "The
Illinois militiamen, annoyed at being called from their spring planting,
found active military campaigning so distasteful that their commanders
recommended their discharge after only a months service, thus necessitating
the enrollment of two additional volunteer forces. The first army of about
nineteen hundred men was Whiteside's Brigade". Vol. 1,page xi.
There were many claims arising from the Black Hawk War. Later, as a
senator, Mr. Williamson voted against one of these, which would have
granted Rachel and Sylvia Hall 80 acres along the right of way of a canal.
Their story gained the attention of the state press and generated
widespread sympathy for the girls. The measure cleared the Senate without
his support, 16-9, SENATE JOURNAL 1832-1833,and page 479. A mixed force of
Potawatomie, Winnebago's and Sac Foxes took the Hall girls, Sylvia 17 and
Rachel 15, on 20 May 1832 when 17 people, including most of their family,
were massacred. Toqueme, the leader of the group, was intent upon their
deaths but they were ransomed after a compelling offer of horses and money
was reluctantly accepted. They were turned over to Henry Dodge on 31 May
1832 after eleven days of captivity, subsequently married and managed to
live long lives, Eckert, Allan W., TWILIGHT OF EMPIRE, Bantam,
1988,ISBN#0-553-28059-7,pages 356-357,415-416,422-427.



Unless otherwise indicated all previous references on the Black Hawk were
taken from: Whitney, Ellen, Ed. THE BLACK HAWK WAR, 1831-1832,VOL II PART
I, LETTERS AND PAPERS APRIL 30,1832-JUNE 23,1832,1973.ISBN#
0-912154-22-5,pages 264-491.

All citations that follow are from the SENATE JOURNAL EIGHTH GENERAL
ASSEMBLY 1832-1833 unless otherwise indicated. This Journal is not indexed.



Mr. Williamson was elected to the 8th GENERAL ASSEMBLY on 6 August
1832,ILLINOIS ELECTION RETURNS, 1832-1833,page 255-256. The General
Assembly convened at Vandalia 3 December, 1832 and adjourned 2 March, l833.
The Senate comprised 26 members and the House 28.Of the 31 officers and
members of the Senate 18 were veterans of the Black Hawk War and in the
House of 60 members and officers 30 were veterans of the War, ILLINOIS
FIFTH CAPITOL, pages 225- 226 and The BLACK HAWK WAR, 1831-1832, Vol. I
ILLINOIS VOLUNTEERS, pages 579-682. For this service each senator was paid
$3 per day attended and $3 per 20 miles traveled. Temple and Temple:
ILLINOIS FIFTH CAPITOL, 1988,page 252. In addition to serving in the 8th
General Assembly as a senator he also continued in that office through the
9th General Assembly. Later he was elected to serve in the House of
Representatives in the 11th and 15th General Assemblies, ILLINOIS FIFTH
CAPITOL , pages 282,316.

Conditions of service must have been less than ideal as this excerpt from
the Vandalia web site reflects:
"Vandalia's second statehouse was built during the summer of 1824 by
residents who feared removal of the capitol to another town. Like its
predecessor, the building served primarily as a meeting place for the
general assembly. State executive offices and the Supreme Court seem to
have had no permanent quarters. The building had been constructed hastily,
and the defects were soon apparent. By 1834 its floors sagged badly and the
walls bulged dangerously. Two years later people refused to enter the
building for fear it would collapse.

Vandalia residents, frightened by an 1834 referendum to relocate the
capitol, constructed a third statehouse, the one that stands today. Work
began in the summer of 1836 with efforts to salvage material from the old
building. Though workers attempted to finish the building rapidly, much
remained to be done when the legislature convened in early December.
Plaster in second-story rooms was still damp, and rooms on the first floor
were barely begun.

This third statehouse was of simple Federal design. Larger than any of its
predecessors,
the building provided for the first time, space for all three branches of
government. The
first floor contained offices for the auditor of public accounts, secretary
of state, and
Treasurer - all members of the executive branch - as well as chambers for
the supreme
Court. There was no space specifically assigned to the governor, the whole
of the second
floor was devoted to the needs of the general assembly."

It is worth noting that Mr. Williamson's service paralleled that of Abraham
Lincoln who served in the 9th, 10th, 11th and 12th General Assemblies in
the House of Representatives. What kind of legislator did Williamson prove
to be? Certainly in this initial term he was no mover or shaker but his
voting pattern reveals that he made up his own mind and no one person or
faction controlled his conscience or vote. If he did have predispositions
the only clear one was that he took a protective view for the interests of
his district. However, at that time, it was common for representatives to
be instructed by their constituencies and it is now impossible to know, in
each case, whether he voted his party, his district or his conscience. This
General Assembly took up questions/issues on the following subjects:
removal of Indians west of the Mississippi River, navigation of rivers,
reorganization of county government, the impeachment of Judge Theophillus
Smith, sale of public lands, incorporations, judicial jurisdictions,
approval of local appointments, election of county officials, construction
and extensions of roads, bridges, rails and canals, the state militia,
paupers and debtors, estray animals, pre-exemption, public finance,
taxation ,the apportionment of taxes, state banking law and, on occasion,
petitions to Congress in the form of resolutions. Mr. Williamson
represented Macon and Shelby counties. "By the luck of the draw" his term
was for four years rather than the usual two years because the terms were
staggered so that the Senate would be divided into two classes with half
the terms expiring at different times. Senator Ewing, who had the votes,
made a motion, that was defeated, to choose the senators in the two classes
by ballot of the Senate but the constitution required a drawing, SENATE
JOURNAL, page 182. Actually, the General Assembly only met December through
February the following year so it is misleading to say the term was for
years. Of course, they were subject to call by the governor if the need
should arise. On December 5, 1832 he was appointed to the Standing
Committee on Elections. SENATE JOURNAL, page 25.He served through 1835 when
a neighbor, Peter Warren, replaced him. SENATE JOURNAL, 1832-34,page
182.ILLINOIS FACT BOOK AND HISTORICAL ALMANAC, 1673-1968, pages 202f.

This session was marked by consideration of the national agenda, which was
set, in part, when John C. Calhoun and the South Carolina legislature
advanced the doctrine of nullification in which the compact theory of
state's rights was proclaimed. This thesis asserted that an individual
state could void/veto an act of the national congress, most specifically in
this case, an unpopular and unwise Tariff of 1832. Because the South
Carolinians were adherents to the Jeffersonian notion that what the
constitution did not permit was prohibited, the nation faced another
secession crisis. Since the Proclamation called upon the individual states
to petition for a new constitutional convention the state of Illinois in
General Assembly took up the question by adoption of the following
resolution on the 18th of December, Mr. Williamson voting in the
affirmative.

"Resolved, by the Senate and House of Representatives, of the state of
Illinois,
"That the proposition of both houses of the state of South Carolina, having
for its object the call of a convention of the states to consider and
determine such question of disputed power as have arisen between the states
of this confederacy and the general government, which have been transmitted
to this general assembly for an expression of its sentiments, having been
considered by this body with the respect due to the distinguished member of
the Union from which it emanated, is deemed by this assembly to be
inexpedient and inadmissible
Because, 1st: The constitution of the United States does not recognize any
such tribunal as a convention of states, but has expressly provided another
mode in which amendments to that instrument, when deemed necessary, shall
be made.
Because, 2nd: A convention to propose amendments when called by congress
must be, in the nature of things, a convention of the people, from which
the constitution derives its authority, and not a convention of the states.

Because, 3rd: That such a political assemblage as a convention of states,
not being recognized by the constitution, could have, if assembled, no
legal or constitutional existence or power, and could not have authority to
consider and determine questions of disputed power which have arisen
between the government and states of the Union.
Because, 4th: It is not expedient to call a convention at this time; but
that if any amendments to the constitution be necessary, this general
assembly, believe they should be proposed in a manner pointed out in the
constitution by two thirds of both houses of congress.
Because 5th: This general assembly is not aware of any political exigency
in the affairs of this nation, which may not be settled by an ordinary
exertion of the wisdom of congress, the patriotism and the loyal affections
of the people to their country.
Because 6th: This constitution has expressly given to the supreme court
full power for the settlement of all controversies between the government
and individual states, members of the Union." SENATE JOURNAL, pages
580-582.

Earlier in the session, in response to a message from Governor John
Reynolds, a resolution was adopted unanimously by the senate that called
upon the US Congress to use "speedy and vigorous measures on the part of
the general government" on the grounds that "disunion by armed force is
treason", SENATE JOURNAL, December 24,1832, page 130.

The general Assembly subsequently passed the original resolution without
change, Mr. Williamson voting in the affirmative. Because much of the work
of the senate was expedited by dissolving the senate into committee of the
whole it is often impossible to know who took what position on specific
issues and therefore, the Journal of the Senate leaves us guessing as to
opinions and policies of individual senators. Sometimes the recorder
includes affirmative and negative votes and more often he did not. A
summary of what can be known of Williamson's service and voting record in
the session follows.

In the 1832-1833 session Mr. Williamson was appointed to two standing
committees and they were the Committee on Elections. With Messers: Evans,
Mills, McCreery and Grammar, and the Committee on Military Affairs with
Messers: Strode, Raum, Iles, and Davidson, Page 25-26

In response to the governor's message to the General Assembly several
resolutions were proposed in the senate and committees assigned to inquire
into the legislative response. Mr. Williamson was assigned to the select
committee to propose a response to resolution number six that read: "So
much as relates to local and national improvements", page 27.

In December 1832 he voted with the majority to elect James Semple to the
office of State Attorney-General. HOUSE JOURNAL, 1832-33,pages 233-235.
Earlier that day he voted for James T.B. Stapp for Auditor, HOUSE JOURNAL,
page 195 and SENATE JOURNAL, page 183. He voted with the minority for John
Ewing to be Warden of the State Penitentiary, HOUSE JOURNAL, page, and 232.
John Dement was elected unanimously to be State Treasurer, SENATE JOURNAL,
and page 183-184.On December 10, 1832 he voted in a joint session with the
House of Representatives for John York Sawyer to be Public Printer to serve
a two year term, SENATE JOURNAL, page 53-54 and HOUSE JOURNAL, page 78. The
contest for state printer was more significant than might first be seen.
Because printing establishments were also publishers of newspapers the
friends of the political majority were often rewarded with the state's
business. The printer profited in his business and the politicos profited
with editorial endorsements and a platform for attacking or answering their
political enemies. An example of this is the 1832-1833 session when Sawyer
was given the contract to print the transcript of the Theopholis Smith
impeachment proceedings,SENATE JOURNAL, page 309. Published as an appendix
in the, SENATE JOURNAL, EIGHTH GENERAL ASSEMBLY the transcript extends to
91 pages.

On this day in the senate he and Mr. Ewing were appointed to a select
committee to report on a House of Representatives "act to repeal an act
authorizing the county commissioners court of Shelby County to lay a tax
for certain purposes". This act had been passed in the 7th General
Assembly. Ordered to third reading, page 86 and enrolled December 29,1832,
page 178-179, 182. Perhaps the bill was retitled or the Senate chose to
initiate its own bill because on February 13 a bill entitled " An Act to
authorize the county commissioners court to levy a tax for certain purposes
specified" was up for second reading when Mr. Williamson proposed to insert
this language "except in Shelby and Macon counties". On motion of Mr.
Ewing, the bill was sent to the Judiciary Committee, page 420.Presumably,
his amendment was retained because he voted for the final bill that passed
the Senate, 13-10,page 525. However, on February 27th the House informed
the Senate that they had denied the bill a second reading, page 583.

On December 8 Messers: Ewing and Williamson represented the senate on a
joint committee "to consider the accounts of John R. Taylor for repairs to
the state house". page, 52. On December 10,1832 a resolution was adopted to
"take into consideration a report on a bill for repairs of the State
House", Mr.Ewing and Mr.Williamson represented the senate on the joint
committee established to make recommendations on this question, page 52. On
motion of Mr. Snyder, who supported the move to Springfield, the resolution
was laid on the table, page 87.

On the 11th he was appointed to a select committee of five to study and
report on a bill entitled: "An act for the relief of persons therein
named", page 60. This act was adopted by the Senate, 18-5 without Mr.
Williamson's' support, page 319. In February, an attempt to tack on a rider
to this bill was offered by Mr. Bird to wit: "That the bill entitled an act
permanently to locate the seat of government of this state, passed the
present session of this legislature, be, and the same is hereby repealed".
This measure was defeated 12-13 with Mr. Williamson voting to support, page
521-522. The relief act was referred to select committee and another
attempt to preserve Vandalia as the state capitol had failed.

On the 17th he asked leave to introduce a bill entitled "An act to erect
certain bridges", page 85. On the 18th he was appointed to a select
committee with Senators Williams and Forquer to report on this issue, page
87. On 4 January the bill was reported back to the senate for second and
third reading but on January 5th it failed to pass by a 2-1 margin, page
209, 213. Regardless of the merits of this proposal the number of worthy
projects always exceeded the funding capacity of the state budget. In 1832
state expenditures were $284,647 and annual revenue $290.094 leaving a
budget surplus of $5447,page 44-45. By comparison the 1837 state budget
balanced at $738,325,LAWS OF ILLINOIS 1836-1837,pages, 116-117.

On December 18th the House of Representatives proposed that the Senate
concur with the following resolution: "that a joint select committee of
seven from the House of Representatives and five from the senate, be
appointed to take into consideration the subject of of the South Carolina
Doctrine of Nullification, and report to both houses ". A motion to lay
this proposal on the table was made by Mr. Evans but it was defeated 12-13
with Mr. Williamson voting to table. The Senate then adopted the resolution
by an unreported vote, page 92-93. As will be seen Mr. Williamson supported
the President's position on the crisis in South Carolina, so why would he
oppose this resolution? The answer probably lies in reluctance on the part
of the Senate leadership to accept the 7-5 House advantage on the committee
and a preference for considering the issues in the Senate. On Christmas Eve
the Senate met and endorsed a resolution proposed by the House endorsing
the position of the President on the nullification crisis in South
Carolina, Mr. Williamson voting aye, page 128-130.


Mr. Williamson voted to extend the National Road to Vandalia, Illinois,
December 19, page 107. At this time the National road that began in
Wheeling, Virginia (now West Virginia) was little more than a track through
central Illinois.

On December 21,Mr Williamson voted aye on "an act authorizing a credit on
sales of School lands" page 115. The bill was laid on the table, page 120
and passed with the House asked to concur, page 123 There was concern
within the Senate that the sale of Section 16 lands might not be
constitutional and a resolution directed to the courts requesting an
advisory opinion was adopted, pages 159-160.

Senator Williamson supported passage of an omnibus bill on internal
improvement entitled "An act to incorporate the North Western Company, for
manufacturing purposes" after opposing an amendment to the bill which would
have reserved to the legislature the right to review the measure after 10
years time, December 24, page 125. The bill subsequently was adopted 18-7
with Mr. Williamson voting aye, and the House was requested to concur, page
126.

On December 26 he was appointed to a select committee to consider a bill
from the House of Representatives entitled "An act to change a part of the
state road leading from Shelbyville to Paris and for other purposes", page
158. The act passed second reading and, on Mr. Williamson's motion, was
referred to a select committee composed of Messers. Williamson, Archer, and
Craig, pages, 158-159.The bill were reported as correctly enrolled,
approved by the Council of Revision and ultimately adopted, page 421-422.
On December 29 Senator Mills reported from a select committee charged with
drafting a memorial to Congress requesting that the sale of public lands in
Illinois might early on be subject to taxation. Mr. Williamson moved that
these be postponed until July 4 next but this motion was rejected, the
committee language was adopted and the House requested to concur, page 182.
Since the General Assembly never met on July 4th in any year the adoption
of this measure was a parliamentary device to kill any proposal.

On January 4,1833 a bill from the House of Representatives entitled "An act
to regulate the penitentiary" was taken up with amendments proposed by the
Senate Judiciary Committee. A motion was made to strike out sections 5 and
6 of the bill. This vote failed 10-16 with Mr. Williamson voting to strike
out, page 210. The subject of section five gave the Inspectors of the
Penitentiary the authority to lay off lots east of the penitentiary for
sale to the highest bidder on credit and good security for six, twelve and
eighteen months. Section six required that the proceeds from the sale of
these lots would be used for construction on prison grounds, LAWS OF
ILLINOIS, EIGHTH GENERAL ASSEMBLY, 1833,pages 477-478.

In the second session, January 7,1833 he voted against a pro rata bill
apportioning funds from the sale of saline lands. Shelby County was
allotted $300 and Macon $150 and since most counties received at least $200
it might be concluded that he voted against the slight to Macon County
which he also represented, page 234.

A bill taken from the table relative to the establishment of circuit courts
was taken up and amendments offered. Mr. Ewing proposed language "four" but
this was defeated with Mr. Williamson voting aye. Next an amendment
proposing "three" was offered and this was adopted 14-13 with Mr.
Williamson voting no. The bill as amended was sent on to third reading,
page 251. This issue related to the number of terms of the circuit courts
held annually in each of the counties, LAWS OF ILLINOIS, EIGHTH GENERAL
ASSEMBLY, 1833,page 162. On January 17 the bill came back to the floor for
its' third reading and a motion was made to strike out "three" as the
number of judges and inserting "one". The proposal lost 12-14 with Mr.
Williamson voting no. A second motion proposing that the number of judges
be "two" was defeated. A motion was offered to postpone the bill to July
4,next failed with Mr. Williamson voting aye. The bill was then laid back
on the table, Page 299-300. On January 17 proponents of the bill asked the
Senate to approve a motion to add a sixth judicial district presided over
by one judge. The motion was adopted,14-12 with Mr. Williamson voting aye.
He then supported a motion to postpone indefinitely which failed, 12-14.
The bill then retiled "An act to establish an additional judicial circuit"
was passed without these amendments and without Mr. Williamson's vote and
the House asked to concur, pages 305-306. At some point the bill came back
from the Judiciary Committee and passed. Mr. Williamson voting no, page
453. The issue turned on the number of judges as well as the number of
sessions per annum but who favored what language in each case is unclear.
LAWS OF ILLINOIS 1833 reveals that the number of circuits remained at
"five" and the number of sessions per anum "two," pages 162-163. At issue
too, was the need to provide civil government in and for the northwestern
section of the state that was beginning to gain population following the
settlement of the Black Hawk "disturbance"

On January 11, "An Act to compensate Clerks and other persons for services
rendered in comparing poll books" that proposed they receive six cents per
mile in travel came to the floor. Mr. McCreery proposed five cents and this
was discarded, Mr. Ewing proposed ten cents which was also set aside, Mr.
Williamson proposed eight cents and this was also rejected and the motion
to accept six was finally agreed to, page 261 and LAWS OF ILLINOIS,
1833,PAGE 127.

When the School Fund bill came to the floor from the Committee of the Whole
Mr. Will proposed several amendments that included these ideas:
1. The School fund commissioners were to pay in all funds they held into
the Treasury
2. The State Auditor was to pay out these funds to the County
Commissioners according to the apportionment of population
at the last census
3.The County Commissioners would be required to loan these funds on
good security for the highest rate of interest they could
4.The County Commissioners would be required to use the interest
Earned on the loans to establish and maintain schools in their respective
counties.
This motion to amend was defeated 9-16 with Mr. Williamson voting aye. The
bill was then engrossed for third reading, pages, 287- 288. On February
8,1833 the House conveyed to the Senate that this bill had failed to be
read by the House a third time and the bill was sent back to the Senate
Committee on School Lands and Education which proposed amendments to the
House's objections and the bill was referred back to the floor for third
reading, Pages 371 and 380. The Senate passed the revised act from the
House "concerning the school fund" February 9,page 388. The school fund was
established by the sale of section sixteen lands and, throughout his
legislative career, Mr. Williamson's voting record suggests an
unwillingness to "raid" the fund for general government expense.

On January 14 he presented a petition on behalf of residents of Macon
County "praying the review of the road From Decatur to Paris" be improved
between Decatur and Paris, page 269.

A bill from committee relating to circuit courts was reported to the floor
with amendments and the bill was passed its' third reading 14-11 with Mr.
Williamson voting no, page 283. On this day, January 14, he also voted no
on "an act authorizing the Commissioners of the School and Seminary Fund to
loan the same to the state". The bill was adopted and the House was asked
to concur, page 294.

On the 23 of January he moved an amendment on this bill, which would "
strike out the names of the road commissioners stated in the bill and
insert in lieu thereof the names James Johnson, Henry Snyder, and Philip D.
Williams". page, 324.

On the 15th of January the bill to relocate the capitol came to the floor
and Mr. Williamson moved to postpone the bill indefinitely but the Senate
rejected this 15-11,Snyder, John: ADAM SNYDER AND HIS PERIOD IN ILLINOIS
HISTORY, 1817-1842,pages 154-155. He voted affirmatively to establish a
commission to report on the issue of permanently fixing the seat of state
government, page 275. Here his position was to refer the decision on the
state capitol to the voters in the next election (1834) where the city
receiving the plurality of votes would decide the matter. The voters were
to have the choice of Jacksonville (Morgan), Springfield (Sangamon), Alton
(Madison), and Vandalia (Fayette), page 291-292. When the bill was
considered on the floor he unsuccessfully attempted to have the choice
include "Shelbyville in Shelby County and Decatur in Macon County", pages
291-292. The motion was accepted but in its final markup the bill included
only the four choices cited above and Peoria which was accepted by
amendment. It read in its final form: "Be it enacted by the people of the
state of Illinois, represented in the General Assembly, That at the next
election to be held in the several counties of the state for members of the
legislature, there shall be opened at such place of voting, a book, in
which shall be entered the votes of the qualified voters in favor of the
following named places, as their choice for the permanent location of the
seat of government of this state, after the expiration of time prescribed
by the constitution for it remaining at Vandalia, to wit: The Geographical
Centre of the state;Jacksonville,in Morgan County; Springfield in Sangamon
County; Alton in Madison County;Vandalia,in Fayette County; and Peoria in
Peoria County. The place or point receiving the highest number of votes
shall forever hereafter remain the seat of government for the state of
Illinois". Subsequently, the matter was passed back to the legislature to
decide.
On January 16th the Senate entertained a motion that was defeated, to add
Carlyle in Clinton County to the list of eligibles for a state capitol with
Mr. Williamson voting no. He voted aye on a motion to table the relocation
bill until August 1,1835. The bill to establish a Board of Commissioners to
recommend a site passed, 16-10, without Williamson's support, pages
294-295. Also on the 16th he supported a motion to postpone this election
until January 16,1835,Page 294. Inevitably, the relocation of the capitol
to Springfield was linked to the internal improvement movement. Because of
logrolling, the "long nine" of Sangamon County and other blocs voted for
relocation in exchange for votes for their favored projects. Such practices
put representatives and senators from single member districts, such as Mr.
Williamson's Shelby County, at a disadvantage in pooling their votes in
exchange for local projects. Following the principle "you scratch my back
and I will scratch yours" legislators committed the state to far more
projects than could be funded and the accumulated costs far exceeded the
capacity of the state to pay. The result was fiscal collapse and the
failure of almost all the public works that had been chartered. This
question continued to be a point of conflict and controversy as several
cities wanted this plum in their own district. Finally, by a joint vote in
the General Assembly on February 28,1837 an act was adopted that made
Springfield the new seat of government, ILLINOIS FIFTH CAPITOL, page 1.

The Senate was asked to concur on a House bill entitled " An act concerning
the school fund", page 353.
Mr. Ewing made a motion that a committee of five be established to "enquire
into the expediency of establishing a state bank in this state, founded on
specie capital". A select committee for this purpose was appointed composed
of Ewing, Davidson, Jones, and Archer and Will, page 354. Mr. Williamson
doggedly supported the concept of a state bank founded on specie but the
maintenance of this standard was constantly at risk due to economic
conditions and broad market forces.

A message from the Governor containing a request by the state of South
Carolina calling for a convention of the states was sent to a select
committee of Ewing, Mather and Strode, page 355. A motion to carry over a
resolution calling for a state convention the first Monday in August, 1834
failed adoption with Mr. Williamson voting no, page 469-470.The Senate
answered the state of South Carolina's call for a convention of the states
by deeming the call "inexpedient and inadmissible" and gave six objections.
A motion to postpone indefinitely was defeated with Mr. Williamson voting
no. A motion was made to strike out reasons #4, #5 and # 6. Mr. Williamson
voted to strike out number six but retain numbers four and five. The six
clauses were retained and the report passed with Mr. Williamson voting aye,
page 580-582. Number six read as follows: "The constitution has expressly
given to the supreme court full power for the settlement of all
controversies between the government and individual states..." page 581.

He voted to oppose an amendment to a bill on paupers that added the
language "that when any person becomes a pauper from intemperance or other
bad conduct they shall not be entitled to support from any relative except
parent or child". Amendment was added and the bill passed, 14-11 without
his support, page 362.

On February 9-11 the Senate took up a major bill entitled "An Act relative
to criminal jurisprudence" and although several recorded votes were taken
in this time period Mr. Williamson is listed in none of these and there is
no mention in the SENATE JOURNAL that he had leave to be absent, pages,
380-402. He could have been in the chair but that would more likely have
been a task assigned to a member of the Judiciary committee.

On the 12th of February the Senate took up an engrossed bill entitled " An
Act to raise funds for the construction of a permanent road across
Purgatory and the little Wabash bottoms on the Vincennes and St. Louis mail
road". The bill was read a third time and passed, 12-11 with Mr. Williamson
voting aye, page 409.The House was asked to concur but the Representatives
voted to postpone the measure until July 4th, next which effectively killed
the road for this session, page 413.

A message from Governor Reynolds suggesting that the General Assembly
consider" the propriety to authorize certain companies of mounted gunmen to
be organized on the frontier for its protection" resulted in the proposal
being referred to the Committee on Military Affairs. The committee reported
the bill back in tandem with a bill to organize the militia of Cook County.
It was read a second time but referred back to the committee with
instructions to make the provisions of the law more general, page 418. On
February 13 the committee reported the bill back to the floor with several
amendments that were agreed to but, on Mr. Evans motion, the bill was then
referred to a select committee, page 421. That portion of the bill related
to Cook County was taken up in the afternoon session and language added
requiring that bond for use of state weapons include the requirement that
they be returned in "good order". "An Act declaring the Fever River a
navigatable stream as high as Ottawa" was introduced and curiously was
referred to the Military Affairs Committee, page 438.On February 26 the
House asked concurrence on "An Act for the organization and governance of
the militia of this state". The bill was read a second time and sent to the
Military Affairs Committee, page 565. The Council of Revision reported that
the bill was correctly enrolled and it was therefore adopted into law, page
636. This occasion could have produced a point of conflict between the
governor and Senator Williamson who later brought suit against John
Reynolds for some unspecified grievance. See, cases cited below.

Also, on this day the Senate agreed, 15-9, with Mr. Williamson voting for a
bill "relative to the closing of the state bank", page 423. The bill passed
third reading, page 423. The bill was finally adopted by the Senate, page
433. The Bank of Shawneetown, chartered in 1821, went bust after 12 years.
Judge Theophilus Smith had written its' charter and it was the bank of
preference for the people of southern Illinois. Its failure contributed to
the suspicion that all banks were discredable especially following the
Panic of 1819 that, in turn, led to the re-establishment (1816-1836) of the
Second Bank of the United States. Andrew Jackson destroyed the 2nd BUS in
1836 by removal of US deposits that were re-directed to state banks. The
politization of the banking system and the inability of the leadership of
national or state leadership to establish a sound currency remained a
handicap for economic stability during Mr. Williamson's lifetime.

On February 14,1833 he asked and obtained leave to introduce a petition
praying relief for Sally Scroggins and Joel Reynolds. Sally Scroggins was
the widow of John Scroggins and his neighbor in Shelby County. He moved to
refer to select committee and Mr. Williamson was named to the committee for
markup, page 428,444. Second reading, page 453,engrossed for a third
reading, 453 and reported as enrolled, 453,461. On February 18 he
introduced a bill "authorizing the sale of the real estate of John
Scroggins, deceased and for other purposes", page 461. The House concurred
on the Scroggins bill, page 544. The bill was reported as correctly
enrolled, page 570. Note: John Scroggins, like Margaret Ledbetter, was a
neighbor of William Williamson and is buried in the Sulphur Springs
Cemetery, Windsor TS, in Shelby County. On 6 September, 1815 in Gallatin
County, Illinois a John Scroggins and Chattin Scroggins provided security
to the court for Asa Ledbetter who was appointed to be the guardian of
Polly Montgomery, email from William B. Ledbetter April 26,1999. I have
been unable to further document this citation but continue to try.

In mid February the Senate was subjected to a blitz of proposals as members
hastened to get their bills into the legislative mill before the session
ended. Some members attempted to extend the session and on most of these
votes Mr. Williamson voted no, pages 439.

Messers. Williamson, Ewing and Mills were named to a conference committee
relative to" just compensation of the sheriff of Fayette County". The House
agreed and when the senate members supported their conferees
recommendations the House withdrew its objections and the senate version
prevailed, pages 565, 589,598. This issue may be taken as confirmation of
the collaboration that existed between Messers Ewing and Williamson. While
they were often on opposite sides of a vote it was not the first time that,
when Ewing, as presiding officer, needed a vote, he sometimes managed to
have Mr. Williamson appointed to the committee charged with the measure.
Senator Williamson moved to second reading a bill from the House relative
to the election of justices of the peace in the Shelbyville District. Ewing
moved it to 3rd reading by title and the bill passed, page 556. The bill
was reported as enrolled, pages 570,576.

On the 16th of January the Senate took up the question of the rules to be
followed governing the impeachment trial of Judge Theophilus W. Smith of
the 2nd circuit (which included Shelby and Macon Counties). Mr. Williamson
proposed an amendment to the resolution that would allow, "Ladies who may
seem proper to attend". This language was agreed to, page 318.On February
15 the House formally asked the Senate to concur in the charges contained
in the indictment against Judge Smith, page 454-455. Mr. Williamson voted
on February 18 against a House of Representatives resolution calling for
the removal of Judge Theophilus W. Smith of the 2nd judicial circuit and
the House preamble was ordered to be laid on the table, page
459.Subsequently Senator Torque attempted to offer an alternative motion
that would condemn Judge Smith but these were ruled out of order by the
Speaker and, his ruling being challenged was upheld with Mr. Williamson
supporting the ruling of the chair, page 457. A motion to lay over the
proposal to the 18th was adopted 14-12 with Mr. Williamson voting no, page
457. On the 18th the Senate voted 8-18 not to accept the Forquer motion and
ordered that the House be advised, page 459.
The Journal of the Senate for the 8th General Assembly contains an appendix
that is a record of the proceedings of the Senate in the matter of the
impeachment of Judge Theophilus Smith. Judge Smith was omnipresent in early
Illinois politics. He wrote the charter of the first Shawneetown Bank and
manipulated for control of the bank. When he failed to get control he ruled
it unconstitutional when serving as a Supreme Court Justice. He became an
early canal commissioner, no doubt with similar ambitions. His machinations
seem to be worthy of a Talleyrand or a Richelieu. A contemporary observer
said of Smith, circa 1834: "Smith is universally feared, his ambition and
his intriguing spirit alarm friends and foes". Pease, THE FRONTIER STATE,
1818-1848,page 126.These hearings were held throughout the session from
January 7 through February 7,1833,pages 1-91. Mr. Williamson was sworn on
January 10. He was called upon to vote on certain interrogatories that were
put to the witnesses before the Senate. Mr. Williamson's pattern of voting
on these show him to be skeptical of the charges and supportive of
questions (pages 64-65,68) put to hostile witnesses. His partisanship is
further apparent when he voted not to extend the courtesy (approved 19-5)
to allow the prosecutors for the House to sit within the bar of the court.
There were six articles of impeachment. Mr. Williamson voted not guilty on
all six. Articles one and two resulted in a vote of 11-11. Articles three
and five were adopted, 12-10. The fourth article resulted in a unanimous
verdict of not guilty and the last article failed 9-13. All charges were
acquitted because a two -thirds vote was required for removal, pages 88-91.

On February 14 Mr. Williamson was appointed to a select committee on
trespassing (estray) animals, Page 434,437 and another such committee, page
534. Mr. Williamson must have had an interest or a capacity for such
legislation because he was to be appointed to the Committee on Estrays in
the next session.

On January 25,1833 in the House of Representatives Mr. Beeler of Shelby
County gave notice that on Monday next he would ask leave to introduce an
act: "to authorize MARGARET LEDBETTER to sell and convey a certain tract of
land in Shelby County". HOUSE JOURNAL, page 404. On 28 January, 1833 "Mr.
Beeler in pursuance of notice heretofore given asked and obtained leave to
bring a bill entitled: " An act for the benefit of the widow of ASA
LEDBETTER, deceased"; which was read and ordered to a second reading. HOUSE
JOURNAL, page 420. On February 19, 1833 the Speaker of the House proclaimed
" I am directed to inform the House of Representatives in the passage of
bills of the following titles: "An act for the benefit of the widow and
heirs of ASA LEDBETTER, deceased", and other bills I did not record, HOUSE
JOURNAL, page 586. On February 19th the senate took up consideration of the
bill from the House after Williamson moved to suspend the rules and the
bill moved to second reading, page 476-477,509. The bill appeared as an
enrolled bill February 20, pages 4779, 485-486,509. Approval came on 20
February 1833 as a private act, which reads as follows:
"Whereas it has been represented to this General Assembly, that Margaret
Ledbetter of Shelby County, widow of Asa Ledbetter, deceased and
administratrix of the estate of said decedent, that the said Asa Ledbetter,
in his life time, purchased the west half of the southest quarter of
section thirty four, twelve North, four east of the third principal
meridian, and built a mill thereon, which is all the real property
belonging to said decedent's estate; that the said mill is fast going to
decay, and no means are possessed of rebuilding or repairing the same; that
the said land is not valuable for any other purpose than as a mill seat,
and it is believed that it would be greatly to the advantage of the said
Margaret and the heirs of the said decedent, that the same should be sold
and the proceeds thereof invested in other lands more suitable for
cultivation, therefore,
Be it enacted by the people of the state of Illinois represented in General
Assembly, That Margaret Ledbetter, widow and administratrix of Asa
Ledbetter, deceased, be, and she is hereby authorized to sell at public or
private sale, the said west half of the southeast quarter of section
thirty-four, township twelve north, range four east, in Shelby County, with
all the improvements and appurtenances thereon, for the best price, and on
such terms, as she may judge most advisable, and when such sale is made,
and payments therefore received, to make a good and sufficient deed
therfor,to the purchaser, which deed shall convey to such purchaser, all
the right and title of the said widow and minor heirs of the said decedent,
in and to said tract of land: and when such sale shall have been made, it
shall be the duty of the said Margaret Ledbetter to lay out all the
proceeds of the same, in the purchase of other lands in the county of
Shelby, in the name and for the benefit and use of the said widow and heirs
of said decedent." From James Thompson's Book: LAWS OF A PRIVATE NATURE,
EIGHTH GENERAL ASSEMBLY at Vandalia. Call number I328 Illi. , copy
2,1832-1833,pages 118-119. These bills of a private nature were not
generally controversial and certainly not uncommon. This example is
included because there are reasons (inconclusive at this time) to suggest a
family connection between the Ledbetters and the Williamsons and/or perhaps
the Montgomerys.
Why a private bill would be necessary to enable Margaret Ledbetter to sell
may have been due to the lack of a bill of sale or clear title to the
property. The language seems designed to protect any future buyer as much
as to grant a property right to the seller. Such bills were not rare but
should be especially interesting where the beneficiary of the legislation
could be a family connection. For some reason this "private" bill was made
public law on February 20,1837 in the Tenth General Assembly session, LAWS
OF ILLINOIS TENTH GENERAL ASSEMBLY 1837,page 183.

Presiding as chairman of the committee of the whole, and the Speaker
resuming the chair, he reported back to the senate that several amendments
had been made, which would grant preemption rights to settlers on canal
lands. The question was called and the bill was adopted without further
debate, page 467 and 469. It should be remembered that Williamson had
previously and personally been a beneficiary of these squatters/settlers
rights when he purchased an improvement from William Wegar in 1825.

The Senate was asked to concur on a House bill relative to a road from
Greenville to Hillsboro. Mr.Williamson, Mr. Lynch and Mr. Craig were
appointed to the select committee to study the bill, page 473.

An act from the House authorizing payment of the state debt was read in the
Senate and ordered read a second time on July 4, next. The vote was 17-4
with Mr. Williamson voting with the majority, page 475.

Messers: Williamson, Ewing and Bird were appointed to a select committee to
locate a permanent seat of government for Tazewell County, page 490.

On February 10,1835 again voted for Jesse B. Thomas, Jr. who was elected
Attorney General, page 521. Messers Lincoln and Williamson voting together.
Jesse Thomas Jr. was the nephew of Jesse B. Thomas who was earlier elected
to be the first US Senator from Illinois, Mr. Thomas originated the
"Thomas" amendment which was incorporated into the Missouri enabling act
that proposed to exclude slavery north of 36-30 in the Louisiana Territory.
This became one of the foundations of the Missouri Compromise of 1820 and a
rallying point for those seeking to restrict the advance of slavery into
western regions. Following the Congress' NORTHWEST ORDINANCE OF 1787 the
Illinois constitution excluded slavery from the state but Mr. Thomas saw no
contradiction as a leader of the faction that attempted to amend the
constitution to legalize slavery in Illinois in 1823. The measure failed by
about two thousand votes. The Senior Thomas had a distinguished political
career in Illinois but left the state, in part because he could not accept
the grip that the Jacksonians held on Illinois state government after 1824.
He came to an unhappy end when he committed suicide in Ohio. Although Mr.
Williamson came from a slave state, his origins were in an area of western
North Carolina that were conducive to the free labor of the family farm
rather than slave labor. He was of voting age and would have been qualified
to vote, and presumably, he would have voted no if he had arrived in
Illinois by this date. His voting record before 1850 was to oppose the
extension of slavery into new territories but maintain it undisturbed where
it had become entrenched under state sanction.

He voted against a school bill that would have appointed a School
Commissioner and given him authority to make discretionary loans from the
School Fund, page 523.

On February 25 the Senate began consideration of the House bill "relative
to the interest upon the fund arising from the sale of public lands" which
had been amended in the Senate School Lands and Education Committee.
Several amendments were offered to the bill. Mr. Williamson voted no on all
of these and supported the bill as it final version, page 535 and LAWS OF
ILLINOIS 1833,pages 554-567. The bill was agreed to, passed third reading,
and adopted with the House asked to concur in the changes, page 532 and
547.

On February 25th in answer to a Senate Resolution Governor Reynolds
reported on the stand of state arms at the Ottawa depository and the costs
of maintaining them. The number of arms were 400 and the accumulated costs
due for maintenance was $150. The Senate referred the message to the
Committee on Military Affairs, page 530. The committee combines and House
measure on public arms with the Governor's message and reported these back
to the floor. Mr. Forquer wanted to add language to limit the costs to
"reasonable compensation" supported by written vouchers, Mr Williamson
moved to add the name Henry Eddy to the name of Major Campbell who was the
responsible official in Ottawa, and others wanted the amount paid out to be
$75 or $50. The dollar amount reductions were rejected and the bill with
other amendments was passed, page 532-533.

On February 25 the Senate began consideration of a bill that would
establish a state university. Mr. Ewing proposed an amendment to strike out
Springfield and the word University to add "four schools or seminaries of
learning to be denominated Washington, Lafayette, Franklin and Jefferson
Colleges" when a motion was made to postpone the bill to July 4 next, was
carried, 14- 13, with Mr. Williamson voting to postpone, pages 531 and 538.

A bill on the subject of enclosures came from the House asked the Senate to
concur. Motions were made to postpone indefinitely and unto July 4, next
but both were defeated. Mr. Williamson voting not to postpone. The bill was
adopted with amendments and the House asked to concur. Mr. Williamson voted
"do pass", pages 549-550. A conference committee was established to
reconcile variations of this bill, page 595.

Mr. Williamson voted in the negative to raise the pay of assistant clerks
in the House and Senate from $3 to $3.50, page 587.The bill passed and was
approved by the Council of Revision, page 545.

Working on the principle that "all politics is local" Mr. Williamson was
ever alert to an opportunity to advance the interests of his constituents
in Shelby and Macon Counties. On February 26,1833 he proposed to attach an
amendment to a road bill otherwise unrelated to the interests of his
district when he proposed the following: "The auditor of public accounts is
hereby directed to issue his warrants in favor of the counties of Macon and
Shelby, on the orders of the county commissioners' court of said counties,
for the sum of one hundred dollars each. The commissioners of Shelby County
shall expend the money in building a bridge across Robertson's creek on the
Vandalia Road: and the commissioners of Macon County shall expend the money
which is appropriated to said county, in building a bridge across Salt
Creek on the state road leading from Decatur to Bloomington, thence to
Chicago. This act to be in force from and after its passage." The amendment
was decided in the negative, page 551.

In this manner he also moved that a House bill relative to the election of
justices of the peace in the Shelbyville District be moved forward, page,
556. A House bill relative to a road from Springfield to Shelbyville on Mr.
Williamson's motion was read a second time and ultimately, with amendments,
passed, page 561.

A House bill reported out of Mr. Ewing's Judiciary Committee entitled "An
act to amend the acts concerning justices of the peace and constables" was
passed without amendment, 15-11.Mr. Williamson voted aye and Mr. Ewing
voted no, pages, 569-570.

A House bill requesting Senate concurrence on an act to regulate interest
on money, was taken up and an amendment offered to substitute eighteen
percent in lieu of twelve percent as the maximum amount of interest charged
on a loan, provided the lender and borrower voluntarily agreed to the
higher rate. The amendment was rejected and the bill adopted, 14-10,with
Mr. Williamson voting to maintain the legal maxim at twelve percent, page
571. LAWS OF ILLINOIS 1833, pages 348-350.

He voted in favor of a bill that would pay a bounty rewarding those who
killed wolves, page 621. Also, voted against amendment and for the final
version although it was defeated, page, 633. The idea may have been a good
one for that time but the amendments offered to the bill seem impractical
and perhaps the bill that passed was as well. There is no record in LAWS of
ILLINOIS 1833 to suggest that it did, in fact, pass both houses in this
session. A bounty was subsequently authorized in the 1836-1837 session,
LAWS OF ILLINOIS, page 334-335. The state auditor reported a state expense
for the killing of wolves for that fiscal period of $13,page 119. The law
was amended in the 1839 session, LAWS OF ILLINOIS, 1839-1840,page
155-156.For the 1839 session the auditors report reflected an expense to
the state for killing wolves in the amount of $709,page vi.

Voted for William Lee Ewing to be Speaker pro tem, page, 627-628. The
Lieutenant Governor, Zadok Casey, who served as ex-officio Speaker of the
Senate, had been elected to Congress.

On February 26th the Committee of the Whole House asked and was relieved of
the responsibility of the House bill relative to the election of county
surveyors and recorders and the bill was made to lie on the table, page
566. Mr. Williamson favored postponement to July 4th 1834 of a bill that
would provide for the local election of county surveyors and county
recorders, page 630. Earlier he had moved to exempt Shelby and Macon
counties from the bill, pages, 592 and 630. It should be remembered that
Mr. Williamson had earlier been appointed, not elected, to the office of
surveyor for Shelby County. This issue continued to plague the next General
Assembly.

He voted against John Calhoun, like Mr. Williamson a Jacksonian Democrat,
to be appointed surveyor of Sangamon County, page 613. Mr. Calhoun had also
been opposed by WW to be Secretary of the Senate in 1832. Because of the
growth of the county and increasing business Abraham Lincoln became a
deputy survey in the employ of County Surveyor John Calhoun of Sangamon
County. One wonders if Mr. Calhoun and Mr. Williamson were somehow
competitors for business. Clearly, this was a partisan issue with the Whig
element favoring election and the Democrats favoring appointment-a
contradiction for the party that called itself the Democracy. John Calhoun
was a New Englander with considerable standing in the Springfield
community. Other votes that he cast were for William Jefferson Gatewood to
be Commissioner For the Sale of Saline Lands (Mr. Gatewood resigned and was
elected to the Senate and became its Speaker pro tem briefly in 1834);
Elijah C. Berry to be President of the Illinois State Bank; James Whitlock,
William H. Brown, James Black, AP Field and Senator McConnell to be its
directors, pages 591,605-608. On a personal note, this William Jefferson
Gatewood was descended from a common maternal ancestor (mine). How odd that
they both served in the same legislature at the same time. See Snyder, ADAM
SNYDER AND HIS PERIOD IN ILLINOIS HISTORY, 1817-1842 pages, 201-202 Even
odder, William Jefferson Gatewood's father was Williamson Gatewood. Also of
interest on the maternal side of the house is Richard J. Ogelsby, Mr.
Gatewood's cousin, who represented Shelby County in the State Senate in
1861, and was later, elected three times governor of Illinois, COMBINED
HISTORY OF SHELBY AND MOULTRIE COUNTIES, 1881,pages
64,68,68,69,73,101.104,191 and 1910 op cit. See also
http://www.rootsweb.com/~ilmacon/o-bio.html

Hereafter, unless otherwise indicated, all citations are from the Senate
Journal for 1834-1835. This Journal is not indexed.

The 9th General Assembly met in December 1,1834 in Vandalia-William
Williamson again represented Shelby and Macon Counties. This General
Assembly had grown with the state to include-32 senators and 68
Representatives. Mr. Ewing was reelected Speaker of the Senate after having
served as interim governor of Illinois when John Reynolds resigned in
November 1834. The Senate elected Edward White who replaced Jesse B. Thomas
Jr. as Secretary of the Senate and in this session the Journal takes on a
minimalist tone, it being more difficult for the reader to ascertain
individual members positions. Probably, there was more attention to proper
rules although the senate re-adopted the rules of the 8th General Assembly.
Page, 32. The Jacksonian principle of rotation in office seems to have been
well practiced, as of 32 senators in this session, seventeen were new.
There were more unrecorded/voice votes that obscured member's views in
debate. The committee of the whole device seems to have been widely used
and the Journal does not often tell us who was appointed to select
committees although select committees were commonly used, as had been the
case in the 8th General Assembly. The volume of legislation required the
adoption of the following resolution by February 5,1835: "Resolved, that
the enrolling and engrossing clerk of the senate by authorized to employ an
assistant during the remainder of the present session of the General
Assembly", page 383.Voting solidified along party/faction lines with the
emergence of a Whig nucleus opposing the traditional Democratic Party
majority. Senator Williamson, whether his vote was affirmative or negative,
was able to prevail less than he had in the 8th General Assembly. The
issues that predominated were: the establishment of a state bank to
compensate for the loss of the functions previously performed by the Second
Bank of the United States following Jackson's actions to bring it down, the
construction of a canal from Lake Michigan to the Illinois River, rails to
connect strategic shipping centers (there was a significant division
between those favoring canals vs. rails), reform of the judiciary by
establishment of a network of circuit (intermediate) courts to relieve the
appellate load on the state Supreme Court, funding of the public or common
schools, improved navigation of the Wabash and other rivers and, above all,
ways and means.
Anticipating an increased volume of business in this session Mr. Williamson
moved that the Senate provide for the election of an assistant secretary to
be elected according to senate rules. Motion was tabled and Mr. Ewing moved
to make the office appointive with the Secretary of the Senate authorized
to choose an assistant. Mr. Ewing's version passed with Mr. Williamson, in
what appears to be a significant break with Mr. Ewing, voting No, pages
30-31and 76.

William Jefferson Gatewood submitted his resignation as Canal Commissioner,
page 82. He was replaced by Tyler D. Hewitt and Mr. Williamson's vote went
unrecorded, page 90-91.

Mr. Maxwell introduced "An act to amend the several acts now in force
concerning justices of the peace and constables", page 83. On December 23rd
Mr. Williamson voted aye on an amendment to postpone the bill and amendment
until July 4th next before the amendment was adopted, 17-7,Mr Williamson
again voting no, page 125. On the main question: "Shall the bill pass?" Mr.
Williamson voted no, page 126.
On December 13 Mr. McCahey introduced " An Act repealing an act concerning
justices of the peace and constables", page 88. This bill was passed in the
Senate, page 117. A motion to table until July 4,next was offered and
defeated with Mr. Williamson voting, aye. The bill was then passed to third
reading and passed with Mr. Williamson continuing to vote against the bill
each time, page, 124-132.The House concurred, page 136,138-140.On January 6
the bill came back from committee with the negative recommendation, the
bill was amended and committed to the Committee of the Whole, pages
188-189.The House concurred with the Senate version, page 195. The Council
of Revision approved the bill, page 201. What were his objections to this
bill that seems to have been a hermaphrodite before it was finally
approved? He could have objected originally on grounds that the officers
were to be elected. Since the bill in one form increased the authority of
justices and constables to receive monies in the form of credit instruments
that may have been too much for him. Perhaps he objected to amendments
designed to limit the authority of justices and the rights of litigants
appearing before them. The record on this bill, more than most, obscures,
the positions taken by individual senators.


The bill for "An Act concerning mortgages" was read and laid on the table,
page 84.

The House adopted a preamble and resolution on section 16 lands, pages
85-86.

The House asked concurrence on " An Act relating to the clerks of the
county commissioners'courts, page 86.

On the 17th of December the House asked the Senate to concur on " An Act to
provide for the election of county Recorder and Surveyor", page 107.The
House asked that a conference committee be appointed to reconcile
conflicting versions of the bill and was laid on the table, pages 118 and
121.It was taken up again on 21 January. Mr. Williamson proposed to strike
out the section relating to county recorders and his motion was defeated,
11-15. The bill failed to pass, 13-14 with Mr. Williamson voting no, page
308-309. This bill came back with objections from the Council of Revision
and was laid back on the table. On the question of passing over the
Council's objections, the vote was 17-8 with Mr. Williamson voting no, page
498.If the objections to the bill were for recorder's fees the amounts
provided in the laws of 1833 varied from 12 1/2 cents to 37 1/2 cents
depending on the document in question, LAWS OF ILLINOIS 1833,page 295.

In the form of a resolution addressed to the Congress, Mr. Ewing proposed
that the franking privilege be extended to members of the states' executive
and legislative branches on the grounds that postage costs for official
business were a burden on individual officers. Apparently, at this time,
the state did not pay these costs, page 61. The resolution was laid on the
table and made the order of the day for the committee of the Whole on the
next day, page 86. The House also asked concurrence on a resolution
addressed to this subject that read: "Resolved, That our Senators in
Congress be instructed and our Representatives be requested to use their
best exertions to procure the passage of a law, authorizing the members of
the several State Legislatures in the United States, to have the privilege
of franking letters and newspapers to and from the county or District they
respectfully represent, page 106 and 110. Mr. Williamson voted for the
resolution.

Because many settlers or squatters had set up and made improvements on
public land there were repeated pressures in the legislature to justly
determine property rights, as much of the public land had yet to be
properly surveyed. Congress was petitioned to give relief to this class of
citizens by enacting remedies enabling those who had made "improvements" to
realize benefits when the land was later sold to other individuals. The
most common relief allowed these settlers was to provide them with first
right to buy the land, page 115.

In the December 1834 session Mr. Williamson voted for John Robinson to be
the United States Senator from Illinois (until adoption of the 17th
amendment US senators were elected by state legislatures.), page 119 and
HOUSE JOURNAL, 1834,page 143. Mr. Lincoln voted for Richard M. Young. In
January Mr. Ewing proposed a resolution encouraging that the "friends of
the current administration" in Washington be appointed delegates to
represent the people of Illinois at the Baltimore convention in 1836.
Membership in the delegation would have included Senators Kane and Robinson
and Congressmen May, Reynolds and Casey. Mr. Snyder proposed postponement
and his motion was carried, 12-9 with Mr. Williamson voting no, SENATE
JOURNAL, 1834-1835,page 510-511.The motive behind the resolution was to
memorialize the outgoing President and boost the candidacy of Martin Van
Buren as his successor.

On December 23rd Mr. Thomas introduced " An Act concerning conveyances by
county commissioners", page 124. The bill was sent to a select committee
after an amendment was offered to allow the county commissioner's courts
the authority to loan county monies, page 137.The amendment was rejected
and the bill passed the Senate, page 142.

Senator Williamson was the maker of the motion to "amend an act authorizing
erection of a mill on the Little Wabash River" by adding: Sec.2 "That
Daniel Francisco be and hereby is authorized to build a mill dam across
Kaskaskia River in Shelby County on the West half of the Northeast quarter
of Township 12, Range 4 East. Seven feet above the water mark". The act
with this amendment was referred to select committee and Mr. Williamson
appointed to it, pages 143-144 .See above.

He had been in the chair for sometime when the Speaker resumed the chair,
Mr. Williamson reported as chairman of the committee of the whole on the
resolutions to amend the rules of the senate. These amendments on the rules
were subsequently adopted, page 151.

He was appointed to a select committee to review a bill on "an act defining
the duties of public printers", page 161. The committee reported back that
in some cases the printing had been poorly done and was discharged, pages
275-276. Some printers were favored by party faction and investigations
into contracts could be used as political ammunition in subsequent
campaigns.

Mr. Williamson served on several select committees relative to various road
bills. He was appointed to a select committee with Messer Snyder, and Craig
to review a " petition from sundry citizens of St. Clair County" relative
to a road bill from Lebanon to Vandalia, page 165. In answer to a petition
requesting relocation of a road in St Clair County, the Senate appointed a
select committee of Messer Vance, Mitchell and Williamson, page 172. The
Senate took up "an act concerning public roads" which seems to have bundled
several proposals into one omnibus bill and Mr. Williamson voted against
it, which is surprising because the record shows that he consistently
supported road bills. In this case he may have considered omnibus bills bad
law/practice or an example of pork barrel politics, 320-321.He was
appointed to the select committee to report on "an act to locate a road
from Shelbyville to the Great Wabash River, in Lawrence County, opposite
Vincennes in Indiana", page 351 and 393. This bill was subsequently
enrolled, page 441 and passed into law. When the House asked for
concurrence in "an act to locate a state road from Shelbyville to Chicago"
he was appointed to the select committee and the bill moved quickly through
the legislative mill to final passage, pages 385,393,400,436,454,460.

Sitting in joint session as the General Assembly the election of State
Auditor, Treasurer and Attorney General of Illinois was voted upon. Senator
Williamson voted for James T.B. Stampp who was elected Auditor, John Dement
who was elected Treasurer and Jesse B. Thomas who lost to Ninian Edwards
for Attorney -General, page 167.

Mr. Ewing, a tireless worker to save the capitol of Illinois for Vandalia,
on January 7th reported, on behalf of a select committee "An Act to repeal
an Act permanently to locate the seat of government of Illinois" and the
bill passed its' second reading, page 196.

Senator Williamson introduced "an act for the relief of Peter Warren ".
Made motion it be moved to second reading (approved) and the bill was
referred to select committee, page 196. The bill moved to third reading and
was subsequently adopted as a law, page 311. Apparently this bill
authorized the construction of a bridge across the Kaskaskia River in
Shelby County. Peter Warren was William Williamson's successor in the
Senate and a neighbor in Shelby County.

On January 9th Mr. Williamson voted against an act authorizing the taxing
and collecting of the docket fee in any case either at law or chancery,
page 197. The bill passed nevertheless, page 207. The bill was taken up on
February 11th and amendments offered to set specific fees for Recorders.
The Senate defeated the proposed fee schedule 17-7 and then passed the bill
without amendment, 17-7. Mr. Williamson voted against the amendment and for
passage, page 499.

On December 22nd"An act compensating jurors" was introduced and referred to
a select committee and Messers. Davidson, Williamson and Bond were
appointed to it. page, 202. This bill passed with his support, the pay
being set at 75 cents, page 477. It was practice in Illinois courts at
various times and locales to provide public compensation for witnesses as
well as jurors. These practices were defended, in part, as a consequence of
difficult travel conditions.

He opposed a petition on behalf of James Kinzie and Alexander Robinson who
stood to lose an asset because the route of a canal had been changed. Mr.
Williamson opposed on the grounds that the requested relief was not in the
public interest, pages 213,217-218.

. On January 9th the Senate took up the matter of the Second Bank of the
United States, removal of the deposits and the clash between the bank and
the Jackson administration. In the form of seven resolutions the Senate:
Resolution #1,Condemned the Bank and its actions
Resolution # 2,Declared that removal of the deposits had been made
necessary by circumstances.
Resolution #3,Recommended that the Illinois delegation in Congress oppose
rechartering the Bank of the United States (BUS).
Resolution #4,Condemned the US Senate for its refusal to print Jackson's
protest and for the Senate calling for Jackson's impeachment.
Resolution #5,Urged the Congress to oppose renewal of the BUS charter and
withhold deposits from the bank.
Resolution#6, Voted confidence in Jackson' administration and its course in
the. Crisis.
Resolution #7, Called upon the governor of Illinois to transmit copies of
these resolutions to the Congress and the President.
William Williamson voted in support each resolution, as did most of the
senate, 17-9,
pages 208-216.
The House responded with the following on January 23rd:
"Resolved by the General Assembly of the State of Illinois, That in their
opinion, the establishment of a national Bank with a branch in each state,
by the consent or request of its legislature, properly restricted and
guarded in its operations, is necessary to establish a sound and uniform
currency in the United State; and also to afford the necessary facilities
to the general government in transporting its funds". The Senate was asked
to concur, pages 315,311-333. On January 26th the Senate voted, 14-12, to
postpone the resolution indefinitely. Mr. Williamson voted aye, page 333.
Initially, the inspiration for and attachment to General Jackson was based
on his personal qualities and his early military carreer. Following the
circumstances of his defeat in the Presidential campaign of 1824 it was
unwise not to be, or seem not to be, in Jackson's camp in Illinois. For Mr.
Williamson's there seems to be no pretense in his undeviating devotion to
Jackson and his principles. One cannot help but conclude that if Mr.
Williamson had a better understanding of the impact of Jackson's economic
policies on the well being of the common man he might have looked elsewhere
for leadership.

He voted to postpone until July 4th, next in the negative for " an act to
establish a uniform mode of holding circuit courts", page, 106 and 117. Mr.
Williamson voted in the affirmative on a motion to strike out the word
"five" but no when the bill passed, 16-10,pages 111-112. The bill was up
for third reading and passed, 15-9 with Mr. Williamson voting no, page
116-117.The Senate adopted, and Senator Williamson voted aye, on "an act to
establish and divide the state into six circuit court districts", page 216.
Subsequently, at the session's end justices for each circuit were elected
by the General Assembly. Mr. Williamson voted for Stephan A. Douglas in the
First Circuit (Mr. Lincoln was not recorded). In the second district Mr.
Williamson voted with Lincoln for John J. Hardin, and in the Third Circuit
for John Dougherty. Messers Lincoln and Williamson voted for Orlando
Ficklin in the Fourth District. Mr. Williamson's vote, if cast, was not
recorded for Districts 5 and 6, pages 479-480.

He voted favorably on "an act to incorporate the Chicago and Vincennes
Railroad Company", 222. The bill passed its' 3rd reading, page 222 Late in
the session this measure failed, 10-11, with Mr. Williamson not recorded as
voting, page 515.

In the previous 8th GA one of the issues that personally affected Mr.
Williamson was a bill to make the office of county recorder and surveyor
elective. He held the position of surveyor of Shelby County by appointment
and certainly derived some income from it. Because the bill had gone back
and forth between House and Senate, without concurrence, the bill came to a
conference committee early in the 9th General Assembly, page 118.When the
House version came to the floor for consideration he voted to "lay the bill
on the table". All references from the, pages 261,264, 269-270.
Mr. Williamson voted that it be read and approved in its second reading,
page 269. He voted against amendment, page 270. The amendments were
defeated and the bill was sent to select committee, page 270. The committee
reported the bill back to the floor with amendments and it was approved
13-12, Mr. Williamson voting not to pass. Page, 278. The bill came back
from the House and Mr. Williamson moved to strike much of the language that
referred to recorders but a motion was adopted to lay it on the table, page
308. It was brought back and Mr. Williamson's amendments were defeated
14-13,page 309. The bill was then voted on without amendment and it was
passed 13-14,page 309. In the afternoon session a motion to reconsider the
bill was approved and the bill finally passed by a 14-13 vote, page
310-311. When the bill came back from the council of revision stating its
opposition, page 458,it again passed the senate in its final form without
his support, page 459. In all of this we never really know what his
position was. Did he approve the election of surveyors but not recorders?
Why was the division so close and why was so much time and effort expended
on the question? We never really know except perhaps his objections were
due to the fact that recorders charged fees for their services. For
example, the law stipulated that they were allowed to charge fees for
writing mortgages, deeds, and other official records. In an age when many
could not read nor write (his wife for example) the costs of this
dependency may have guided his position and vote. Note: In Illinois at this
time the constitution did not give the governor the right of veto but
instead vested this right in a council of revision composed of legislative,
executive and judicial officials who had ten days to state their
objections. This "veto" was advisory at best and the legislature had the
right to repass the bill by simple majority vote.

On January 16th "An Act to amend an act relative to the attorney general
and states' attorneys" was reported from committee without amendment. A
motion made to postpone indefinitely failed 12-13. A motion to pass was
approved 13-12. Mr. Williamson voting against the amendment and for
passage, page 262-263. The bill was again on the table on February 7th with
the Council of Revision having objected to it. This "veto" was overridden
14-10 with Mr. Williamson voting with the majority, page 457.

A bill entitled "an act to amend an act for the limitation of actions and
for avoiding vexatious law suits approved 10 February, 1827 "was referred
to the committee of the whole. The bill passed, 19-7. Mr. Williamson voted
no on the proposal, page 132 The House concurred, pages 188,191 and the
Council of Revision approved it, page 252.

On December 27th the Education committee reported a bill" An Act concerning
the School, Fund". The bill was passed for its third reading, 13-12 with
Mr. Williamson voting no, page 142. On January 30th, because the bill had
been tabled at some unrecorded point in the record the bill came up for its
third reading and was passed, 13-12,with Mr. Williamson voting no, page
376.

"An act to extend for a limited time the charter of the Bank of Illinois
"earned his vote to move the bill to its 3rd reading, page 279. Citation
again to move the bill to its third reading, pages 333,354.

Mr. Gatewood moved that the charter of the Bank of Illinois at Shawneetown
be extended. A motion to refer to the Finance Committee failed and the bill
was tabled with 100 copies ordered, pages 91-92. On December 29th "An Act
to extend, for a limited time, the charter of the Bank of Illinois at
Shawneetown", came back to the floor, page 147.On December 31st the Senate
accepted amendments and the bill was laid back on the table, page 164. On
the 26th of January the bill was back on the floor and passed third
reading, 15-10, with Mr. Williamson voting aye, page 333. On January 27th
the bill passed the Seanate, 11-8 with Mr. Williamson voting aye, page 354.

A resolution proposed by Mr. Gatewood requesting Congress to donate lands
for the development of a road from Shawneetown to St. Louis was adopted,
19-4, Mr. Williamson voted aye, page 163. The finances of the state were
such that memorials and resolutions, one could say supplications, addressed
to the Congress for donations of public land or a reduction in their price
were frequent inclusions in the record. In the absence of a will to tax and
an adequate tax base, the sale of public land provided a major means of
financing these various state projects. One wonders if the members of the
General Assembly saw contradictions between their beliefs that the states
were the pillars of the Union while repeatedly begging a government of
limited and delegated powers for its support.

On January 3rd "An Act concerning the appropriation of the revenue of the
several counties of this state" was read and laid on the table after an
amendment was struck eliminating all after the enacting clause. Mr.
Williamson voted to strike, page 175.

On January 5th, 1835 the Senate, in Committee of the Whole, took up a
resolution" relative to the construction of a Rail Road from the Wabash
River to Quincy, on the Mississippi River". Mr. Williamson voted for this
in concept when he voted against a substitute that would have left
uncertain the cities to be included along the line. He did support the line
terminating at Quincy and voted against a motion to postpone the bill
indefinitely. His support for the route of this line would have been of
benefit for Decatur and Macon County because the line would have passed
through both, pages, 186-187

Mr. Forquer for the Internal Improvements committee introduced a memorial
address to Congress requesting that additional public lands be donated to
the state in order to fund the Illinois and Michigan Canal. The memorial
was recommitted to the Internal Improvement Committee, page 92.The House
asked concurrence on a similar request, page 95. On December 22nd the
Senate adopted a resolution formally requesting that the United States
government assist with a donation of land, page 120. On January 26th a vote
was taken on amendments from the committee of the Whole that would limit
the state's liability to the revenues obtained from the sale of public
lands. This amendment was defeated, 12-13, with Mr. Williamson voting aye,
page 330-331.Throughout the session the Senate dissolved itself into the
Committee of the Whole for consideration of this issue. The Internal
Improvement Committee, charged with an expediency assessment reported back,
pages 227-249 with the result that, on its recommendation, the Senate for
the first time read a bill entitled," An Act for the construction of the
Illinois and Michigan Canal", page 250. Mr. Williamson opposed the
committee bill reported back to the floor and passed, 14-8 for its' 3rd
reading on 27 December, 1835 that would have provided for the construction
of the Illinois and Michigan canal, page 349-350,360. This bill became a
major project in the 9th General Assembly and in this session Mr.
Williamson consistently voted against it. It seems clear that he saw
railroads more to his districts interests than canals and an examination of
the topography /geography of both Macon and Shelby counties would support
this.
The House version came back to the Senate with several amendments that were
approved by the Senate, 19-6,with Mr. Williamson voting, aye, page, 440. On
February 6 a motion to reconsider consenting to the House bill was defeated
12-13 with Mr. Williamson voting not to reconsider, page 444. A second
motion to reconsider was passed, page 446, and on February 10th the bill
was reported as correctly enrolled, and the Council of Revision approved
it, page 474. Presumably at some point Mr. Williamson voted for the canal
and its' construction but there was no roll call vote tying him to its'
approval in this session. As noted below he will come to support it and
play a roll in promoting it. Later still he will come to regret that
support.

The second of these state banking bills:" an act to extend the charter of
the Bank of Illinois at Shawneetown" failed in an early senate vote with
Mr. Williamson voting aye, page 279. However, the bill was reconsidered,
page 292, and with the support in the House the bill subsequently passed
into law, pages 332-333,354.

He was appointed to a select committee to make a recommendation "praying
for a divorce for Malinda Martin". Page, 282. Reported back to the senate
that the divorce should be granted, page 306.

As a courtesy to the governor and the state Supreme Court justices,
resolutions were introduced to provide chairs for them to "sit within the
bar of the senate at their convenience". This was a usual and customary
practice. Mr. Williamson opposed this. Was he mean spirited? Since a copy
of the resolution does not appear in the record his view is uncertain.
Perhaps there was other language in the resolution objectionable to him.
Was the principle of separation of powers his concern?, page 316-317. A
formal resolution was proposed, read and the issue reverted to the Internal
Improvements Committee, pages 99-100.

"An Act for the benefit of the widow of Reuben Goddard" having passed in
the House came to the Senate, now asked to concur, page 332. The bill
passed the Senate, page 383,453,455. See LAWS OF ILLINOIS 1835-1836,pages
260-261 for the final version of the act. Reuben Goddard was related to Mr.
Williamson's daughter-in-law, Martha Ann Goddard Williamson.

Mr. Williamson's position on education is obscure in the record. One record
that seems clear was his vote for "An Act to incorporate the Jacksonville
Female Academy". He voted against a motion to table until July 4,next and
presumably to pass the bill. There was no roll call, page 303. When the
House version came to the floor of the Senate on January 23rd Mr.
Williamson voted "do pass" with the majority, 15-9,page 318. The Council on
Revision approved the bill, page 348.On February 2nd "An Act to incorporate
the colleges therein named" was passed, 11-9,with Mr. Williamson voting no,
page 401. Probably the views of most of the Senators were echoed in a
resolution introduced by Senator Gatewood and the Education Committee
petitioning the Congress to release public lands or funds generated from
their sale to the legislature to promote the establishment of schools,
pages 417-435.Divisions for the expenditure of the funds that were
available seems to have been determined by differences over their most
effective use rather than a reluctance to support schools. Mr. Williamson's
voting record suggests that the revenues of the state should be directed
more to elementary rather than higher education.

On January 19th "An act concerning religious societies" was introduced and
passed 2nd reading, 18-5, with Mr. Williamson voting aye, page 278,324. On
January 27th an amendment to strike out the word "ten" in the first section
and substitute the word "five" was adopted and Mr. Williamson then voted
against passage, page 353. One would like to know his objections. The bill
subsequently passed, page 404.

Mr. Williamson consistently supported a bill that would "incorporate the
subscribers to the Bank of the State of Illinois". The bill passed 13-12,
page 359- 360.

He voted in the negative to establish a lottery, page 400-401. The bill
failed in its third reading, His position on this measure remains hidden in
the record.

At times the legislative mill could seem to be bizarre. In January 1825 the
General Assembly enacted law on Judgments and Executions, which among other
things, gave exemption from taxation. This bill came up for amendment and
the following amendment was offered:" That there shall be allowed to each
and every family in this state, one work horse, in addition to the property
now exempt from execution any law to the contrary notwithstanding.
Provided, that the head of family have no horse it shall be the duty of the
county court to purchase one for him, not to exceed $40 in value". Mr.
Williamson voted to postpone the proposal until the next session but that
position failed by one vote. On the bill, as amended, the vote was
affirmative and the bill was passed, 14-12, for third reading with
Williamson voting against the bill. The bill was then referred back to a
senate select committee for further consideration, page 380-381. The bill
then reached the floor again with the following amendment reported: "That
in addition to the articles of property now exempt from execution there
shall be allowed to each head of family, one work horse or yolk of work
cattle, at the option of the defendant in execution, any law to the
contrary notwithstanding" This amendment was agreed to and when the main
question was put the bill was passed 16-8 with Mr. Williamson voting "do
pass", SENATE JOURNAL, pages 380-381 and 398. What was his position? Why
was he against the bill when it provided for horse but not a yolk of oxen?
If he opposed the bill to exempt the horse and/or opposed providing one at
public expense why vote for the bill in final form if it included all of
these principles?

Another unusual proposal was "an act regulating the mode of granting
license to clock peddlers", came from the House and advanced to 2nd
reading, page 191. It quickly cleared 3rd reading and passed, page, 219 and
page 267. In the 9th General Assembly to follow, Mr. Hacker, no doubt with
tongue in cheek, reported from the select committee to which was referred
the petition of sundry citizens of the town of Vandalia, praying relief for
clock peddlers, and asking repeal of the law passed January 3,1835; Report,
that they have had the subject under consideration, and are of the opinion
that as the petitioners do not show that any PORTION of this state is
SUFFERING for the article of CLOCKS, they can see no reason why the prayer
of the petitioners should be granted; and ask to be discharged from the
consideration of the subject. Ordered that the committee be discharged",
SENATE JOURNAL NINTH GENERAL ASSEMBLY 1835,page 149. Their emphasis added.

Still another proposal, and my personal favorite, was made by Mr. Will:"
Resolved, That the committee of Finance be instructed to inquire into the
expediency of taxing all bachelors over the age of twenty-four years, and
that they have leave to report by bill or otherwise", page 208. Mr. Thomas
moved to lay the resolution on the table until July 4th next which was
adopted, 17-9, Mr. Williamson voting to table, page 208.

Initially, his negative vote on February 2,1835 on "an act to incorporate
colleges". On February 7th after the bill came back from the House for
concurrence he voted with the majority, 21-4, to postpone the bill to July
4, next, page 459.
He supported a resolution petitioning Congress to change the state Enabling
Act of 1818 so that section 16 reserves, which were to be set aside for
education, could be sold by the state and the funds expended preferentially
for common schools and others at the discretion of the state, page 86, 186
and 264-267.
He voted negative on "an act concerning the school fund", page 376. No
doubt negative votes on the school fund were dictated, in part, by
objections to raiding the fund for projects unrelated to education. From
his service, 1832-1836, in the legislature it is difficult to determine in
the journals what his views were on the issue of higher education, page
401.

In the December 1835 legislative session he voted to name the two Illinois
senators and three House members to be the Illinois delegates to the
Democratic Party National Convention. However, when this again (February
11,1835) came up in the form of a resolution he voted, in a losing cause,
to postpone indefinitely naming the two US Senators (Kane and Robinson) and
three Illinois congressmen to constitute the Illinois State Delegation that
subsequently nominated Martin Van Buren to be the party's nominee for the
Presidency to succeed Andrew Jackson. Since the national convention was a
new usage in national politics and because the Illinois General Assembly
had solidifying along party lines he may have considered this party
preference rather than state business. pages, 510-511. More likely, his
faction desired to elect from the field at home in Illinois. Nevertheless,
the resolution was later adopted and the congressional delegation was
instructed to support the "friends of the current administration".

On January 15,1835 in a joint session the General Assembly Senator
Williamson voted for Jesse B. Thomas to be Attorney-General of the state of
Illinois and in a loosing cause he voted for John J. Hardin to be a state
Attorney. Opposing John J.Hardin was the victor, Stephen A. Douglas, who
later (1858) ran for the US Senate from Illinois against Abraham Lincoln
(and won) and the US Presidency (1860) (and lost), pages 480-483.

Senator Williamson's most important committee assignment was to the
standing committee on Military Affairs, which had responsibilities for the
militia. The crisis with the Indians having passed with their removal there
was little business for the committee. One bill on militia affairs did find
its way to the floor at the end of the session. It was entitled "An act to
amend an act for the government of the state militia of the state, approved
February, 1833". Amendments to the committee version were made that
concerned the pay and duties of the Brigade Commanders when the bill
reached the former. Williamson voted against the bill, as amended, and it
passed the senate. The bill was further amended in the House and when it
came back for concurrence the senate accepted the House version. His vote
on this version is unclear as is the final fate of the bill, pages
494,495,512.

"An act for the relief of the poor, approved March 1,1833" was taken up and
passed with Mr. Williamson voting against, page 513.

Unless otherwise indicated all citations in the following section are taken
from the Senate Journal of the second/special session of the General
Assembly for 1835-1836 held at Vandalia December 7,1835 through January
16,1836. This Journal has no Index

The message from Governor Joseph Duncan prefaced the reasons for a special
session. The priority items were to "obtain a just and equal apportionment
of representation under the census taken in the current year (1835)",
funding for the Illinois and Michigan Canal, the continuation of the
various Internal Improvement projects, and the stabilization of the State
Bank, pages 6-11. On December 9 Mr. Williamson was assigned again to the
standing committee on Military Affairs and the Internal Improvements
Committee, page 11.On this same day the state's business was set aside and
politics became the order of the day when a resolution directed to the
state's senators and representatives in Congress requesting that a Senate
Resolution censuring President Jackson be expunged. The US Senate's
resolution of censure condemned the President for removing US funds from
the Bank of the United States and read as follows:
"Resolved, That the reasons assigned by the Secretary of the Treasury for
the removal of the money of the United States deposited in the Bank of the
United States and its branches, communicated to Congress on the 4th of
December, 1833,are unsatisfactory and insufficient.
That the President, in the late executive proceedings in relation to the
public revenue, has assumed upon himself authority and power not conferred
by the Constitution and laws, but in derogation of both "Remini, Robert V.,
ANDREW JACKSON AND THE COURSE OF AMERICAN DEMOCRACY, 1833-1845,VOLUME III,
page 151.
The resolution was referred to the Committee of the Whole House that
requested, and was granted, further time to deliberate, page 21. The
chairman of the Committee of the Whole, Mr. Williamson, reported and again
requested and was granted more time for deliberation, page 24.The measure
came up for consideration again on December 12 and opponents of the
resolution offered amendments. These were defeated 11-14 with Mr.
Williamson voting no. The original resolution was then adopted, 15-10, with
Mr. Williamson voting aye, page 29-30 and the House was asked to concur.
The resolution was reported as correctly enrolled, page 57. This vote
provides a solid summary of the die hard Jacksonian element in the Senate
to wit: Messers.Bond, Craig, Ewing, Hacker, Lane, Maxwell, Mitchel,
McGahey, Noel, Parrish, Snyder, Strode, Weatherford, Whiteside and
Williamson.

Mr. Gatewood announced his intention to introduce a bill to establish a
uniform system of schools, page 11. In the first years of statehood there
were "no schools in the country except for reading, writing, and
arithmetic, and one school for surveying and bookkeeping". Ford, page 21.
In general, elementary schools were "subscription" schools or "free"
schools. Lacking a uniform system of schools, and doubtful as to how the
state should proceed, a resolution of the Senate was approved calling for
the establishment of a commission charged with the responsibility of
surveying other states' practices and reporting on the kind and quality of
patronage the state should provide, SENATE JOURNAL, pages 412-413.
Unfortunately, a system of general taxation to support Illinois schools did
not come until the mid 1850's.

On December 11th a select committee was appointed to inquire into the
accounts of the Saline commissioners. The issues on salines were an
important one because the state derived certain revenue from the sale of
salt, particularly in Gallatin and Vermillion counties. Members of the
General Assembly competed for distributions of funds from this account. On
January 1 "an Act relating to the Gallatin county saline" was proposed and
a report recommending their sale to private owners because the deposits
were depreciating and not competitive with salt marketed from alternatives
sources, pages 143-144. A substitute bill drafted by the committee was then
introduced. and an amendment offered to add these funds to the school fund.
This proposal was defeated, 9-15 with Mr. Williamson voting aye. Passage of
the amendment which provided benefits only to those counties already
provided for by the law and would benefit Shelby and Macon counties through
the school fund because they had opted out of the saline agreements, page
148. A motion to postpone the bill indefininately was defeated, 6-18, with
Mr. Williamson voting aye. The bill was referred to a select committee,
page 148. On the 4th a number of amendments were added to the bill which
apportioned the funds among the counties was approved, 13-10 and 14-8 with
Mr. Williamson voting no, page 159-160. On January 8th the bill was read
and third time and ordered to be engrossed. Mr. Williamson again voting no,
page 187. Final approval came on the bill after reconciliation with House
versions. Mr. Williamson again voting no, pages 253-254. It is difficult to
divine the Shelby county position on this issue except that Shelby and
Macon counties were excluded, by their choice, from the saline agreements
and did not stand to benefit from subsequent disposal of the assets unless
they were channeled through the general state fund.

One of the reasons that there was support to move the capitol from Vandalia
was that the city had no suitable facility to house the legislators or
lodging to accommodate them. Mr. Ewing who represented Fayette county and
lived in Vandalia proposed to forestall loosing this county asset and
therefore proposed the following:
"Resolved, That s select committee of three be appointed whose duty it
shall be to inquire into the expediency of building a State House on the
public square in Vandalia, suitable and size and convenience for the
accommodation of the next General Assembly; also, to devise the ways and
means for raising the necessary funds for the construction of the same, and
that said committee report by bill or otherwise," Ordered that Messers.
Ewing, Williamson, and Lane be that committee, page 31.On December 21st the
reported a bill, "An Act to provide for building a State House in the town
of Vandalia" which was read a second time and referred to the Committee of
the Whole, page 81. On December 26th several amendments came to the floor.
One proposed that the sum for the proposal not exceed $30,000.Another that
was deleted was to exclude the proposal providing for a room to house the
US District court and provide for a State Library. The bill was then
ordered to be engrossed, pages 115-116. However, there would be no
Christmas present for the Vandalians because the Senate Committee of the
Whole was discharged from further consideration of the bill, page 118.
Still a further effort on behalf of Vandalia was made with "An act to
remove the penitentiary, and erect a State House at Vandalia" on December
30. This bill was ordered to second reading and deferred to a select
committee of five to include Messers. Bond, Edwards, Hacker, Mills and
Parrish, page 135. At some point an engrossed bill for an act to build a
State House in Vandalia reached the floor on January 11th and was referred
to the Finance Committee after a motion to postpone to July 4th next was
defeated 6-17 with Mr. Williamson voting not to postpone, page 207. The
Finance Committee made its' report on January 15 with a recommendation to
reject. Mr. Gatewood moved to re-submit the bill, which was not agreed to,
and on the main question: Shall the bill pass? The vote was 4-16 against.
Voting with Mr. Williamson were Senators Gatewood, Lane and Williams, page
252-253.

The Internal Improvements committee was ordered to investigate and make
recommendations on that portion of the Governor' message relating to The
Illinois and Michigan Canal, page 13.
In answer on December 16th a resolution on the motion of Mr. Ewing was
offered that proposed that a select committee be appointed with the duty
to:
1.Inquire into the expediency of passing a law to establishing a railroad
from the terminus of the Illinois and Michigan Canal to a suitable point on
the Ohio River,
2.make recommendations on state participation, either on its own enterprise
or as a joint undertaking with a private corporation,
3.Establishment of a fund to finance the construction,
4.Construct a memorial to Congress asking that the Congress grant to the
state of Illinois every alternate section along the right of way to be made
available for sale to pay the costs
Of construction. The state was also to have preemption rights at the
minimum price paid for US lands along the right of way.
Ordered that Messers. Williamson, Ewing and Bond be that committee, Page
48. The Committee on Internal Improvements reported an Act for the
construction of the Illinois and Michigan Canal, based on the Governor's
message, and delivered its report that the committee "earnestly recommended
that a bill be passed" The committee had "not a hook, left upon which to
hang a doubt as to the expediency and the practicability of immediately
commencing" the canal. The main points and arguments in the report are
summarized as follow:
1. That a loan be negotiated backed by the full faith and credit of the
state
2.That the sale of apportioned canal lands would amply cover the costs of
construction and impose no future burdens on the people.
3.The "first foot of excavation" would result in the appreciation of the
value of lands along the right of way and attract new emigration into the
state.
4.Postponedment would divert emigration to alternative lands and subject
their future sale to "foreign" speculation
5.Connecting railroads await the development of the canal
6.Private loans would be readily forthcoming.
The report was laid on the table and 2000 copies were ordered printed,
pages 97-102.
Previously the House had passed a bill," An Act for the construction of the
Illinois and Michigan Canal" and asked for the Senate to concur, page
106-107. On January 1, 1836 the bill came back with several amendments and
the bill was laid back on the table, page 146. On January 7th the bill was
taken up and after several amendments the Senate passed the bill, 18-7, and
asked the House to concur. Mr. Williamson voted aye, page 181. The canal
became a sectional issue along North-South state lines with the Southern
counties seeking a sectional equivalent of the Illinois Michigan Canal
because they saw it, potentially, as disruptive to southern control of the
approaches to the Mississippi River and the port at New Orleans. When the
much discussed Wabash-Maumee alternative failed to develop as a practical
option, the Southern counties began to look to rails as a practical
alternative or supplement. Most of these proposals would link the Wabash
with the Ohio or Mississippi River systems. Even the Canal Commisssioners,
in 1832, recommended a rail system as an adjunct or alternative to the
canal. This concept was either a central railroad from Chicago to the
Mississippi or a railroad that would connect the southern terminus of the
canal with the river drainages. Some southern representatives projected the
Sangamon or Kaskaskia Rivers as a part of the systems to insure southern
progress. Thomas Ford (pages 207-213) mentions that the state's
representatives "begged shamelessly" for federal land grants that would
enable the state to fund these projects. The record suggests that Mr.
Williamson was originally skeptical on the construction of the canal but by
1835 he was caught up in the enthusiasm for the canal and the connecting
rail roads. In the last years of his legislative service he saw the canal
as a white elephant dragging the state into bankruptcy and voted
accordingly. An act for the construction of the Illinois and Michigan Canal
was adopted 9 January, 1836. LAWS OF ILLINOIS 1835-1836,pages 145-154.



There were next several attempts to link the canal, yet to be started, let
alone constructed, with the Ohio and Mississippi Rivers, and the battle
lines formed over which cities might be included along the right of way.
Subsequently, Mr. Hacker proposed that the General Assembly adopt the
following: "Resolved, That it is now expedient to commence a central
railroad from the mouth of the Ohio River to the termination of the
contemplated Illinois and Michigan Canal, and that the state effect a loan
of a sum sufficient to commence said Canal contemplated Canal and
railroad". On motion the resolution was laid on the table, page 58. Mr.
Cyrus Edwards, perhaps anticipating the waste in piecemeal proposals to
establish a multiplicity of rails without beneficial result, proposed
resolutions to the Senate that: the Committee on Internal Improvements
report bills to establish the Wabash and Erie and another bill to connect
the terminus of the Illinois and Michigan Canal with the Ohio River, and
that a state loan be procured which gave the state part or whole ownership
opportunities, pages 154- 155. Mr. Edwards, seeming to be mindful of scarce
resources, and recognizing a need for concrete results, withdrew his
resolutions and proposed a route from the canal's terminus through Decatur,
Shelbyville, and a connection via an improved Kaskaskia River to the Ohio,
page 197-198. Such a proposal would catch several votes, including Mr.
Williamson's and the proposal was referred to a select committee.
Subsequently, this act was ordered to the Committee of the Whole, and the
bill with sundry amendments was ordered engrossed for third reading, page
173-175 On January 7th the House version of the bill with amendments added
by the Senate was passed, 18-7, with the House asked to concur with the
Senate amendments. Mr. Williamson voted aye, page 181. The House did
consent to the Senate amendments on January 8th,page 186. The Council of
Revision recorded the bill as correctly enrolled, page 198. The canal was
completed in 1848 but was never to offer the expected efficacy its planners
had imagined. Because it was operational on a seasonal basis and earned
marginal profits it was unable to compete with the rail system. And by the
mid-1850's the Rock Island Line offered competing service along its' right
of way and the canal fell into decline and ultimate decay. See LAWS OF
ILLINOIS 1835-1836,pages, 145-154. See also: www.library.sos.state.il .

Another resolution was proposed by Mr. Lane, requesting that the Illinois
delegation in Congress "propose and advocate" an amendment to the
Constitution of the United States that would abolish the Electoral College
system and substitute election of the President by direct popular vote. The
resolution was referred to the Committee of the Whole, page 26. The
committee asked, and was granted, more time for consideration, page 56. On
January 15 Mr. Lane moved that the question again be taken up. Mr. Herndon
moved to amend the resolutions by adding this language: "Resolved, by the
General Assembly of Illinois, That the power held by the executive
government of the United State over the public money, when put to an
improper use, either to corrupt, bribe or manage local or State banks, so
as to force them into the support of the Van Buren party, is dangerous to
liberty and oppressive to the people. Resolved, That it is reported and
believed, that one Stephen W. Whitney, now stationed near the Treasury of
the United States, has written letters, and is holding an improper
correspondence with the officers and directors of the State bank on
political subjects. Resolved,That a select committee be appointed to
investigate said charges, with the power to send for persons and papers" A
motion to postpone to July 4, next failed 11-11. Mr. Williamson voted not
to postpone and the tie was resolved by the Speaker's no vote. The bill was
then referred to a committee of five, page 259.

In the afternoon session "An Act to incorporate the Stockholders of the
Illinois Exporting Company " was read the third time, amendments were
defeated, and the bill passed 15-10 with Mr. Williamson voting no, page 50.
A motion to substitute "Alton" in place of "Illinois" was adopted and the
bill was retitled, the House being asked to concur, page 50. The session
also approved "An Act to incorporate the Marseilles Manufacturing Company"
16-9, Mr. Williamson voting no, page 50-51.The House reported amendments to
the bill and asked concurrence of the Senate, page 95. While it is
impossible to be sure of his position, the record seems to suggest that Mr.
Williamson lacked an affinity for proposals with such titles as these.
Although the articles of incorporations seem standard they contain one
provision that he probably found objectionable and that was that the
articles did not provided for limited liability for the stockholders. He
may also have seen such enterprises as tendencies to monopoly and his
political position would call for opposition on that account. LAWS OF
ILLINOIS 1835-1836,page141-143.

On December 17th Mr. Bond introduced a petition of Sidney Breese "praying
authority to construct a toll bridge over the Kaskaskia River, near the
town of Carlyle, and a turnpike road near said river" and on Mr. Bond's
motion the petition was referred to a select committee of Messers.Bond,
Mills and Williamson, page 52. The bill was subsequently passed, LAWS OF
ILLINOIS 1835-1836,pages, 143f.

A bill from the House entitled "An Act to incorporate the Wabash and
Mississippi Rail Road Company" was read a second time and referred to a
committee of five that included: Messers. Williams, Maxwell, Herndon, Vance
and Williamson, page 61. On January 2 Mr. Bond asked and obtained leave to
introduce a bill entitled" An Act to incorporate the Wabash and Mississippi
Union Rail Road Company". The act was read a second time and referred to a
committee of Messers. Snyder, Bond, and Williamson, page 155. This road was
to pass through Decatur in Macon County and therefore his support would be
obvious even though, after this session's end, Shelby County would no
longer be combined with Macon County for representation purposes. The House
concurred on the bill, page 247 and articles of incorporation were approved
15 January 1836,LAWS OF ILLINOIS 1835-1836, pages 36-43.

In answer to the Governor's message the House asked the Senate to concur in
the following resolution: " Resolved by the House of Representatives (the
Senate concurring herein) That the ratio for apportioning the
Representation of this state, according to the last state census, shall be
7000 for each Senator and 3000 for each Representative", page 62.The
proposal was referred to the Committee of the Whole (page 178) that
reported it back to the floor without amendment on January 7th when it was
subjected to several amendments, particularly to change the numbers in the
ratio from 12-4. This was rejected 10-13 with Mr. Williamson voting no.
When the bill was voted on for its' third reading it passed 14-10 with Mr.
Williamson voting no, pages 184-185. The House was asked to concur and a
conference committee was established for this purpose but the House refused
to concur, pages 194-195. On January the conference committee reported back
recommending that the original ratio of 7-3 be accepted and accordingly the
Senate agreed, page 219, and the House agreed on January 12th, pages
225,248 and LAWS OF ILLINOIS 1835-1836,pages 268-272. As a result of this
apportionment Shelby and Macon counties were no longer a combined
legislative district. because after 1836 Shelby County would send a single
Senator and Representative to the General Assembly. Such measures as these
were a reflection of the growing population in the northern state and a
proportional decline in the influence of representation in the rural
counties like Shelby. Western patterns of migration westward were in
parallel lines and so much of northern Illinois emigrated from the
northeastern states. Southerners had settled Southern Illinois earlier. As
the internal improvement movement gathered momentum foreign immigration,
particularly, German and Irish, added to this shift in the locus of
political power. The Democrats based much of their voting strength on the
immigrant vote, especially the Irish, and it could be decisive in
determining an election. Enfranchisement of these aliens became a point of
conflict between the Democrats and the Whigs. Similarly, after the
concentration of Mormons in Hancock and Adams counties, each of the parties
attempted to negotiate for that bloc of votes.

Another confrontation, this time a political broadside over the right of
succession to the venerable Jackson, was provoked when Mr. Davidson
proposed the following resolution:
"Whereas during the last war with England, in 1812 and during the great
political struggles of 1798,1812,1824 and 1828,the people of Pennsylvania,
Virginia, and the southern and western states, a great majority of whom are
now against the election of Mr. Van Buren, and engaged in support of Hugh
L. White of Tennessee, were of the Democratic Party, and that as New York
supported Burr against Jefferson, the great apostle of liberty, in 1781,and
opposed Madison the war President and Democratic candidate in 1814,when the
safety and honor of the country and success of the war, depended on the
Democratic Party, and opposed General Jackson in 1824,and voted against him
in Congress in 1825-the people's candidate, opposed to Executive patronage
-and as the New England states, now supporting Mr. Van Buren,have always
been on the federal side offing these great struggles for popular
rights-therefore, Be it,
Resolved, That we repudiate, as grossly unjust, the false and arrogant
claim of the Van Buren party to exclusive Democracy.
Resolved, That we have the most perfect confidence in the patriotism,
integrity, and Democratic Republican principles of Hugh L. White of
Tennessee.
Resolved, That we approve of his nomination by the Legislatures of
Tennessee, Alabama, and Mississippi, and that we earnestly recommend him to
our fellow -citizens as a proper person to succeed General Jackson as
President of the United States.
Resolved, That every man who is eligible to the office of President, has an
undeniable right to become a candidate for the same, without the
intervention of caucuses, and conventions, and that we deprecate as cruel
and unjust, the attempts which have been made, and are now making by the
Van Buren party to cast opprobrium upon the name of Judge White.
Resolved, That we approve of the democratic doctrines as laid down by
Jefferson in1801 and Jackson in 1829,and that we disapprove of the
convention system attempted to be forced upon the American people by the
Van Buren party, and believe it to be destructive of the freedom of the
elective franchise, opposed to republican institutions, and dangerous to
the liberties of the people.
Resolved, That we view the continual effort of the supporters of Mr. Van
Buren to connect him with the popular name of General Jackson, whom he
opposed in 1824 and 1825,and never supported until by the people, by
acclamation, declared he should be President, as an evidence that he has no
merits of his own to recommend him, and of their want of respect for good
sense and independence of the people".
The bill was read and a motion made to refer to the Committee of the Whole.
After this motion was defeated the resolutions were approved 13-12 with Mr.
Williamson voting no, pages 77-78. Three of the several dedicated
Jacksonians listed above were supporters of the resolutions. Those, like
Mr. Williamson who opposed the resolutions and stood by Jackson's choice
for his successor deserve to be recognized as the most loyal to the legacy
of Jackson.
On January 6th the friends of Jackson and Van Buren, taking the same meter/
format as the resolutions by Mr. White's supporters, answered their
December 19th broadside with one of their own. Van Buren's supporters
included the following resolutions among others:
"Resolved, That we deprecate as grossly unjust, the false and arrogant
claims of the Webster, White and Harrison party to the exclusive use of the
ancient and honorable name of Whig".
Resolved, That we have the most perfect confidence in the political
integrity and democratic republican principles of Martin Van Buren of New
York and Richard M. Johnson of Kentucky.
Resolved, That we approve of the democratic doctrine laid down by Mr.
Jefferson in 1801,and by Jackson in 1832 and that we disapprove of the
duplicity of those who have been for the last ten years engaged in abusing
Gen. Jackson now resolving that they approve of his measures in 1829.
Resolved, That we view the continued effort of the opposition party to
divide the Jackson democratic party, and throw the election into the House
of Representatives, as evidence that they have no hopes of success by fair
means and they want of respect for the good sense and independence of the
people, page 175-176.
A similar "protest" in this same vein was entered into the record and
signed by Van Buren supporters, including Mr. Williamson, pages 255-258.
Such exchanges would be certainly be expected in newspapers controlled by
various political factions and their appearance within the legislative
system is a revealing look at the intensity of the party battle of the
middle years of the nineteenth century.

Because of disability the Speaker was unable to attend on December 23 and
Mr. Ewing was elected Speaker pro tem, page 90-91.

"An Act to establish certain counties" was introduced. After its second
reading Mr. Thomas moved to amend the bill to add the words "Cass" and
"Reynolds", a proposal to reward two Democratic Party stalwarts. The bill
was referred to a select committee of Messers. Maxwell, Strode and
Davidson, page 91. The bill was advanced to its' third reading (page 151),
and passed with amendments and the House asked to concur, page 189. New
counties were created in this session but Lewis Cass and John Reynolds were
not to be so honored, LAWS OF ILLINOIS 1835-1836,pages273-278.

On December 28, following the announcement of the death of US Senator Elias
Kane the Senate and the House met in the House chamber for the purpose of
electing a replacement. William Lee D. Ewing (28), James Semple (25),
Richard Young (19), and Alexander Jenkins (15) received these votes on the
first ballot. Mr. Williamson voting for Mr. Ewing, page 121. On the eighth
ballot Mr. Young failed to receive any votes but still no remaining
candidate had a majority needed for election, page 125.Mr. Lincoln of the
House had supported Mr. Jenkins but on the eighth ballot switched to Mr.
Ewing. On the twelfth ballot Mr. Ewing received 40 votes and Mr. Semple 37
and Mr. Ewing was elected to the US Senate, pages 127-128. Mr. Williamson
had voted for Mr. Ewing on twelve consecutive ballots.

Mr. Williamson voted with the majority (16-9) to support a bill "An Act for
a person herein named", Page 141.

On "An Act supplementary to an act for the relief of Thomas Redmond", Mr.
Williamson voted against indefininate postponement and the bill was tabled,
page 133. This bill was amended giving Redmond, one of the contractors
working on the State House, until January 1,1837 the time to pay the state
a debt of $50,page 146.

A lively exchange occurred on January 2nd when amendments were offered to "
An Act concerning appeals from judgments of Justices of the Peace". Page
161.One amendment proposed to add this language:" That there shall be
allowed to each and every family in this state, one work horse, in addition
to the property now exempted from execution, any law to the contrary
notwithstanding", Mr. Davidson then moved to amend this amendment with
"That when the defendant in any execution shall be without a horse, he
shall be furnished one by the County Commissioners' Court, and paid for out
of the county Treasury", Mr. Herndon proposed to further amend the
amendment by adding " Also one yoke of oxen worth $30 or more". Mr.
Williamson voted no on these amendments. A motion to refer the bill to the
Judiciary Committee failed and the Senate adjourned for the day, pages
161-163.

On "An Act concerning the payment of the Revenue, and for other purposes"
Mr. Williamson voted not to postpone indefinitely, the bill was passed and
the House asked to concur, page 170. Presumably, Mr. Williamson voted for
the act.

On "An Act for the relief of Timothy Guard and others" Mr. Williamson voted
no. A committee report was made recommending relief, pages 111-112. The
bill passed 15-7,page 177. This act grew out of a financial loss of Mr.
Guard who was injured when a creditor called his bond to one of the saline
commissioners.

On January 8th an onerous duty was handed to Mr. Williamson when he and
Senators Snyder, Davidson, Parrish, and Strode were appointed to a select
committee to investigate a fellow Senator on charges in the newspaper by
John York Sawyer that Senator William Thomas had, on oath, leaked a part of
a report on a school bill. Senator Thomas, of Morgan County requested
either a retraction from the newspaper or he threatened to resign his seat,
pages 190-191. On Tuesday, January 10th the committee reported back that
the charges against Senator Thomas were slanderous and should be rejected
as false, page 213-217. On January 14th, 1835 Mr. Sawyer was nominated for
re-election as Public Printer and was elected by the General Assembly
53-26. Mr. Williamson and Mr. Snyder, who had been on the select
investigating committee that condemned Mr. Sawyer in the Thomas matter,
voted for Mr. Menard Greiner.On the House side, Mr. Lincoln also supported
Mr. Greiner, page 255.

On this same day Senators Hacker, Mitchel and Williamson were appointed to
a select committee for "An Act relative to runaway slaves", page 199.
Changes in the Illinois slave codes were usually defeated during this time
period despite a growing abolitionist sentiment and effort. Of interest on
this subject are the 1835 Shelby county census figures. There were 3 free
male Negroes, 3 free female Negroes, 3 indentured servants, 9 persons of
color in all, page 296.

On December 26th Mr. Hacker proposed "An Act to incorporate the Illinois
Central Rail Road" which was passed second and third readings and laid on
the table, page 119.On Monday the 4th the bill was taken up and referred to
the Committee of the Whole, page 159. On Friday January 9th the Senate
Committee of the Whole took under consideration the bill for incorporating
the Central Railroad Company with the result that the Senate accepted the
committee report with some amendment and the bill was passed, 18-4. Mr.
Williamson voting aye, pages 192-193.The bill now retitled "An Act to
incorporate the Illinois Central Rail Road" was read a third time and,
after several amendments were accepted concerned with rerouting the line.
The bill was passed 13-8. Mr. Williamson voting aye, page 195-196.
Ultimately, Mr. Williamson will be named one of the incorporators of the
Illinois Central Rail Road Company, LAWS OF 1836,page 129-135.

A proposal to incorporate the Shawneetown and Alton Rail Road Company was
taken up which would provide that its' construction begin in 1840 and end
by 1850. After several amendments and motions were defeated the bill passed
by a vote of 12-10 with Mr. Williamson voting aye, page 234. The House was
asked to concur and the bill was adopted by the General Assembly, LAWS OF
ILLINOIS, 1835-1836. Similarly, a bill from the House came to the floor in
the morning session," An Act to incorporate the Alton, Wabash and Erie Rail
Road Company". This road proposed to pass through Shelbyville and one of
its' subscribers was William F. Thornton of Shelby County, The bill was
ordered to second reading and, on motion of Mr. Williamson, referred to a
select committee of Messers. Williamson, Craig and Bond, page 241. In the
afternoon session Mr. Williamson reported the bill back to the floor
without amendment and, on his motion, it was cleared through third reading
by title and passed with the House asked to concur, page 242 and LAWS OF
ILLINOIS 1835-1836,pages 16-20. A flurry of such acts to incorporate rails
occurred in this session-eighteen in all. As a member of the Internal
Improvement committee, Mr. Williamson would have been involved in several
of them. The problem, however, was financial. Most of these roads were
never built or never completed, but the frequency and ease of obtaining
incorporation papers testifies to the "boomer" mentality of the period.

On January 13th "An Act for the construction of the Illinois and Michigan
Canal" was read the first time, moved past its' second reading and tabled,
page 250.

"An Act to establish a State Bank" was referred to the Committee of the
Whole, page 256.
"An Act to amend an act regulating enclosures" was read a second time and
referred to a select committee of Messers. McGhee, Rattan and Williamson,
pages 259-260.

The bill "relating to judgments and executions" introduced on December 12
and ordered to its second reading, page 43. The act was amended on December
and referred to the Judiciary committee on the 17th, page 60.It was read a
third time on January 15 and a motion to lay the bill on the table until
December, next was adopted 11-10 with Mr. Williamson voting aye, page
250-251.

Mr. Strode asked approval for a resolution calling upon the Senate to
return a bill for "the relief of David McKee" but the courtesy was denied
10-12 with Mr. Williamson voting no, page 258.

On January 16th with Mr. Williamson in the chair the Committee of the Whole
took up a bill from the House supplemental to the "act making
appropriations for 1835 and 1836". After some time the bill with amendments
was reported back to the floor and passed and the House requested to concur
with the amendments, pages 276-277. On the same day the Senate got hung up
on a motion to amend a bill in relation to the Attorney General by adding
the phrase " an Auditor". The vote was 11-11 with the Speaker breaking the
tie on negative side. Mr. Williamson voted aye, page 277-278. In the
evening session Mr. Williamson moved to reconsider and the phrase was
stricken by a vote of, 15-9. Mr. Williamson still voting aye, page 280-281.

On December 18th the General Assembly adjourned sine die, page 289. In an
appendix following page 289 the records of executive session that had been
held in secret throughout the session were published. In one of these
Governor Duncan had nominated George H. Beeler to be public administrator
for Shelby County. Mr. Williamson moved that the nomination be laid on the
table and Mr. Gatewood ordered that the nomination be approved, page 294.
Later the Governor withdrew Mr. Beeler's name and nominated another, page
296. On the 13th of January the Senate advised and consented to the
Governor's nomination of William B. Archer, 17-4, William F. Thornton who
was from Shelby County, 14-8, and Gurdon Hubbard, 21-1,to serve as Canal
Commissioners, page 295.Mr. Williamson voted for all three.

At a meeting at the Shelby County courthouse on 19 October 1835 WW was
appointed Secretary of a meeting called to promote a railroad connecting
the Ohio River and the Great Lakes regions that subsequently became the
Illinois Central, which merged, with the Canadian National System in 1998.

On August 35 once again commissioned to be Shelby County surveyor.
EXECUTIVE RECORDS, 1832-37,vol.2, page 262. And subsequently
recommisssioned, EXECUTIVE RECORDS, vol.3, page 152. 1837-43.

On December 17,1835 WW is named as an incorporator of the Illinois Central
Railroad Co, LAWS of ILLINOIS 1836, page, 129.

Purchased in section 28 of township #12 North range 5, east of 3rd prime
meridian on November 29,1836. This the NW quarter of the SE quarter.

On January 20, 1836 he had acquired the SW quarter of the NE quarter in the
same section and township. To consolidate these properties he purchased the
W half of the SW quarter on January 24, 1839.

For the service of appraising state lands the General Assembly authorized
payment to William Williamson of $3 for 35 days LAWS OF ILLINOIS 1845, page
368.

On 25 November 1839 in a special election to replace the deceased William
F. Thornton, a member of the Whig Party, Mr. Williamson was elected
(292-167) to the House of Representatives, ILLINOIS ELECTION RETURNS, page
328, THE ILLINOIS FACT BOOK AND HISTORICAL ALMANAC, 1873-1968,page 208.
Since Mr. Williamson's service in the 8th General Assembly, the 11th
General Assembly had increased in membership in the Senate from 26 to 40
senators. In the House of Representatives the increase was from 56 to
102.February 1840. While Abraham Lincoln and William Williamson served
together in three General Assemblies this will be the only term that they
served in the same house. Lodging was always a concern for members of the
legislature and others when the two houses met. What comforts were
available were likely to be in taverns, rooms in private homes, and catch
as catch can. One wonders in Williamson's case? Did he have a close friend
or relative in or near Vandalia/Springfield? At least for a time the
Shields family lived in Bond County in a location on the general route from
Shelbyville to Vandalia. Since the new state capitol was unfinished. the
House met in the second Presbyterian Church until the state house was
opened for the 1840 session. While it was to be much improved in design and
comfort there were continued problems ILLINOIS FIFTH CAPITOL, pages 30-31.

Unless otherwise indicated the citations that follow are from the House
Journal 1839-1840

Prior to the beginning of the 11th General Assembly, and following county
conventions to elect Democratic delegates a state Officeholders Convention
met at Springfield on the 9th of December. The purpose of the convention
was to elect a slate of Democratic Electors for the forthcoming 1840
election and to organize the party for the campaign. The keynote address
and resolutions adopted by the convention summarized the credo of the party
at that time:
1.Martin Van Buren was endorsed for having "pursued the path which
Jefferson and Jackson marked out"
2.The Independent Treasury plan was approved and defended
3.State's Rights and strict construction of the constitution were endorsed
4.The national government's powers were judged to be limited and the states
were the pillars of the Union
5.With the Bank of the United States in mind, chartered monopolies were
declared dangerous to liberty
6.Abolitionists were condemned for interference in the Southern states
7.Democrats were warned that political infidelity was an evil
Johannsen, Robert: STEPHEN A. DOUGLAS, page 75-76 and Ford, Thomas: HISTORY
OF ILLINOIS: 1818-1847,page. The list of delegates included 250 county
officials, political leaders as well as members of the General Assembly.
Mr. Williamson attended as a delegate from Shelby County, SANGAMO JOURNAL,
February 28,1840,page 1.There is nothing in the record to suggest that Mr.
Williamson would have been troubled by these principles and it is worth
noting that Stephen A. Douglas played a dominant role in organizing and
structuring this convention.

The 11th General Assembly met in special session on the call of Governor,
Thomas Carlin, in December 1839. At times the trials of office could be
inconvenient. The church chambers were poorly heated and an unfinished
state house presented unique problems: One of these had to do with the
privies that were located inside the state house in the basement.
Unfortunately, these privies and the stairwell "caused no end of noxious
problems for the legislators. Since the center stairs ran all the way from
the basement up to the second floor, foul smelling odors ascended regularly
to the august legislative chambers. As the toilet vaults grew fuller, the
problems increased". This condition continued over a period of years until,
finally, water closets were introduced in the 1850's. ILLINOIS FIFTH
CAPITOL, pages 30-31. Most members continued to serve previously elected
terms and there were only six new House members-Mr. Williamson being one
when elected in a special election to serve out William F. Thornton's term
following Mr. Thornton's death. The new state house was under construction
and the legislative, executive and judicial branches had to scramble to
find chambers and offices. Because the legislature did not meet on Sundays
it was logical for the church sanctuaries to be rented as Chambers for the
two houses. The House met in the Second Presbyterian Church and the Senate
eventually settled into the Methodist church. The purpose of the special
session was to address the problems created by the recession of 1837-1842.
Years previous had been an era of speculation, and expansion, which ran to
abuse and excess. The legislature sat for eight weeks and grappled with a
maze of resolutions, proposals, petitions and acts. Governor Carlin had
called upon them," in all future negotiations they should be dictated by
sound policy, wisdom and prudence and all expenditures judiciously and
economically applied" HOUSE JOURNAL, page 20. He challenged those who had
favorite projects to protect or advance to adopt discipline and a selfless
public spirit, page 17. Indeed these virtues will are demonstrated in the
record of the House where at times a bipartisan spirit is clearly
reflected. The Democrats were the majority in the House and had been the
majority through the excesses of the previous decade. Unfortunately, they
had a record to defend as well, and it will be difficult for many to accept
Governor Carlin's admonitions. None of these virtues had been in particular
evidence in preceding years. John C. Calhoun described the situation "We
have had the pleasure of getting drunk and now must experience the pain of
getting sober", Margaret Coit, JOHN C. CALHOUN: AMERICAN PORTRAIT, page
338.

When the election for Speaker was taken at the beginning of the session
Abraham Lincoln was the declared Whig candidate and the Democrats proposed
William Lee D. Ewing. Although the Whigs held the majority Mr. Ewing was
elected and Mr. Lincoln acted as floor leader for his party throughout the
1839-1840 term. ILLINOIS FIFTH CAPITOL, page 229, ABRAHAM LINCOLN: THE
PRARIE YEARS AND THE WAR YEARS, pages 64-65. Speaker Ewing was required by
health to resign before the session ended. John Calhoun was elected clerk,
page 8, and after five lively ballots the House chose Isaac Barry to be
assistant clerk, pages 9-11. Mr. Williamson voted for John Calhoun and in
Isaac Berry's case supported him on four of the five ballots taken

In addition to the usual legislative activity this session faced five
major, but related problems of a procedural, fiscal, and economic nature.
First, the credit system had all but collapsed, and public credit was
extended to exhaustion. In 1834 the state debt had stood at $217,276 and in
1838 the debt was $6,688,784. In 1839 on the eve of this legislative
session the state's indebtedness was approaching $14 millions for a state
with fewer that 500,000 inhabitants and state revenues of $200,000. See
Snyder pages 269,284-288. The State Bank of Illinois had suspended specie
payment and could not redeem its paper notes in silver or gold. State bonds
to finance internal improvements on rivers, canals, and roads were trading
at a ten percent discount in London but dividends and interest on equities
had to be paid in specie. If new funds were to be raised, stocks and bonds
could not be sold at par, but of course had ultimately to be redeemed at
par. The charter of the Second Bank of the United States had expired in
1836,and there remained no central regulatory authority to rationalize
state and national markets. No Alan Greenspan!
Secondly, the Illinois and Michigan canal had become a drag on fiscal
operations. The canal was not a pay as you go proposition. Its' contractors
could not be paid. Stockholders and bondholders saw their investments
devalued. Workers went unpaid. The courts were filled with claims against
the counties and the Canal authority. Above all there was no prospect that
the canal could be finished on a predictable schedule. The situation with
the canal was so desperate that the legislature attempted to sell it. On
January 31,the last day of the session, an amendment to "An act to legalize
the re-valuation of certain lots in the town of Lockport, and for other
purposes" was amended as follows:
A/to give the governor the power to sell to any prospective buyer the
Illinois and Michigan Canal and all its assets, including lands in grant
from the state or United States provided,
B/the purchaser refund to the state all monies previously expended and
assume all of the canal's liabilities
C/the price to the purchaser to be at least $3 millions over and above the
canal's debt
D/the purchaser complete the canal
This proposal to sell was adopted by 55-21 with Mr. Williamson and Mr.
Lincoln voting Aye, page 310. Fortunately, or not, the offer was not taken
up by private investors.
Thirdly, in the previous decade the legislature had chartered the
incorporation of many railroads. The problem here was that they were
"skunk" lines that connected to no central system. Over the state there
were embankments, rights of way and construction sites that were incomplete
and suspended in the midst of financial paralysis. In Governor Carlin's
words "the system of Internal Improvements was truly alarming"
HOUSEJOURNAL, page 14. The legislators had real problems sorting out their
allegiances and the state's resources between the viability of canals
versus the serviceability of rails. Both interests were to suffer, as the
suspension of construction would weigh on both. Those that could pay their
way had a chance to survive; those that could not faced the legislative ax.
Because Mr. Williamson was appointed to the Standing Committee on Internal
Improvements one would expect that he might play a significant role during
the session but this seems not to be the case. One reason the committee did
not play a greater role was that the problems were so interlocked between
Finance, Public Works, Internal Affairs, Canal and Canal Lands, State
Roads, and Public Acts and Expenditures that each of these committees and
the House leadership found it easier to reconcile their special concerns in
the Committee of the Whole House or in Joint Committees of the House and
Senate. Any number of bills on the subject of internal improvements could
have been sent to any one or all of these standing committees.
Fourth: Income collections, including tax receipts had fallen. New sources
of revenue needed to be found since few, if any, suggested that tax burdens
be imposed. License fees and more effective assessment practices were
suggested and these generated heated debate.
Five: Since a special session had been called one might expect the
legislature to focus on the major problems and set aside 'elective"
business until the next session but this was not to be the case and so the
legislators labored on with a myriad of acts, petitions, resolutions and
motions that had little, if any, relevance to the four problems itemized
above. Instead of focusing their "genius" and rationing their time they
were distracted and drawn to the extraneous. The Journal gives a clear
sense of this when, at the end of the session, they are in a near panic to
finish the tasks before them and they are forced to let many issues that
had taken up their time and energies die on the table.

A petition from W.M.H. Piatt, the administrator of the estate of James
Piatt, requesting that he be allowed to sell certain lots was referred to a
committee of two-Mr. Gouge and Mr. Williamson. --, pages 9-10.

On December 12 Mr. Williamson was appointed to a select committee to review
a petition of sundry citizens of Fayette County praying for a change of
venue in the case of People vs. Gikoske,
page 25.
Resolutions were proposed to grant the legislature immunity from suits
brought against the state or its agents. One of these proposed to declare
these suits unconstitutional and to insulate the member from any legal/
disciplinary action except that of the people in free elections, page 27.
This resolution was decided in the negative 39-44. Messers. Williamson and
Lincoln voting in the negative, page 27-28. Apparently, legislators had
come to fear that some of the consequences of their excesses in the earlier
years might reach into their own pockets! A second resolution which merely
stated that any such suit should not operate to the disadvantage of a
legislator-excluding the reference to it being unconstitutional-was
adopted, page 28. Another preamble and series of resolutions (the first
introduced at the session) demonstrate the frustrations of handling a
situation that was spinning out of control:
1.A declaration condemning the excess of the past
2. A declaration that the state and individual credit had been burdened
beyond
the capacity to repay
3.The current tax rate was high, oppressive and intolerable compared to
other states.
4That the current system of internal improvements had been "palmed of" onto
the people without their consent
5.the costs of the system of internal improvements had been vastly
underestimated
6.That these improvements had been pledged without increased tax burdens
7.that the development of cities would be encouraged and the value of real
property be enhanced

8. That the interest and dividends earned would produce revenue to defray
costs to the state
9.That these promises had been illusions and that the committee on Internal
Improvements be instructed to bring in a bill repealing the existing law of
internal improvement and preserve the interests of the state in works
already commenced.
The House vote to lay this preamble and resolutions on the table, passed
43-40,page 30. Messers. Williamson and Lincoln voted aye to lay these on
the table but they were not later referred to the Committee on Internal
Improvements as might be expected.

On December 20 Mr. Williamson voted against a motion that would have
amended the bank bill in such a manner as to deny it powers to cope with
the current situation, page 66-67. Some members opposed vesting any further
power or trust in the State Bank and attempted to circumscribe its powers.
Mr. Lincoln also voting no. Because the House vote refused to allow the
bill to be referred to the Judiciary Committee, further amendments were
offered:
1."That the suspension of specie payments by the State Bank of Illinois, is
hereby legalized, so far as regards the penalty of forfeiture of its
charter until otherwise provided for by law", page 67.
2."Provided, That the legislature shall at any time hereafter, when the
public good may require it, have the right to alter or amend the charter of
said bank", page 67.After beating back several attempts to deflect the
intent of these amendments both were adopted and the bill was passed
(67-22) for its third reading, page, 68-69. A motion on the following day
to reconsider was defeated, page 70. In all of these maneuvers in re the
Bank, Mr. Williamson and Mr. Lincoln recognized the necessity for the Bank
and consistently defended its continuance.

On December 23 "an act in relation to the State Bank of Illinois "was
before the House for its' third reading, page 80. The vote was 61-24 to
adopt and the senate asked to concur. Messers Williamson and Lincoln voted
with the majority. On January 8,1840 another bill entitled " An act in
relation to the State Bank" was read for the first time but failed to
receive the vote needed to reach a second reading. This bill seems to have
originated with "the friends of the bank" with Mr. Williamson and Lincoln
supporting it, page 136-137. The House again took up the issues in "An act
in relation to the State Bank" that was reported out from select committee.
Mr. Williamson voted for an amendment to limit the liability of the
stockholders and the state, page 230. On a second amendment to revive its
charter but reserve the state's right to amend or alter the charter, he
voted with the minority, page 231. He voted in favor of a resolution that
the Bank resume specie payment, page 231 and on another to require that a
majority of the Bank's directors be elected by the State, page 231.All of
these amendments failed to be adopted, page 232. However, when the entire
bill was voted on, Mr. Williamson voted for the bill as amended and the
resumption of specie payment was included in the final bill. If he could
not have the bank as he favored it; he would nevertheless have the bank,
page 232. Lincoln's views throughout were juxtaposed to his. The bill was
reported as engrossed by the House on January 24,page 237. On January 24
the House continued to consider " a bill in relation to the State Bank".
After several amendments were considered the bill was passed 52-34 with
Messer Williamson and Lincoln voting aye, pages, 244- 246. On January 29,
1840 the "act in relation to the State Bank of Illinois" again came to the
floor with Senate amendments attached to it. Messers Williamson and Lincoln
voted to support the Senate version and it was passed 47-36,page
284-286.The final bill contained most of the principles that Messers
Lincoln and Williamson had fought to include, LAWS OF ILLINOIS ELEVENTH
GENERAL ASSEMBLY, 1840,pages 17-19.

On December 21 Mr. Williamson "presented a petition of sundry citizens of
the State of Illinois in relation to a state road", and on his motion, the
proposal was sent to the Committee on State Roads, page 70.

Mr. Williamson and Mr. Lincoln joined across the aisle to reject "an act to
authorize limited partnerships", page 71-72. The bill was approved by the
majority for third reading.

A joint resolution to establish a committee to invite the clergy of
Springfield to "open the daily sessions of the House with prayer to
Almighty God" was proposed, page 72. Amendments were offered and rejected
to pay clergy $5 and require the prayer to be the "Lords Prayer", page
74-76. Curiously, since we know Williamson to be confirmed Methodist who
had contributed significantly to establish the Sand Springs church on his
property in Shelby County, he voted in the negative. Since there were other
items in the bill, unrelated to prayer, his objection may have been for
other reasons. The measure was adopted (50-37) and Mr. Williamson was to
listen to prayers in the Methodist church in Springfield throughout the
session. Mr. Lincoln voted aye.

A bill from the senate making "partial appropriations" was read on the
floor. Amendments were offered and beaten back and the bill moved to third
reading, Messers Williamson and Lincoln again joined across the aisle, page
78.

On December 26 "a bill for an act to repeal an act entitled' An act
regulating tavern and grocery license, and for other purposes" was reported
and a substitute committee bill entitled "A bill for an act concerning
groceries" was recommended by the committee page 85. This bill provoked a
lively series of exchanges which seem to have focused on limiting the
amount of liquor these could sell, the fee to be paid for license to sell,
the character of the licensee, and which agency of government would enforce
and collect the fees. After some scrambling for position the bill was
adopted as amended (48-29) and moved to its third reading with Mr.
Williamson and Mr. Lincoln voting aye, pages 85-87. Passed the House and
the Senate was asked to concur, page 262. Messers Williamson and Lincoln
again voted aye.

On a bill for indefinite postponement of "a bill for an act making school
commissioners elective by the people". Messers. Williamson and Lincoln
joined across the aisle with the minority to postpone indefinitely but the
bill was sent to a select committee (58-25). The title of the bill suggests
that both would have supported it in principle, however, this source does
not allow us to know the details of the bill or why they opposed it on this
occasion, page 90. Subsequently, an engrossed bill for "An Act to make
School Commissioners elective by the people" was read a third time and
passed 54-27. Mr. Williamson and Mr. Lincoln voting in the negative, page
261.


An item of interest was raised on December 28 when the following resolution
was offered "Whereas the railroad from Jackson to Meredosia has been
completed, and as much anxiety exists to see whether the said railroad
answer the expectation of the legislature and the friends of the internal
improvement system. Therefore for the purpose of enabling members to
inspect the work, it is Resolved, That when this House adjourns on Monday,
it will adjourn to meet again on Thursday next" This suggestion was
defeated 34-44 with Mr. Williamson for and Mr. Lincoln against, page 98.
What makes this interesting is the proposed expenditure of legislative time
and the per diem cost of the adjournment. Certainly, given the weight and
volume of public business this proposition would be a distraction.
Subsequent motions suggest this may have been motivated, in part, by a
desire to "pad" the legislative payroll. On January 22 the Senate reported
that they could not concur with this bill that had subsequently passed the
House, page 233.

When a resolution to "instruct the Commissioner on State Roads to prepare
and report to the House granting the county commissioners courts the same
superintendency over state roads in the several counties in this state,
that said courts have over public roads" came up for a vote. Mr. Williamson
voted in the negative and Mr. Lincoln with the majority who carried the
measure (49-26), page 99.

On December 23 on a bill for "an act to distribute the School fund to the
several counties of the state" Mr. Williamson voted against a motion to
postpone indefinitely and the bill was laid on the table by vote of
(46-38), page 81.On December 30 Mr. Williamson opposed bringing the bill to
the floor but the bill was approved (36-34) and referred to the Finance
Committee, page 105-106. On this later occasion Mr. Lincoln and Mr.
Williamson voting together in the negative. This bill ultimately passed and
gave the county commissioners authority to distribute the funds to teachers
and treasurers of the townships at the county seat. It is difficult to see
on what grounds this concept would be opposed, LAWS OF ILLINOIS ELEVENTH
GENERAL ASSEMBLY 1840,page, 87.

Opponents of the Bank of Illinois proposed by resolution to establish a
joint House- Senate Committee "to proceed to Shawneetown for the purpose of
investigating the affairs of the Bank of Illinois and that they enquire
into causes of the present suspension of specie payments by said Bank". A
motion to take up the proposal was defeated 55-24 with Mr. Williamson and
Mr. Lincoln voting together with the majority, page 109.

On January 2,1840 Mr. Williamson voted to lay on the table a resolution" to
require all free male inhabitants over the age of twenty-one and under the
age of fifty residing in the state of Illinois to labor one day on the
public roads..." The proposal was laid on the table by a vote of 41-40.
There is no record that this bill subsequently passed the general Assembly.
Just previously on this same day, the House had voted to refer to the
Judiciary Committee, "An act to amend an act relative to runaway slaves",
page 120. This bill also failed to pass the Eleventh General Assembly. One
might imagine free males between the ages of 21-50 also becoming runaways!
In fairness, the expectation that residents do road duty was a long
established practice in rural America.

On January 4 Resolutions from the Committee of the Whole were reported to
the floor when the following amendment was proposed "That the Committee on
Internal Improvements be instructed to report bills to this House,
incorporating Joint Stock Companies on each of the rail and other roads
embraced in the system of Internal Improvements, making the State a
stockholder to the extent of its expenditures on all the roads, the State
reserving the right after a given period to purchase the interests of the
other stockholders at the current price of said stock". This amendment was
defeated 28-49 with Mr. Williamson and Mr. Lincoln voting against the
measure, page 128.

On this same day this second amendment was offered "To suspend all action
and operation in the construction of Railroads". This resolution was
adopted 41-37 with Mr. Williamson and Mr. Lincoln voting against, page 129.
On a clause within the Internal Improvements bill "to require all works
upon the rivers to be suspended" the measure was adopted 46-37 with Mr.
Williamson for and Mr. Lincoln against, page 130. Subsequently, the entire
bill was adopted 44-31 with Mr. Williamson voting aye and Mr. Lincoln not
recorded as voting, page 130.

Mr. Williamson was appointed to a select committee to report on "a petition
of sundry citizens of Kane County, praying the passage of an act
authorizing Scott Clarke and Associates to build a bridge across Fox
River", page 133.

An act in relation to garnishees was read and passed on to second reading
(51-32). Mr. Lincoln and Mr. Williamson supporting the measure, page 137.
Subsequently, for reasons unknown, this bill was postponed until July 4th
next, a tactic to kill the bill for this session. Mr. Lincoln and Mr.
Williamson voting aye, page 164.

One of the distractions before the House involved an impeachment
investigation brought against the Honorable John Pearson a judge of the
Seventh Judicial Circuit. The matter was complicated by partisan maneuver
and ultimately a resolution was proposed, "That until the case of the
Honorable John Pearson now pending before this House, be disposed of, no
new business, nor any business not relating to the above case, will be
received nor acted upon by this House". Adopted 39-31 with Mr. Williamson
in support, page 138. On January 9 resolutions were laid on the table to
impeach but also to allow the judge time to present evidence before the
House that had been considered by the Committee of the Whole, page 142.On
January 10 the motion "That the evidence adduced in support of the charges
preferred against the Honorable John Pearson, Judge of the Seventh Circuit,
is not sufficient to authorize an impeachment in said case", page 142 was
approved (45-40), Mr. Williamson voting aye and Mr. Lincoln voting no, page
145-146. The effect of this was to discharge the case against the judge.
Because of the evidence and partisan sentiment 32 of the minority signed a
protest and dissent into the record admonishing the majority for its
support of the judge, pages 150-151. Abraham Lincoln added after his
signature the phrase: "true as I believe", page 152.

Just previous to this the House had entertained a motion to censure the
justices of the Illinois Supreme Court for "violation of the State
Constitution".", incompetency". and "other divers good and sufficient
reasons" and that they therefore be "addressed out of office", page 145.
Mr. Williamson voted aye but the clerk, Mr. Calhoun and the State Printer,
recorded the proposal to lie on the table failing, 20-65. However, without
explanation the motions were considered or reconsidered, and referred to a
committee of five. On this vote Mr. Williamson voted aye, page180-181.

Mr. Williamson voted no on a motion to send on to second reading a bill
from the Senate for "An act to limit the duration of the office off clerks
of the Circuit Courts". The bill was approved for second reading 41-31,page
153.

On January 20,1840 a resolution was introduced to provide for settling the
debt on internal improvement bonds by refunding the bonds and offering to
pay interest that was in arrears if bondholders would also forgive part of
the interest due. Because the state lacked the ability to pay the interest,
and there was reluctance to raise taxes, the measure was postponed, page
207.On February 15,1840 the House took up the resolution and approved it
(52-45), pages, 394-395. Mr. Williamson voted for the resolution.

The Public Works bill began to take on the form of an omnibus bill as
members began to compete for limited funds to protect projects they
favored. This set the members against one another and considerable
wrangling ensued on this bill. Vandalia proposed the following amendment
"That all work on the State House in Springfield be suspended for five
years, and that the Seat of Government be removed to Vandalia, together
with all the offices thereunto appertaining, there to continue for and
during the period of ten years". The amendment was defeated (55-27) by a
motion to postpone until July 4,1840. Mr. Williamson voted with the
minority for the proposal. One of these amendments proposed "That an act
entitled, An act to establish and maintain a system of Internal
Improvements, and all acts supplemental thereto, be and the same are hereby
repealed", page 187-188. Mr. Williamson voted against this amendment and a
motion to approve the bill for its' third reading, page 189. On other
motions, resolutions and maneuvers on this bill this reader finds it
impossible to coherently determine positions, as the record is very
convoluted. On most of the votes recorded Mr. Williamson and Mr. Lincoln
voted together, pages 187-199. Subsequently, the House passed an "Act to
abolish the Board of Public Works, and to suspend all action and operation
in the construction of railroads" and "an Act to abolish the Board of Fund
Commissioners and Public Works, and create a Board of Improvements" page
222.

On January 18 a motion to lay on the table a proposal to establish the
office of Collector and Assessor in each county to be elected by the people
and vacancies between elections to be filled by the county Commissioners
Court. Mr. Williamson voted with the majority to include this item in the
bill, which was approved for third reading, page 203.

On January 20,1840 Mr. Williamson was appointed to a select committee to
report on an "Act to provide for the completion of the Terre Haute,
Shelbyville and Alton Railroad and for other improvements", page 213. Since
many projects failed to be incorporated into a Public Works bill, and since
members were now facing the last days of the session with urgency and
desperation, they attempted to rescue favorite projects through a flurry of
bills such as this one. Perhaps another approach was reflected in an "An
act to allow the Internal Improvements system the benefits of clergy", page
216.

Because the recession had struck the nation as a whole, certain efforts
were taken up in Congress that would have distributed authority over the
sale of public land to the benefit of the states. On a revenue bill four
amendments were offered to make appeals to the Congress for the passage of
bills sponsored by John C. Calhoun, and the third of these' proposed to
express gratitude to him for his efforts. This was too much for 62 of the
members who voted to expunge these expressions in praise for the architect
of nullification. Mr. Williamson and 22 others, nevertheless, opposed
striking out the tribute to the senator from South Carolina, page 220-221.

"An act in relation to the election of Members of Congress" was introduced
and passed 45-39. Mr. Williamson voted Aye and Mr. Lincoln voted No, pages,
222-223.

On January 24 the Judiciary Committee reported back to the House
resolutions calling for a convention to amend the Illinois constitution.
The judiciary committee recommended rejection but because there was no
affirmative vote (both sets of votes were printed into the record as
negative it is impossible to know who voted in the affirmative. It seems
likely that Messrs Williamson and Lincoln voted against the proposal.
Subsequently, the vote was to lay the resolutions on the table, page
240-241.

A bill for "An act for the further consideration of the Illinois and
Michigan Canal" with amendments came to the floor of the House. The
amendments would authorize the governor to issue script (credit
instruments) to be expended on specific projects. The vote on the bill and
amendments to move to third reading was defeated 46-36 with Mr. Williamson
in the majority and Mr. Lincoln in the minority, page 243.

On January 25 the House took up an "An act making appropriations for the
year 1839-1840" which proposed to settle the expenses of rents and pay for
the employees of the House during the session. Some members wanted to
increase their pay to $5 and others wanted to reduce it to $3.50. The
proposal contained a section that the members be paid a per diem of $4 per
day to include expenses. The bill was approved for third reading, page 248.
When the bill came to the floor it was defeated 38-33,page 280. Mr.
Williamson voting no, Mr. Lincoln voting aye. Later the appropriations bill
was again on the floor and open for amendment. One of these again concerned
the amount of legislative pay, the legislature having the power to
determine their per diem allowance. On a proposal to strike out $4 and
substitute $3 Mr. Williamson and Mr. Lincoln supported the reduction, but
the majority voted to retain $4,page 308.The effect of these votes was to
leave their pay for the session at $4,LAWS OF ILLINOIS 1839-1840,page 81.

Mr. Williamson moved that a Senate bill for an "Act to legalize the change
of a certain state road therein named " be referred to select committee and
he also moved "an act to re- locate a state road from Charleston to Andrew
Wilson's in Macon County" and was rewarded for his efforts by appointment
to select committee to report both bills, page 253.

A Senate bill for "an act to repeal an act to establish and maintain a
general system of Internal Improvements, and all acts amendatory thereto"
was read a third time and the bill was passed 47-35 with Mr. Williamson and
Mr. Lincoln voting against, pages 264- 265.

An act supplemental to an act to incorporate the Vandalia and Mississippi
Turnpike Company agreed to and advanced to third reading 39-37 with Mr.
Williamson and Mr. Lincoln voting against the measure, page 265

Mr. Lincoln and Mr. Williamson voted adversely on "An act authorizing the
purchase of a house for the use of the governor" with the proviso that the
site be in Springfield. The act and amendments were postponed indefinitely,
57-25. Presumably, this was another attempt by the Springfield adherents to
cement the move of the Seat of Government to that city, page 282

On January 29 "an act to modify An Act to establish and maintain a general
system of Internal Improvements approved February 27,1837" came to the
floor. Because the bill failed, members scrambled to salvage projects dear
to them, and their districts, and the number of bills proliferated. Mr.
Williamson proved to be no exception in the case of the Terre Haute,
Shelbyville, and Alton Railroad and when an amendment was proposed that
would salvage the Railroad he supported it. It is obvious from geography
and his voting patterns that this railroad would be of significant benefit
to Mr. Williamson's district and region and he was probably prepared to
scratch backs," play ball" and bargain to get it. This act, and all efforts
to salvage amendments to it, were finally defeated when the bill died by a
vote of 53-29,page 283. On January 30,1840 the House again took up the "act
to modify the system of Internal Improvements". Some skirmishing took place
but most proposed amendments were beaten back and the select committees
report was adopted, 43-39. Mr. Williamson and Mr. Lincoln were in agreement
to reject amendments, page 288-292.However an act to "modify the act of
Internal Improvements was adopted, page 293. When this bill came up for its
third reading the title was modified to be "An act to repeal an act
entitled an act to establish and maintain a general system of Internal
Improvements, and other laws amendatory to the same" was approved 48-33
with Mr. Williamson and Mr. Lincoln voting against, page 299.

On this same day a committee bill for "An act for the relief of contractors
and the adjustments of claims against the State" reached the floor and was
adopted 38-35. Mr. Williamson and Mr. Lincoln voted aye, page 311, and in
LAWS OF ILLINOIS ELEVENTH GENERAL ASSEMBLY 1840, page 98.

On the last day of the session, February 1,1840 Mr. Williamson was
successful in securing House approval of: "An act to re-locate a State road
from Charleston to Andrew Wilson's in Macon County", page 318. However, the
bill did not pass in this session of the General Assembly.

On 3 August 1840 Mr. Williamson was defeated for election to the senate
(561-520) by Peter Warren, ELECTION RETURNS, page 332. The record does not
allow us to objectively evaluate the responsibility and integrity of
members of the General Assembly, but it seems clear with an economic crisis
facing the state that Mr. Williamson performed in an admirable manner
throughout the session. In my judgment this session was his "finest hour"
as a public official.

In 1841 people of the northern part of Shelby County petitioned the
legislature for a bill to form a new county from Shelby and adjacent
counties. Some conflict thus ensued:" It should be mentioned here, that the
above petition provided that the new county should be named Fleming; but
through a partisan feeling on the part of the representative from Shelby
County he declared he would have nothing to do with establishing a county
to be called Fleming. The result was that there was a second compromise,
and Mr. Williamson, the Shelby county representative, had the honor of
naming the new county. He named it in honor of Col. William Moultrie of
early military fame." HISTORY OF SHELBY AND MOULTRIE COUNTIES, 1881,page
65.


The Williamson family was included in the 1840 US CENSUS IN SHELBY COUNTY,
Page 15. Extracted from a compilation of T.M. Hall. DECATUR GENEALOGICAL
SOCIETY publisher, 1978. In this year the state's population had increased
to 476,183,up from 157,447 in 1830. With this and the end of the Black Hawk
War the northern half of the state began to grow with a shift in political
power from the South to the North.

In August of 1842 Peter Warren defeated (479-414-408) him for state Senate
by a vote of 561-520. Mr.Warren again defeated him in the 1844 rematch,
ELECTION RETURNS, page 383.The third candidate, John Chamberlain, ran
strongly in the section of this district in Moultrie County which probably
stripped votes from the other two.

Mr. Williamson purchased, for $50, the NEquarter of the SW quarter in
section 34 of township 12. EXECUTIVE RECORDS, 1843-47,page 171. On June
1,1850 he added to his real estate by the purchase in Township 11 the N one
half of the NEquarter. Certificate #3579 EXECUTiVE RECORDS,
1847-53,page373. On September 12 of that year he acquired in township 12
sections 34 the SE quarter of the SW quarter. EXECUTIVE RECORDS the same
period, page 390. Certificate # 3610.

For the service of appraising state lands the General Assembly authorized
payment to WW of $3 for 35 days LAWS OF ILLINOIS 1845, page 368.

William Williamson served as a delegate to the state LOCOFOCO Convention in
August of 1846. The name Locofoco comes from the name given to safety
matches that on one occasion were used to light candles at a party
convention when the opposition, in a political ploy, turned out the
gaslights. In fact, there was no Locofoco party, but the phrase,
Locofocodom, was pejoratively applied to radical elements within the
Democratic Party and perversely extended to all Democrats by its enemies.
Politically, the term was used narrowly for those who were for a monetary
system based on gold and silver, free trade, restrictions on monopoly power
and the elimination of subsidies and special privileges for banks and
corporations.
Previous to Mr. Williamson's legislative service, the Democrats were
derisively divided into two camps: one designated "whole hog" Democrats and
the other "milk and cider" Democrats. Before the election of 1824 the
campaigns revolved around the candidacy of an individual or faction but,
with the emergence of Jackson, issues and principles took on more
importance and the parties consolidated. Likely Mr. Williamson's attachment
to Jackson was motivated by personality, and sympathy for General Jackson's
treatment that grew out of the disputed election result in 1824.Certainly
the charge that General Jackson was a Caesar would have held no fear for a
man who had a brother and nephew named Napoleon Bonaparte! Traditionally,
the Democrats were the majority party in Illinois with the Whigs emergent
after 1832. In general, the leadership abilities of early Illinois
politicians were not admirable, and some skeptical observers, such as
Governor Ford, held even more jaundiced assessments of the character of the
population at large. Ralph Waldo Emerson thought the Democrats "had the
best principles" and the Whigs the "best men", and this might especially
apply in Illinois. For these frontier officials character was more
important than education, and they composed a different kind of "elite"
that substituted commitment and experience for cultural polish. Moreover,
within limits, they made themselves "available" to serve, in the
realization that they had come to build a society in their image. The
Journals repeatedly demonstrate that they held dogmatically to the
principles of their fathers but, when faced with a problem, pragmatism was
their guide.


In the August 1846 elections for the House of Representatives William
Williamson defeated three opponents (674-415-38-25) and was elected to the
15th General Assembly. ELECTION RETURNS, vol.72, page 14,THE ILLINOIS FACT
BOOK AND HISTORICAL ALMANAC, 1673-1968,page 215. The House in this session
returned 124 members, more than double the number in the House when Mr.
Williamson began his legislative career in the 8th General Assembly. Of the
members who served with him in the 8th General Assembly of the Senate, only
Mr. Archer would serve with him in the 15th, ILLINOIS FIFTH CAPITOL, pages,
225-234.

Unless otherwise otherwise specified the following citations are taken from
the HOUSE JOURNAL,GENERAL ASSEMBLY 1846-1847. This Journal is indexed.

The House convened on 7 December 1847 in Springfield without Mr. Williamson
who did not present his credentials and qualify until December 9,Page 14.
Newton Cloud was elected Speaker and John McDonald was Clerk. William W.
Pace was chosen to be assistant Clerk. The governor of Illinois at this
time was Augustus C. French. The governor's message set the tone for the
forthcoming session and identified several conditions and challenges before
the people and the government of the state. The Illinois and Michigan Canal
was yet uncompleted but there were assurances that the end was in sight.
The governor called upon the legislature to provide remedies including
consolidation and refunding of the state debt because "the state was deeply
in debt". The banking problems were yet to be worked out as the banks were
torn by partisan ideology, market conditions, and the distrust of the
people in them. In fact, confidence was so low that a law had been passed
in 1845 requiring that they be liquidated, although this task was
incomplete at this time. Governor French went so far in his message to say
"It seems to me that the interests of the people of this state will be
better promoted by, hereafter, dispensing with banks altogether, than again
to take their chance upon a sea of uncertainty and confusion as they have
lately passed", page 20. Other problems were with the common schools, the
residual results of what was called "the Mormon difficulties" or "the
difficulties in Hancock County", the state militia and its ability to cope
with insurrection, the insane, penal reform, re-apportionment of the
legislature, and ways and means. The fiscal affairs of the state were such
that there was a demand to reduce state expenditures and even
re-apportionment was defended and presented as a move to economize. One of
these, called upon state legislators to accept a cut in their per diem
allowance to $2.50. One resolution summarized the problem this way: "now is
the time when the pruning knife of retrenchment and reform should be used
vigorously in every department ". This was also the age in which nativism
was to produce the American Party, the Know Nothings, and the reactions
they engendered may be found in skirmishing over how many copies of the
governor's message to print. Ten thousand appeared to be the maximum number
but the issue turned on how many were to be in English and how many in
German. This was an age of increased immigration from Europe, and the state
census of 1845,which was to be the basis for re-apportionment, had provoked
some alarm among nativists as to the political and economic influence of
growing numbers of foreign speaking people. After several-failed votes, the
House voted to print 8000 copies in English and 2000 in German. Mr.
Williamson's vote seems to be that 10000 were too many and he also voted
against the 8-2 ratio that was finally adopted without his affirmative
vote, pages 22-25.Related to the growth of the state's population it was
necessary to balance the population in each district by re-apportioning the
seats in the legislature. At issue for Mr. Williamson was maintaining a
voice for his district/county because the smaller the district, the more
representatives could be sent to Springfield. The issue first came up early
in the session and was to provoke lively conflict, page 29.

The use of the word retrenchment is significant for Mr. Williamson because
he was assigned to the Standing Committee on Retrenchment and his
appointment to that committee would indicate his political and economic
point of view at this time. Presumably, this committee was to find and
propose legislation that would find ways and means of reducing expenditures
and the state's obligations. This could be and probably was a mean task and
may explain his voting patterns in the session. There is no sign in the
Journal that the Committee on Retrenchment played a significant role during
the session. It seems probable that those whose voices were inclined to
this position were given a platform and isolated in the committee as the
leadership used other parliamentary devices to bypass them. His other
committee assignments were to the Standing Committee on Federal Relations
(newly established in this session) and the Standing Committee on Public
Acts and Expenditures, page 33.Taken together, these were significant
committee assignments.

Mr. Williamson gave his vote to endorse a number of resolutions in re the
war with Mexico. On December 10,1846f resolutions were introduced in the
form of petitions to the Congress of the United States. These resolutions:
1.condemned the Mexicans as "insolent invaders" who had insulted US
Diplomats and accused them of violating "solemn treaties, murdering our
citizens" and behaving with "intolerable braggadocia",
2.Expresed approval of the actions taken by the Polk administration of
sending an American army to the Rio Grande "into our territory",
3. Encouraged the Congress to provide the "sinews of war"
4. Commended the US army and navy for its gallantry to date and expressed
specific hanks to General Taylor for the recent successes at Monterrey,
5.Recommended that the Congress reward each officer and man a grant of 160
acres of federal land for their service and if killed or disabled their
families were to be rewarded with 320 acres of public land,
6.Praised President Polk for revising his claim of 54-40 or fight to accept
the 49 parallel as the border with Great Britain in Canada,
7.Encouraged the administration to take all of California and Mexico on
both sides of the Rio Grande and make Monterrey, Mexico the capital of the
Southern Territory,
8.Urged the Congress and their delegates to support an increase in pay for
regulars and volunteers while reducing the per diem allowance of the
Congress from $8 to $5,
9.Condemned Mexican General Santa Anna for duplicity, and urged President
Polk to discontinue further negotiations with him. HOUSE JOURNAL, op cit,
passim.
In the main Mr. Williamson supported these resolutions.

Being a good party soldier did not inhibit Mr. Williamson from voting with
the majority for a resolution condemning President Polk for vetoing a
Rivers and Harbors bill that would have been of material benefit to the
state, page 29.

It should be remembered in his previous legislative service Mr. Williamson
had been a strong supporter of the state bank. However, the bank's record
and economic events, persuaded him that an investigation of the bank at
Shawneetown and its directors was in order, and he supported a resolution
to establish a joint committee of the General Assembly to report on these
matters, page 30-31.The failure of the bank imposed significant hardship on
the availability of currency and the House, 67-41, resolved that the
Judiciary Committee "be requested to inquire into the propriety of
furnishing the citizens of Illinois with a reasonable supply of specie
paying paper money upon sound constitutional methods at reasonable rates".
The resolution was adopted, pages 39-40. Mr. Williamson voted no.
The requirement that the banks be liquidated proved to be difficult. The
actions in this session resulted in repeal of the bank's charter, and
placing the bank into receivership by a State Commission with the
commissioners to be entitled to an 8% commission. This Senate version of
the bill was too much for the House and they voted to reduce the
commission's commission to two and one half percent and that was agreed to,
54-42,page 488. Mr. Williamson voted to support this language. The bill was
finally cleared through the conference committee and passed by both Houses,
page 546. This would be the last recorded vote by Mr. Williamson in the
session.

On December 12,1846 the General Assembly met in joint session to elect a
United States senator from Illinois. Stephen A. Douglas received 100 votes
against Cyrus Edward's 45. Mr. Williamson voted for Mr. Douglas, page
36-37.

Of some concern among some of the representatives was the fee schedule and
qualifications for professional persons such as physicians and lawyers. A
proposal to regulate their fee schedules and qualifications was proposed,
"prohibiting men who have not the necessary qualifications from practicing
as such" and a resolution containing this phrase was adopted with Mr.
Williamson voting against, page 52-53. His vote provokes several questions,
as his son Jefferson was later to practice medicine.

On 21 December "An act to fix the pay of county commissioners" was read a
second time. Amendments were proposed and defeated to reduce their pay from
$2.50 to $2. The House voted not to reduce 44-68 and the bill was approved
for third reading, pages 73-75. Mr. Williamson voted against the reduction.

A resolution was offered on December 21 that would petition the Illinois
delegation in Congress to work for legislation that would "donate" to the
state of Illinois every alternate section of land along the Central Railway
line. If the alternate section was unavailable because of previous
disposition, the Congress was asked to substitute other suitable
properties. An avalanche of amendments was then offered to extend the
benefits of the resolution to a plethora of other railway lines. The
resolution failed to be adopted 57-50 but Mr. Williamson voted for it, page
57. The measure again came to the floor, as a motion to reconsider, but
failed for lack of a quorum, page 96. Mr. Williamson voted not to
reconsider.
A revenue bill of December 18 engendered some heat before the House
defeated the measure, 57-52. Included in the skirmish was a proposed
amendment "that no appropriation be made to members of the legislature,
before the termination of the session", the amendment was not agreed to
68-41 with Mr. Williamson voting aye, page 61. Throughout this session
there were numerous attempts to economize on the pay of other public
officials. On January 2 a resolution was offered to reduce the pay of
members of the General Assembly to $1 per pay. This produced an amendment
that "for the first two months the pay of members and officers of this
General Assembly, shall be three dollars per day, after which their pay
shall be shall be one dollar and fifty cents per day". Both resolution and
amendment were tabled without a recorded vote, page 108. On the 6th a
resolution was offered that would require members of the Supreme Court of
Illinois to be paid equally with the result that some of the members of the
court would have their pay reduced. This motion was laid on the table 47-45
with Mr. Williamson voting affirmatively, page 128. On the 7th a similar
resolution was offered, "that in order to carryout the principles of
justice, equality and economy" the justices of the court were respectfully
requested to "relinquish" part of their salary. This measure would save the
state $3000 per annum. It was laid one the table by the ayes (61) and nays
(38). Mr. Williamson voted aye, page 134.
Because of some civil disturbance, several attempts during the session were
made to secure approval for a special term of the Circuit Court of Massoc
County. The Judiciary Committee reported the bill with a "do pass"
recommendation. An amendment was offered on the floor to strike out the
words," and also in protecting the citizens against mob violence, and in
suppressing insurrection and rebellion in said county, or the counties
adjacent thereto" The motion to strike out failed (48-41) with Mr.
Williamson voting to strike. There is nothing in the record to allow a
determination of what the problem was. Some language seems to suggest that
the problem was related to failure of the state to redeem its debt in a
timely manner, page 115,156,197,207,229.

On January 5,1847 "an act to amend an act in relation to Negroes and
Mulattoes" was ordered to second reading. The vote was 43-42 to refer back
to committee with Mr. Williamson voting to refer, page 117. This bill was
reported back from the Judiciary Committee with a negative recommendation
and failed its' third reading, page 307. On February 23rd the Judiciary
Committee recommended passage of "An act amending chapter seventy-four of
the Revised Statutes, relating to Negroes and Mulattoes". Mr. Williamson
moved to lay the bill on the table which was not agreed to (48-47), page
467.The bill was moved to third reading and failed to pass with Mr.
Williamson voting not to pass. (56-39), page 467. From the number of
petitions from various counties it is obvious that there is a growing
abolitionist movement within the state and several petitions and motions in
this vein were made; yet none survived. Relative to this matter was a
resolution providing: "That it is the opinion of this House it is
inexpedient and contrary to sound policy against the best interest of the
country to annex any additional slave territory to the United States" and
further "That our Representatives in congress to requested and our Senators
instructed, to act on all suitable and proper occasions in accordance with
this opinion...", pages 384-385.This resolution was laid on the table with
Mr. Williamson voting aye.

Mr. Williamson voted in the negative on "an act to fix the pay of county
commissioners", page 121. The impressions are, that, in matters that could
be decided at the county level, he would prefer to have such decisions made
there, or, that their pay should be adjusted as a economy measure. On
another salary question Mr. Williamson supported a motion to lay on the
table a bill "An act to increase the salary of the Justices of the Supreme
Court of Illinois", page 282.

On January 7 a resolution came to the floor "relative to improvement of
navigation on the Great Wabash River" and was adopted 56-41 with Mr.
Williamson voting aye, page 133.

Apparently, the winter of 1846-1847 was unusually harsh and fuel must have
been in short supply in the state capital. On January 9,1847 a resolution
from the Senate, requesting that the House concur, came to the floor
"authorizing the Secretary of State to deliver to the mayor, and others of
Springfield, a quantity of wood, to be distributed, under their direction,
among such of the citizens of this place as are suffering for the want of
that necessary article, and are unable to procure it at this inclement
season" This produced an avalanche of amendments proposing "that eight
cords be furnished to the inhabitants of Jo Daviess county" Another
proposed that "the Secretary of State furnish the like quantity to each
county in the state". At this point the proposals were laid on the table by
a recorded vote of 83-12 with Mr. Williamson voting aye. Another amendment
was then offered to add the following," that the members of the Legislature
hereby pledge themselves to pay for the same" but this one was rejected.
The main question was then called and the resolution with the amendments
cited passed 59-35,pages 146-147.Mr Williamson voted with the majority.
Days later Mr. Pickering, who had not voted in these matters, proposed a
resolution to the House that the doorkeeper buy a thermometer in order to
maintain the room temperature at a constant sixty degrees, and ventilate
the building so that the health and well being of the members would be
insured, page 308. This series of recorded votes is typical of the record
keeping during this session. On frivolous votes such as these we can
determine something of the legislator's views/position. On items of major
merit we lack an itemized recording of the legislator's position.

On January 11,1847 a bill for "an act to authorize the inhabitants of
school districts to employ such teachers as they may think proper" was read
a second time when an amendment was offered to amend the state code to
allow those who were less qualified to be employed if their pay was less
than that for those who were qualified under the state code. The issue come
up again in January 12 when it was proposed to refer a resolution to the
Education committee to empower the directors of local school districts to
determine, by examination, whether teachers were certified to teach certain
subjects if they could not meet the qualifications of the state code, page
164.Mr. Williamson voted to lay the amendment on the table and the majority
agreed 78-28.

The bill on re-apportionment of the legislature was brought to the floor on
January 13 and the debate carried over through the 22nd. When the joint
committee first proposed a bill they left the numbers blank, subject to the
will of the House. The resolution provided "that the joint committee on
apportionment be and they are hereby requested, and instructed to report, a
bill apportioning the representation of the several counties of this state
upon the basis of 6,000 for a representative and 18,000 for a senator"...
An intense floor fight then ensued. The initial vote on amendment was not
to concur, with Mr. Williamson voting no. On a motion to set the number of
persons for Senate districts, Mr. Williamson called for the votes on
33,000.This number was rejected by a vote of 15-86. 24,000 and 22,000 were
also rejected before the House accepted 20,000 as the population for Senate
districts. This vote was 76-37,Mr. Williamson voting no. On the question as
to the number for House districts Mr. Williamson moved that this number be
10,000. Several other motions ranged from 5,450 to 14,000. Mr. Williamson's
call for the votes on 10,000 resulted in a vote to reject (85-27). Later he
voted against proposals to set the number at
8,000,7,500,7000,6,666,6000,5000 and 5,450. A motion was made to instruct
the joint committee on re-apportionment "it is the sense of this House that
the said committee accept as a standard for the Senate a number varying
above or below twenty thousand and for the House eight thousand." Mr.
Williamson called for the vote on the amendment and voted for it but it was
rejected by the majority (64-47). Finally, on January 22 the House adopted
(63-47) the original proposal calling for 18,000 and 6,000. Throughout, Mr.
Williamson's position was to work for the largest possible numbers for
senatorial districts but preserve the size of representative districts to
conform to Shelby County' current population. It would be interesting and
even vital to know what the population of Shelby County was at this time so
that one could assess the future of the county's political influence in
Springfield, pages, 174-219. When the Senate version, with amendments, came
back to the House for concurrence, the numbers were 6000 for
Representatives and 18000 for Senators and the vote was 75-45 to reject
this formula. Mr. Williamson probably thinking these to be the best numbers
available for Shelby County voted aye, page 245. When the conference
committee came back with a recommendation on the final version of the
re-apportionment bill it was passed 78-34,page 312. Mr. Williamson,
dissatisfied to the end, voted no. As a result of the re-apportionment the
Senate membership in the next session was cut to 26 and the House
memberships reduced more than half to 55 and Shelby County would not again
have single representation of its' own, ILLINOIS FIFTH CAPITOL, page
234-235. It seems clear that Mr. Williamson favored reducing the number of
legislators in both houses without diminishing the value of his county's
vote within the legislature. Probably, having previously served in a
smaller House/Senate, he thought legislative duties to be more efficacious
in a reduced legislature.

The House made several attempts to pass an act on the subject of trespass
during the session. The sense of the bill is lost in quarreling over a
series of amendments that seemed to be frivolous (even ridiculous). Most of
these amendments were beaten back, however, this one survived to be
included in the bill as it passed its' third reading: "any person having a
wagon mired down shall be considered by this act as being in a distressed
situation, and shall not be liable to the pains and penalties of this act
for taking rails off fences to prize out their wagons", Mr. Williamson
voted not to pass the amendment and the act, page 186.

"A bill for an act making appropriations to the individuals named, for
subsistence clothing, forage and materials furnished to the Illinois
militia under the command of Brig.Gen.J.J. Hardin".... was read for the
third time and passed 60-44,page 202-203. This action refers to the
militia's activity in Hancock County which at various times in the Journal
is referred to as the "Mormon difficulties" Mr. Williamson voted against
the appropriation.

Mr. Williamson introduced a bill for "An act to investigate and settle the
business in the canal office" and another act "to change the time of
holding courts in the second judicial district", page 204.

"An act to establish district courts in the state Of Illinois" passed the
House with Mr. Williamson voting aye, page 210

When a bill entitled "An act requiring property to be listed for taxation
to be assessed at its true cash value" the House rejected it 71-29. Mr.
Williamson, in the minority, voted for the principle, page 258.
Ancillary to the problem of a shortage of legal tender and a devalued
currency was the problem of borrowing for the state and for the private
sector. One approach to remedy the problem was to set the rate of interest
by law by raising the legal rate, page 39. Another was to allow recovery of
six percent on existing contracts and no more, page 66,163. This bill
proposed to encourage those who had custody of guardian accounts be allowed
to lend at ten percent, page 67 When this particular bill came up a second
time this amendment was offered: "That all money in this state, shall be
placed under the care of guardians, to be loaned under the provisions of
this act". This amendment and the bill that carried it were defeated
(54-48) with Mr. Williamson voting with the majority. On a motion to lay a
bill on the table entitled "An act to amend the law relative to the
interest on money". Mr. Williamson voted aye, page 130.On February 4 this
bill was reconsidered and was adopted 52 -50. Mr. Williamson voted no. Some
counties requested the legal right to borrow money. A petition from Cook
County asked that the usury law limit interest rates at no more than 12
percent, page 250.As late as February 10 another "act to regulate the
interest on money "was read and ordered to a second reading, page 351. In
all of this we still have to guess at Mr. Williamson's preferences as to
interest rates

"An act in relation to turnpike gates, toll bridges and ferries" came to
the floor. The bill was referred to the State Roads Committee without Mr.
Williamson's support, page 280.

On January 21 a resolution was proposed that would request the Illinois
delegation to vote for a proposition in Congress that would change the term
of US Supreme Court justices from life to a limited term. The resolution
was adopted with Mr. Williamson voting for it, page 215-216. This amendment
also passed the Senate and the House was asked to concur, page 402.

Mr. Williamson was appointed to a select committee to report on a petition
from Logan County to re-locate their county seat by a direct popular vote,
page 234-235. The committee reported the bill back to the floor and it
passed its 2nd reading, page 341 before it was finally passed, page 454.

On January 27 Mr. Williamson introduced a bill for "an act to define the
practice of law", page 240.The bill was back on the floor for second
reading and passed with Mr. Williamson moving to refer it to the Judiciary
Committee, page 281.

An interesting colloquy occurred on February 5 that suggests that the
members were a bit testy. A resolution was made that "no member shall be
allowed to speak more than twenty minutes on any one question before the
House after this day". Another member immediately proposed a substitute
amendment that would read "that no member be allowed to speak on any
question after this day". The substitute was rejected. Mr. Williamson voted
against both amendments to limit debate. The previous amendment, however,
was adopted without his support 59-44,page 313.

A motion was made that the House dissolve itself into a Committee of the
Whole House to consider "An act to provide for calling a convention to
amend the constitution of this state", page 319. Mr. Williamson and 74
other members voted aye.

The Committee on Education, after reviewing a petition from Pike County
relating to taxation for school purposes, reported a committee bill
entitled " An act to exempt the property of persons of color from taxation
for school purposes". The bill was read and moved to a second reading when
a motion was made to postpone consideration indefinitely. The vote to
postpone was rejected 66-32 with Mr. Williamson voting aye, page 320. There
was no subsequent record of what happened to the bill.

Individuals in what some called the "disturbances in Hancock County" made a
significant number of claims against the state for contributions. The
debate suggests that members consider some of the claims to be spurious or
excessive, pages 389-390. Mr. Williamson voted no.

On "an act making appropriations for the completion of the state house" Mr.
Williamson voted first for lower amounts and when these failed against the
bill, page 393.

From February 7 through 12 and again February 25 to March 1 Mr. Williamson
is not recorded on various roll call votes.

On February 23 he reported from select committee on "An act to change the
time of holding courts in the second Judicial District". On his motion it
passed third reading and on his further motion it was agreed to change the
title to: "An act to authorize the Shelbyville School District to elect
school directors". The bill was passed and sent to the senate for
concurrence, HOUSE JOURNAL, page 465.

"An act to suppress riots and regulating companies, and maintain the
supremacy of the laws" was taken up for consideration. Motions were made to
set penalties of imprisonment and fines. The amendments were rejected with
Mr. Williamson voting to reject. A motion to pass the bill to third reading
was also defeated with Mr. Williamson voting against third reading, pages
468-469.However the bill was reconsidered the following day and, with
amendments, was adopted by voice vote, HOUSE JOURNAL, page 484.



In 1849 Mr. Williamson served as Associate County Judge EXECUTIVE RECORDS,
Vol.5, page 242. In 1853 and 1854 he was recommissioned. COMBINED HISTORY
OF SHELBY AND MOULTRIE COUNTIES1881, page64.


On December 4,1851 William Williamson appeared before the Shelby County
clerk petitioning for a Bounty Land Warrant. He had served 23 months in
Nicholas Long's Regiment in the war with Great Britain 1812-1815. He
testated that he had enlisted at Waynesville, Haywood County, NC about June
1, 1813 for five years and was honorably discharged at Fort Nelson, VA in
the later winter or early spring of 1815. His record cited above identifies
him as age 18 (in reality he was 14), 5'4", blue eyes, fair hair, light
complexion.
Under an Act Entitled MILITARY BOUNTY LAND ACT OF 28 SEPTEMBER 1850 BOUNTY
# 21586 was issued to William Williamson on January 5, 1853. This gave him
title to the West1/2of the South West quarter of section 26 in TS 13 North
Range 5 East and the East1/2 of the SE quarter of section 27 TS 13 North
and Range 5 East. In January of 1854 these 160 acres in Moultrie County
were sold for $176 to Joseph Clark. In order to qualify for the above
reward he had to prove that he was indeed entitled and, having lost his
military papers, he appeared before the Court in Shelby County and gave the
following testimonial:

"On the fourth day of December in the year of our Lord, one thousand, eight
hundred and fifty one personally appeared before me, Burrell Roberts, clerk
of the county court, within the county of Shelby and state aforesaid,
William Williamson, aged fifty two years, a resident of the county of
Shelby and state of Illinois, who being duly sworn, according to law,
declares that he is the identical William Williamson who was a private in
the Company, commanded by Captain Robert Love, in the forty third Regiment
of North Carolina Infantry, commanded by Col. Nicholas Long in the war with
Great Britain, declared by the United States on the eighteenth day of
June,Anno Dommi,one thousand eight hundred and twelve; that he enlisted at
Waynesville in the County of Haywood, and the state of North Carolina about
the first day of June A.D. one thousand eight hundred thirteen for the term
of five years, and continued in actual service, for the term of twenty
three months and was honorably discharged at Fort Nelson, in the state of
Virginia, in the later part of the winter or the beginning of the spring in
the year one thousand eight hundred and fifteen, on account of opening (?)
negotiations for peace as will more fully appear by the muster rolls of
said company and that he received a certificate of honorable discharge,
which he lost or mislaid, more than twenty years ago, and cannot now
present the same.
He makes this Declaration for the purpose of obtaining the bounty land to
which he may be entitled, under "The Act granting Bounty Land, to certain
officers and soldiers, who have engaged in the military service of the
United States" passed September 28, 1850.
Signed William Williamson
(His signature appears)
Sworn of subscribed before me the day and year above written and I hereby
certify that I believe the said William Williamson to be the identical man
who served aforesaid, and that he is of the age above stated.
Burrell Roberts. Clerk

His place of residence recorded in SHELBY COUNTY STATE CENSUS, 1855 Film
#0977062

At Springfield in 1858 the State Democracy, as the Democratic Party of that
time styled itself, met for the purpose of nominating candidates and
drafting its' platform. William Williamson attended as a delegate from
Shelby County. This convention split on the issue of Kansas' admission to
the union. Followers of Stephen A. Douglas opposed admission of Kansas
under the LeCompton Constitution, which had been drafted by pro-slavery
elements in the territory of "bleeding Kansas". The Buchanan administration
supported this constitution as a concession to the South, but Douglas (whom
WW supported at the convention) took the position that the people of the
entire territory of Kansas should vote on the language of the constitution
of the state to be before it should be admitted. Since the free soil
element outnumbered the slave element in the territory the supporters of
the proposed LeCompton Constitution feared the balance in the US Congress
would be upset to the future advantage of the free states. The Free Soil
element had drafted a competing proposal, the Topeka Constitution, that
would bar slavery from the territory under the popular sovereignty formula
proposed by Senator Douglas and his faction. Subsequently, the territory of
Kansas would petition for membership under two constitutions and two
governments. It was these events, which confronted a divided Democratic
Party and Nation in 1858. In Illinois the Democratic Party split into two
factions. One of these supported Buchanan and were labeled national
Democrats because they attempted to maintain the North-South Axis of the
Party. The Douglas faction was styled "Bolters" because they held a
separate convention in 1858. The ILLINOIS STATE JOURNAL, 22 April 1858,page
1. In that year the Democracy nominated Stephen A. Douglas for the US
Senate and the Republicans nominated Abraham Lincoln. This campaign
produced the famous Lincoln-Douglas debates. Douglas defeated Lincoln in
that year but Lincoln won national recognition on the issue of a nation
"half slave and half free". Senator Douglas' position was unacceptable in
the South because it put a political solution (popular sovereignty) before
a constitutional one (slavery was not illegal under the US constitution
until 1865). It was unacceptable in the North because it went against the
Missouri Compromise of 1820, which the Dred Scott case had nullified.
Further Douglas' position did not condemn slavery but instead accepted it
as a condition for continued union. A divided Democratic Party in the North
and South split its vote in the presidential election of 1860 and Senator
Douglas was denied election. Mr. Williamson's position, like Mr. Douglas',
was one of moderation (for that time) with concessions to the slave owner
and the South but none to the abolitionist element in the North. It must be
remembered that the North was not united behind the abolitionist minority
and favored concessions to preserve the union even "half slave and half
free". Our ancestor's views lacked the vision of Lincoln and rests on
legalistic, cultural and family traditions.

The following must have summarized his views at the time:

Information For the People (From the SHELBYVILLE UNION, July 18,1863)

"Keep it before the people that, at a Democrat meeting held at the Sulphur
Spring church, Windsor Township, Shelby County Illinois, February
7,1863,the following resolutions were passed, signed by Wm. Williamson as
chairman and published in the OKAW PATRIOT, a Democratic newspaper
published in Shelbyville, February 19,1863"

""Resolved, That, inasmuch, as we are forced to the conclusion that this
war, now waged by the administration against the South, is not, and has not
been, for the restoration of the Union, but has had for its object, the
abolition of slavery, the wiping out of state lines, and the
territorializing of the Southern states, or failing this a dissolution of
the Union, we here deliberately and firmly pledge ourselves, one to the
other, that we will not render any support to the present administration in
carrying on its wicked abolition crusade against the South; that we will
resist to the death all attempts to draft any of our citizens into the
army, and that we will permit no arbitrary arrests to be made amongst us by
the minions of the administration."
"Resolved that while we regard the Emancipation Proclamation as the final
blow that has destroyed all hope of a reconstruction of the Union as it
was, we also view it as an entering wedge which will ultimately divide the
Middle and Northwestern states from our Puritanical Fanatical New England
brethren and finally culminate in the formation of a Democratic Republic
out of the Middle Northwestern and Southern States, and for this we are
thankful", HISTORY OF SHELBY AND MOULTRIE COUNTIES, 1910,page 720.

Now this is serious stuff with our guy on the wrong side of history. This
meeting and these resolutions followed closely on Abraham Lincoln's
EMANCIPATION PROCLAMATION (January 1,1863), which redefined the war's aims.
Thereafter, the war was to become revolution from the vantage point of the
"peace Democrats" who maintained cultural roots in the Southern States.
This element favored "the Union as it was and the constitution as it is".
Their program called for an armistice, the withdrawal of the armies from
the border and Southern states, negotiation for reunion, retraction of the
EMANCIPATION PROCLAMATION and, in the words of past Governor John Reynolds,
"no more bloodshed to gratify a religious fanaticism". Because the "peace"
Democrats dominated the Illinois legislature they called for an armistice
in the 1863 session and the vision of a Northwest Confederacy was given
enough credence to pressure the governors of the upper mid- west to govern
by decree. The radical abolitionists were also willing to see the Union
split rather than to continue to live under a constitution that made
slavery legal. The resolutions of February anticipated the adoption in
Congress of the first conscription act in March 1863 in which men age 20-45
were subject to military service unless they could afford to pay a
commutation fee of $300.The act also encouraged the hiring of substitutes.
This act provided that Provost Marshals be established in each
Congressional District to enroll the two targeted age groups. The act
allowed exemptions and 75% of those called were able to "buy out" and, for
various reasons, only 7% of those called to service actually served. No
doubt intimidation influenced these results because, in areas such as
central and southern Illinois, conscription was seen as an unconstitutional
means to achieve unconstitutional ends. We have no record of William's sons
ever serving in the war or being "bought out", but Thomas at 29, William at
22 and John Henry at 18, were in the age group least likely to be deferred
under the law. Although there was grumbling and complaint from troops in
the field after the EMANCIPATION PROCLAMATION, and Lincoln had to disband
two Illinois regiments, more typically the sons of Illinois were willing
volunteers in the Union armies and continued to serve loyally after
conscription became the law. Many of the settlers in central and southern
Illinois had their origins in the South and William Williamson would have
not been too far out of step with his neighbors in endorsing the sentiments
expressed in these resolutions. William had brothers who also had sons who
would have been subject to military service in the Confederate armies.
There is some evidence that members of Martin"s and George's families did
in fact serve in the Rebel cause. For the Williamsons it would have been a
brothers/cousins war. It is not beyond imagination to see the family's
removal to Missouri as a reaction to their reputation as Southern
sympathizers. But the rhetoric is clear. This is the stuff spewed by
Clement Vallandingham et al, and suggests that the makers of these
resolutions were fellow travelers with the Confederate cause. Following
closely on the bloodbaths at Shiloh, Antietam and Fredericksburg one can
understand a desire for compromise and peace but at that time this
resolution bordered on sedition. Unionists in the North considered such
sentiments to be more than seditious speech; they considered them treason.
Lincoln believed this element in the North to be "the fire in the rear" or
a "fifth column" that could undermine the Union cause. There were other
reasons for this element to be dissatisfied. The confederates at Vicksburg
had cut the Mississippi River and normal traffic to markets throughout the
Mississippi Rivers drainage forced increased dependence on eastern
controlled rails, which charged high rates and sometimes gave poor service.
After February, 1863 the establishment of a national banking system,
founded on soft money (greenbacks and bonds) that pressured, even forced,
state banks to recharter under federal law must have raised the same old
fears that had led Illinois to experiment with the complete abolition of
banking in the 1840's. See, McPherson, op cit, and Donald, 416-419.

The Williamson residence is recorded in the 1860 US CENSUS in Windsor
Township, page 613. Film #0803228. All family members were close by.

The residence in 1865 is recorded in the ILLINOIS STATE CENSUS 1865,film
#0977767


END NOTES
1
Martin Bonaparte Williamson was born July 9,1804 presumably in Rutherford
County, North Carolina, probably in that section that was formed into
Haywood County in 1808. He married Rebecca Johnson, B.circa 1805 in North
Carolina. They had children: Anderson, Margaret A., Martha J., Harriet A.,
and Martin. Anderson may have been the second or third child as the 1830
Macon County Census shows a male age 0-5 and a female child 5-10. The 1840
Cherokee County, North Carolina Census shows a female child born 1820-1825.
We do not know where Martin was in 1820 but in 1830 he appears in the Macon
County, North Carolina Census on page 10. Macon was formed from Haywood in
1828. On that same page appears Elijah Johnson age 50-60 and possibly
Rebecca's father. In 1838 the removal of the Cherokee nation began from
this region of North Carolina, Georgia and Tennessee. There were a number
of North Carolina Companies formed into a regiment to "escort" these Native
Americans westward. Most of the militia were from the western and
surrounding counties and Martin B. Williamson was attached to the Macon
County Company, L. See www.rootswb.com/~ncburke/ncbnc1838 for the list of
others who served. In 1839 Cherokee County was formed from Macon County and
Martin appears there in the 1840 US Census. This Elijah Johnson may have
been the same Elijah Johnston who served as bondsman for his son, Elijah
Johnson, who married Polly Riddicks, in Stokes County, North Carolina in
1825. The only verifiable name we have for Elijah Johnson's wife is Mary.
If proximity proves to be relevant it may be that the Elijah Johnston who
sold land in Haywood County in September of 1806 is the elder Elijah
described above. The property was 100 acres on Scots Creek, see Book A Page
7 of Haywood County Deeds. On 13 January 1844 Martin B. Williams(on)
purchased from William Vaughn in Gilmer County, Georgia. See Book A, page
369.The name Riddicks or Reddicks appears in proximity to the Johnsons in
several of these residences. A William Reddick served with Martin
Williamson in Company L. In June (26) 1860 Martin and family have located
to Fannin County, Georgia in District 1130, HH# 280 page 1007.In HH# 262 is
Joseph R. Johnson, Born 1800 in NC, the brother of Elijah Johnson. In 1880
Martin B. is aged 76 living with daughter Margaret A. Chambers HH #49,page
25 in Fannin County. William Reddix is close by in HH# 42. Details (1880)
show that Martin is widowed and disabled/crippled with a spinal problem.
The census taker lists his mother as born in North Carolina and his
father's birthplace unknown. In any event the son of Elijah Johnson, John
H. Johnson, married Mary Ann Williamson, the daughter of William Williamson
after Elijah and wife Mary Johnson moved their family to Shelby County,
Illinois circa 1855. Below are outlined some of several connections between
the Johnson and Williamson families.

Martin Bonaparte Williamson Rebecca Johnson
Mary Ann Williamson John H. Johnson
Sarah M. Watts Joseph Johnson
John Hayden Williamson Florida Elizabeth Johnson
John Wilson Williamson Florida Elizabeth Johnson
Thomas Anderson Williamson Mary Cary Johnson
Thomas Hann Sarah M.Watts Johnson
2
George Williamson
We know little more of George Williamson. He was almost certainly born in
October 1801 in Rutherford County, North Carolina .He married Elizabeth
Lain. Most of their children were born in Haywood County, North Carolina
where George and Elizabeth lived out their lives after some time earlier in
Tennessee. George died circa 1867.Probably they lived in the Fine's Creek
area of western Haywood County in a region known as Hurricane. George
Williamson is identified as an early settler on Hurricane Creek. The source
from which this is taken does not stipulate that this is George the brother
of William and Martin but almost certainly he must be. This area lies north
of the Hurricane Mountains to the Tennessee line. The terrain and drainage
pattern would run across the state line into Cocke County, Tennessee. See
Medford, THE EARLY HISTORY OF HAYWOOD COUNTY. In 1849 William Williamson is
identified as a Judge of Elections, page 84.George. Williamson is
identified as some sort of official, page 121. William Williamson served as
a private in Haywood Companies C and E of the old 16th N.C. Regiment, later
reorganized into the 69th Regiment known as the "Thomas Legion", page
121.In March 1849 "George Williamson took oath and filed bonds after
election as constable in the Fine's Creek Company. Bondsmen were: Peter
Noland, William Williamson, R.B. Nolan, Willis Noland, N.D. Rogers, Mathew
Rogers and Solomon Rhea", HAYWOOD COUNTY MINUTE BOOK L, PAGE 1,1849-1858.
This William Williamson is probably the son of George.
However
In HAYWOOD COUNTY MINUTE BOOK J, page 193 William Williamson served on a
jury in January, 1834 and was called to serve again for the September, 1834
term of the Superior Court. page, 217. Now this citation is interesting
because George's (1801) son William was born in Tennessee in 1824 and would
have been too young to serve on a jury in 1834. Who is this William? He is
not William (1799) because he is in Shelby County Illinois. Martin does not
have a son William as far as we can tell. The possibility exists that this
William is the father of us all, uncles of George (1801) or another
Williamson family altogether and the later sounds unlikely. There is
additionally, a William Williamson in the 1830 Haywood County Census who
could approximate the age of the elder William. Still another citation
worth exploration in New Hanover County is the marriage of Margaret
Williamson to Wm. Malpass 22 December 1801 with James and William
Williamson Bondsmen.
3
Jefferson Williamson
The Shelby County Census of 1850 identifies him as a schoolteacher page,
99.
In the Census of 1860 he is a farmer in Big Spring TS, page 13 Shelby
County, Illinois. Mary Jane Shields, his wife, birthplace is listed as
Missouri. Also Listed with the family is Jefferson Mikel age 19 and Henry
C. Mikel age 14. Film # 653,228 with the census taken July 6, 1860. The
1870 US CENSUS record identifies him to be a resident and physician in
Medicine TS in Putnam County, Missouri, Page 8.In the 1880 US CENSUS we
find him in Jackson TS, Putnam County, Missouri, page 516. In the 1880
record he is listed as a retired physician/paralysis.
A letter from a resident of Putnam County describes him as a "country
doctor". In a guardian's bond for the children of George and Nancy
Williamson he signs as DR. Jefferson Williamson. At this time there is no
documentation that he was certified as a physician. It is interesting to
note that as a legislator, his father voted on the issue of certification
for those who practiced medicine throughout/within the state of Illinois.

From the PUTNAM COUNTY, MISSOURI CIRCUIT COURT 1867-1873
March, 1871 Vol.1, Book C, Page 290
State of Missouri, Plaintiffs VS Jefferson Wiliamson, David Williamson,
Wm.J.Williamson, defendants.
Case #1766
"Now this day comes the grand jury and reports that they have ignored a
true bill in this cause. It is therefore ordered by the court that the
defendants be discharged and go hence without delay and a majority of the
grand jury that the prosecuting witness should pay the cost of this cause.
It is therefore considered by the court that the plaintiff have and recover
against the said prosecuting witness, Benjamin A. Goddard, the sum of
_____dollars her cost in this case expended and that she have execution
therefore" There is a problem with this record. Perhaps I read it
incorrectly. There is no known David or Wm.J. in the family.


4
Margaret Williamson Minor
Margaret's death certificate provides an intriguing notation by her son,
James Monroe Minor, who provided the information to the authorities. When
asked for Margaret's mother's name he answered, CUPP. We have no evidence
that this was in fact her name, however, we have the suggestion in the
Ledbetter file that Margaret Ledbetter might have been the daughter or
sister of Henry Cupp Ledbetter. Years ago a family acquaintance testated in
a letter that she, meaning Mary Montgomery, was a Cupps. No evidence other
than a memory--perhaps a mistaken one. Why would James Monroe Minor have
produced this for the death certificate if he had had no prior knowledge of
the name? The name is not common. Also, as noted above, Harriet Ledbetter
who married Margaret's brother in law, Daniel Minor, may have been the
source of James Monroe's information and had heard that Harriet's mother or
grandmother was a Cupps. Curious though, that William named his oldest
daughter Margaret. See comments above on this connection to the Ledbetter
name.


5
Thomas Williamson
In 1850 US CENSUS he is listed with his parents in Shelby County, Illinois,
Film # 0442916,page 603.
In 1860 he is listed in Windsor TS, Shelby County, Illinois, page 13.
Thomas Williamson age 26 $2700/1000 BP Illinois
Martha Ann 27 Indiana
John H. 4 Illinois
Rebecca A. 2 Illinois
William 6/12 Illinois
In the 1870 US CENSUS (July 20) we find him in Jackson TS, Putnam County,
Missouri, page, 8.

HH#56 Thomas Williamson age 37 $1200/300 BP Illinois
John H. 14 "
Rebecca 12 "
William T. 10 "
Joseph 7 "

In the 1880 US Census he is found in the city of Boynton, Sullivan County,
Missouri, page 25.
This document was filed for record in Putnam County, Missouri 29 November
1870 in Book 2-15.
"I,T.C. Hill Justice of the peace within and for the said county certify
that I did on the 19th day of October 1870 perform the marriage ceremony
between Thomas Williamson and Mary E. Smith. Given under my hand this 1st
day of November 1870. T.C. Hill J.P." Thomas and Mary had three children:
Margaret E. Sarah and Effie as reflected in the following Census for
Sullivan County, Missouri in 1880
Williamson, TA 45 Grocer ILL NC ILL
Eva C. 32 Keeps House GA GA GA
Joseph 17 Section Hand RR ILL ILL GA
Margaret E. 9 MO ILL GA
Sarah 5 MO ILL GA
Effie 1 MO ILL GA
Smith, Martin 13 MO VA GA

The Martin Smith listed with his mother and stepfather Thomas A., is the
son of Martin Smith who was Mary C. Johnson Smith's first husband.
Interestingly, Martin Smith's brother, Alexander Smith, was first married
to Florida Elizabeth Johnson. In effect sisters had married brothers. After
Thomas Anderson's death the children lived in the Kansas City area but oral
tradition says that the girls were taken "back east". There is a problem in
this as is suggested by the Grundy County record that follows. Joseph
Williamson continued to work for the Santa Fe railroad in Kansas/Missouri
until his death (30 January 1921) in Lawrence, Kansas.
In Grundy County Missouri Thomas A. Williamson of Tindall, Missouri married
Matilda Jane Pruden of Trenton, Grundy County Missouri. The license was
filed at Trenton on 30 December 1882. The marriage occurred 4 December
(possibly 24 December). On 21 March T.A. Williamson and Matilda J.
Williamson, his wife, did sign a trust deed in the amount of $100 for Lot
10 Block 6 in the town of Tindall,Missouri. The presumption at this time
(1998) is that this T.A./Thomas A. Williamson may be the same as the one
who previously was married to Martha Ann Goddard, Caroline Whitamore, and
Mary C. Smith. The question remains as to who took the children (the girls)
Mary C. or Matilda J?
5
Mary Ann Williamson Johnson
Her marriage to John H. Johnson establishes a second Johnson tie in the
Williamson family. If the Rebecca Johnson who married Martin Bonaparte
Williamson is connected to Elijah Johnson we have further explanation of
the proximity that prevailed between these two families. The assumption is
that Rebecca and Elijah were sister/brother and the moves of Elijah and
Mary Johnson to Shelby County, Illinois and Putnam County, Missouri were
not circumstantial events. Also there is that curious reference to Clary
Johnson which remains unexplained.

6
Martin Williamson
Much of the information on Martin's family/descendants came from Grace
Williamson Rhoads, now deceased. Grace wrote that the family lived in a
house on the Putnam/Sullivan County line with the kitchen on one side and
the remainder of the house on the other. She also wrote that Newtown was at
first called "Oldtown" until railroad expansion converted the old town into
Newtown. Further, it was her opinion that "there will always be some doubt
about whether Putnam or Sullivan County is the proper birth or marriage
site for many of these northern Missouri Williamsons". Probably Martin was
named for William's brother Martin and he must have been a favorite within
the family as Martin was a name selected by several family members. There
is a chance that Martin Van Buren was his namesake because of the time of
his birth and William held political positions that supported and mirrored
the President's. For a time he operated a drug store in Newtown with his
son Elmer. After the death of his first wife, Winifred Gaddis, he married
Rosa Orr and they moved to Vernon County, Missouri. Martin and Rosa had a
daughter named Winifred who, oddly, was named after his first wife. Upon
his death he was buried in the Newtown Cemetery.

7
Reuben Goddard
William's son Thomas Anderson Williamson married first Martha Ann Goddard,
the daughter of Joseph Goddard and Rebecca Heaton. Reuben was the elder
brother of Joseph.




Addenda 1
Properties in Shelby County that are or may prove to be associated with
William Williamson and family:


Name Purchased size # TS Section Portion Range
Wm. Williamson 5/31/1850 79+ 11 2 N1/2NE 4 East
Wm. Williamson 4/2/1844 40 12N 34 NESW 5 East
Wm. Williamson 9/12 1850 40 12N 34 SESW 5 East
Jefferson Williamson 40 12 N 28 5East 11/4,1852
Jefferson Williamson 41+ 11N 3 W1/2Lot2NW 5East 9/20/1850
George Williamson 41+ 11N 3 E1/2 Lot2NW 5East

The first six properties are taken from the ILLINOIS PUBLIC DOMAIN LAND
TRACT SALES
Data Base. The next two are from the same source for Moultrie County.
Wm. Williamson 1/5.1853 80 13N 27 E1/2SE 5East
Wm Williamson 1/5/1853 80 13N 26 W1/2SW 5East
Wm. Williamson 8/10/1838 40 2888 12N 28 SWNE 5East
Wm. Williamson 8/10/1838 40 5392 12N 28 NWSE 5East
Wm. Williamson 10/10/1840 40 9800 12N 34 W1/2SW5 5East
Asa Ledbetter 11/20/1826 80 156 12N 34 W1/2NE 4East
James Ledbetter 12/10/1852 40 9N 4 SESE 6East
Wm.B. Ledbetter 10/15/1852 40 9N 4 W1/2NW 6East

From the SHELBY COUNTY GRANTEE INDEX FILM#1009141

Wm.B.Ledbetter 9/15/1854 80 9N 9 E1/2NW 6East
Green Womack 8/10/1838 40 12N 9 NESW 5East
Green Womack 8/10/1838 80 12N 9 W1/2SW 5East
John Wegar 10/8/34 80 12N 4 W1/2SE 5 East
John Scroggins 9/15/1854 39+ 12N 31 NWNW 5 East
William R. Puryear2/27/1869 40 18 10N SENE 6 East(?)
John Scroggins 11/1/1839 44+ 11N 6 E1/2NW 5East
Levi Scroggins 11/1/1839 40 12N 19 NESE 5 East


From the SHELBY COUNTY GRANTOR DEED INDEX, 1828-1857 VOL.#11009144

1.On 14 March 1839 William Williamson sold to W.F. Thornton the W1/2Lot8
and E1/2Lot B4.Filed 23 March 1839,Book 3,page 601. Presumably this is in
Shelbyville. W. Womack listed as JP Price was $60.

2.On 25 January 1842 William Williamson sold to Mathias Snyder N1/2NW1/4
part of section 25, 36-11-3,Filed 29 Price was $150.
January, 1842.Book 5,page 286.

On 3 October 1845 William Williamson sold to David Harris Part of section
14/15, 24-24-5. Filed 11 On 10 December 1845. Book 7,page 92. Price $100

On 25 December 1845 William Williamson sold to John Cutler Part of section
34, 15-12-4.Filed 25 August, 1846.Book 8,page 58. Price $50

On 10 September 1850 William Williamson sold to Joel Hudson 2-11-4.Filed 11
January 1851.Book 11,page 72.Price $70

Addenda 2
The Bond-Shelby county connection is based on conjecture and proximity.
Because Jefferson, George and William Williamson married three women named
Shields, and George Williamson's widow married James A. Puryear, and
returned to Bond County after his death, the following properties in Bond
County MAY be associated with William and Mary Montgomery Williamson and
family:
Name Purchased # Section TS Range Portion
William Williamson 1/1/1840 40A 17461 33 5N 3 West SENW
William Williamson 1/1/1849 40A 24110 13 4N 3 West NESW
Thomas Shields 7/10/1844 80A 10581 12 4N 2 West W1/2NW
Thomas Shields 7/10/1844 40A 5831 12 4N 2 West SENW
Thomas Shields 11/1/1839 40A 7706 13 4N 2 West NESW
John Montgomery 1/1/1840 80A 18854 18 5N 3 West E1/2NE
John Montgomery 1/1/1840 40A 20851 30 5N 3 West SENE
Joseph Montgomery 1/1/1840 40A 20923 30 5N 3 West NENE
William Puryear 12/1/1849 40A 24236 35 4N 3 West SESE

Addenda 3
From the Shelby County Circuit Court Case Index 1828-1871
Plaintiff Defendant

Wm Williamson, and others vs. John S.Gordon
Involving the right of property
Appeal
Filed 24 August 1832
Box 21

At issue was the following agreement signed by John S. Gordon and W.A.
Richardson:
"Know all men by these presents that we, John S. Gordon and William A.
Richardson are held and firmly bound unto William Williamson and others in
the final sum of one hundred dollars, for the payment we and each of us do
bind ourselves, our heirs, executors and administrators. Jointly, and
severally firmly by these presents sealed with our own seals and dates this
24th day of August A.D. 1832.
The condition of the above obligation is such that whereas on the 23 day of
August before Owen Prentice, justice of the peace in and for the said
county of Shelby and state of Illinois, and Thomas E Blythe Constable of
said county on the trial of the right of property judgment with cost was
given against the said John S. Gordon and from which judgment the said John
S. Gordon has taken an appeal to the Circuit Court of said county, now if
on the trial of the said appeal the judgment aforesaid shall be affirmed
,which judgment is for $2.15 and the said John S. Gordon shall pay or cause
to be paid the judgment aforesaid and all costs and damages that shall be
awarded to the said plaintiffs then this bond to be nofora,otherwise to
remain in full for and virtue in law" Signed John S. Gordon and William A.
Richardson


This case was to come on the first day of the October term of the 7th
Circuit Court of Appeal on a judgment against Mr. Gordon at the lower court
presided over by Justice of the Peace Owen Prentice in which judgment was
for the plaintiff. Mr. Gordon was appealing the costs against him in the
amount of $2.15. The presiding judge in the 7th District that included
Shelby County was one Theophilus W. Smith. A year later William Williamson,
as a state senator, would sit in a court of impeachment on charges against
judge Theophilus W. Smith brought by the House of Representatives. The
judge issued summons to John Brawly and William Siler to witness. Peter
Fleming was Sheriff who served the summons. See SENATE JOURNAL for 1832-33
for the transcript of Smith's trial.

Box 5

William Williamson vs. John Reynolds
A case In Common law, Trespass

"The clerk of the circuit court for Shelby County will please issue a
summons in the above cause in an action of Trespass on the case----damages
$2000. July 18,1836" This document is written in the clerk's hand but it is
signed W. Williamson in a hand we now recognize to be that of the
plaintiff.

Judge Joseph Oliver issued the following order to the sheriff of Shelby
County:
"We command you that you summon John Reynolds if he shall be found in your
county to be and appear before the Circuit Court of said county, on the
first day of the next term thereof, holden at the court house in the town
of Shelbyville, on the first Monday in the month of October next to answer
William Williamson of a plea of trespass on this case for words spoken to
the damages of the said William Williamson two thousand dollars as he
saith, and have you show there this writ".
Witness the Hon. Sidney Breen, Judge of our said court at Shelbyville this
18th day of July 1836. Signed Joseph Oliver, clerk.

Though the name is a common one and there could be several John Reynolds
out there in 1836 it is interesting to note that a John Reynolds had a
notable career in public service and was governor of Illinois, 1830-1834.
Additionally, he held many other state offices. Snyder says of him "life
without an office being to him intolerable' he was a perennial candidate.
While he was one of the "good old boys" Snyder describes him as "destitute
of financial tact and skill". See Snyder, pages 277-278 and 297-329. He had
the survivor's instinct and as a "milk and cider" Democrat was often at
odds with the "whole hog" element of the Democratic Party to which Mr.
Williamson seems attached. Given the disposition of the case, it is my
personal view that Mr. Williamson was bringing suit against his fellow
Democrat, ex Governor and Congressman John Reynolds for some real or
imagined offense. Mr. Reynolds resigned as governor in November 1834 to
serve in the House of Representatives in Washington, ILLINOIS FIFTH
CAPITOL, page 256. Interestingly, when Adam Snyder, the Democratic nominee
for governor died before taking office in 1841 the Shelby County Democratic
papers recommended that John Reynolds replace Snyder on the ticket.
Happily, the office devolved on Thomas Ford who had "financial tact and
skill. See Snyder, page 402.

Subsequently the Sheriff returned the order on 7 September 1836 with the
following notation:
"returned not executed by the order of the plaintiff this 7th Day of Sept,
1836.
Signed Peter Fleming D Shrff for
J.S. Fleming Shrff


Brought before Justice of the Peace in Shelby County
B.W. Henry vs. David Harris and William Williamson
Filed 19 April 1845.
#14

This case was initiated by Mr. Henry against these defendants because one
Levi Wright owed Mr. Henry $12.80. Mr. Henry testated that Mr. Levi Wright
who was indebted to him in the amount of $12.80 had no property to attach
but that he had reason to believe that Mr. Harris and Mr. Williamson were
indebted to Mr. Wright. When Mr. Wright's assets proved nonexistent Mr.
Henry asked the court to garnish the assets of Mr. Harris and Mr.
Williamson. A summons was issued and Messrs. Harris and Williamson appeared
before Justice of the Peace, Peter Potter, in answer to the complaint. Mr.
Harris, under oath, denied owing Mr. Wright money and no judgment was
issued against him by the court. Mr. Williamson, also under oath, admitted
that he was obligated to pay $40 for Mr. Wright but had yet to do so. Judge
Parker entered a judgment against Williamson in the amount of $12.80.
Mr. Williamson gave notice that he would appeal the court's decision and
any further actions to enforce the ruling were enjoined by the court
pending outcome of the appeal. On bond by Williamson on 10 May, 1845 the
case was continued.

Mr. Williamson sold property to David Harris. See above court case.



Brought before the Circuit Court of Shelby Count
Filed 18 July 1834
Box 5

William Williamson vs. Lewis Scribner and Jesse Walker, Assumpsit
Damages $500
Filed 12 March 1860
Box 42 #139
The defendants signed the following promissory note:
"On the 25th day of December next we or either of us promise to pay William
Williamson three hundred and sixty one dollars and fourty cents for value
received of him to draw at the rate of ten percent per annum until paid
when due. This 6th day of September, 1858" Signed,


$361.40 Lewis x Scribner, by his mark
Jesse Walker, by signature

The complaint alleges that the principal was to be paid by 25 December next
after the date thereof which period has now elapsed and on the 8th of March
were now indebted to the plaintiff in the sum of $500 and, after several
requests, still have not paid, the plaintiff, by way of his attorney, asked
they be summoned to answer. The summons was issued. It is interesting to
note that Jesse Walker was the father of Nancy Tamer Walker Williamson and,
therefore, John Henry Williamson's father- in- law.

William Williamson, use of George B. Prentice
Vs Charles E. Woodward
Assumpsit
Case #40 in the Circuit Court at Shelbyville
Filed 19 March 1860

The plaintiff alleges that on 2 November, 1857 Charles E. Woodward signed a
promissory note to pay $700 plus interest of ten percent per annum six
months after this date to William Williamson. Thornton and Hall appeared
for Mr. Williamson. Their complaint states that "the said defendant has
disregarded his said promise and has not paid to the plaintiff the amount
of said note and the interest, or any part thereof, or either of them, but
has failed and still fails so to do." A document filed by Mr. Woodward's
lawyer is written in a cursive scrawl that is totally unreadable and
indecipherable. Apparently, Mr. Woodward had over the period 3 July 1858 to
4 July, 1859 paid someone $431.13 but the record is unclear to whom and for
what. Perhaps Mr. Prentice gave the $700 note to Mr. Williamson with that
amount credited toward the note and the case is an attempt to recover the
balance.


. SHELBY COUNTY CIRCUIT COURT CASE INDEX 1828-1871
Plaintiff Defendant

Gilpin, Thomas Williamson, William
Wegar, John, use of Williamson, William
Wegar, John, use of Williamson, William
Holmes, John B. Williamson, William

These cases do not involve the Senior William Williamson but rather his
sons, William Williamson and John H. Williamson, as well as others. The
case grew out of intent by John Wegar, who had loaned the defendants money
in 1869, to recover the unpaid balance. The defendants lost at the trial
court level and decided to appeal which also went against them. John B.
Holmes who was a defendant at the trial court level sued the Williamsons
after he paid the settlement and costs imposed at the lower court. He
asserts in his motion that John H. Williamson has left the state and that
William Williamson is preparing to leave. The result was that the court
issued an attachment in favor of Holmes against the property of William
Williamson and John H. Williamson on 31 March 1871.
.
Census Records
Addenda 4
ILLINOIS STATE CENSUS 1855
Page 1 Minor, Daniel (Married Harriet Ledbetter)
1 Ledbetter, James L (Married Jane Wegar).
13 Goddard, Joseph (Married Rebecca Heaton)
13 Williamson, Thomas (Married Martha Ann Goddard, et al)
14 Montgomery, William
15 Minor, Monroe (Married Margaret Williamson)
Wegar, John
Ledbetter, Henry (Married Sarah Jane Wegar)
17 Hyland, John S. (Married Margaret Ledbetter)
Page 21 Williamson, George
21 Williamson, William
21 Johnson, Joseph

29 L.F or T. Womack Most likely G for Green or L for Levi
36 Johnson, Elijah (married Mary Ann Williamson)
Sources consulted:
Beveridge, Albert J. ABRAHAM LINCOLN: 1809-1858,The Riverside Press,
Cambridge, Massachusetts.
COMBINED HISTORY OF SHELBY AND MOULTRIE COUNTIES, 1881 and 1910.
Donald, David Herbert, LINCOLN, Simon and Schuster, NY,
1995,ISBN#0-684-80846-3
Eckert, Alan W. TWILIGHT OF EMPIRE, Little Brown, 1988.ISBN#0553280597.
EXECUTIVE REPORTS in the Collections of the Illinois State Historical
Library.
Ford, Thomas. A HISTORY OF ILLINOIS, 1818-1847,University of Illinois
Press, Urbana.
ISBN#0-252-02140-1. 343 pages.
ILIINOIS LAWS OF 1833
ILLINOIS LAWS OF 1835
ILLINOIS LAWS OF 1837
ILLINOIS LAWS OF 1839-1840

Johannsen, Robert. STEPHEN A. DOUGLAS, Oxford University Press, 1973.
. ISBN# 0-19501620-3
Medford, Clark W. EARLY HISTORY OF HAYWOOD COUNTY, 1961. Reprint from
Waynesville Book Company.
McPherson, James. BATTLE CRY OF FREEDOM, Ballantine Books, NY, 1988.ISBN#
0-345-35942-9
Pease, Theodore C. THE FRONTIER STATE, 1818-1848,University of Illinois
Press, 1987.
ISBN# 0-252-013387
Reynolds, John. MY OWN TIMES, Chicago, 1879.
Sandberg, Carl. ABRAHAM LINCOLN: THE PRAIRIE YEARS AND THE WAR YEARS,
Harcourt
Brace, and Company, NY, 1954.
Snyder, John Francis. ANDREW W. SNYDER AND HIS PERIOD IN ILLINOIS HISTORY
1817-1842,1906. Reprint by University Microfilms, Ann Arbor, 1968.
Whitney, Ellen M. THE BLACK HAWK WAR 1831-1832. FOUR VOLUMES. Springfield:
Illinois State Historical Library, 1970. ISBN# 912154209. Vol 1 contains
rosters. Vol II, part I, ISBN# 0912154-23-2,contains letters and papers.
Whitney, Ellen M. THE BLACK HAWK WAR, 1831-1832 VOL II, LETTERS AND
PAPERS-PART 1, APRIL 30,1831-JUNE 23,1832,Collections of the Illinois State
Library, 1973.ISBN# 0-912154-22-5.
Illinois State Historical Society. ILLINOIS ELECTION RETURNS XVIII,
1818-1848,published by Illinois State Historical Society, Springfield,
Illinois, 1923. See also: Alvord, Clarence, COLLECTIONS OF THE ILLINOIS
STATE HISTORICAL LIBRARY, VOL 12,1915.


Springfield.



1
Bill Williamson 12649 Mayflower Drive, Nevada City California

====================================================================
      USGENWEB NOTICE: In keeping with our policy of providing
          free information on the Internet, data may be used by
          non-commercial entities, as long as this message
          remains on all copied material. These electronic
          pages may NOT be reproduced in any format for profit
          or for presentation by other persons or organizations.
           Persons or organizations desiring to use this material
          for purposes other than stated above must obtain the
          written consent of the file contributor.           
          This file was contributed for use in the USGenWeb          
          Archives by: Bill Williamson <sooners@nccn.net>
  ====================================================================