Obituary: Winnebago County, Wisconsin: George M. WILLIAMSON ************************************************************************ Submitted by Kathy Grace, August 2004 © All rights reserved. http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm ************************************************************************ Daily Northwestern April 27, 1893 Life Work is Ended Death of G.M. Williamson This morning at seven o'clock occurred the death of George M. Williamson at his residence, 387 Jackson street. About four weeks ago Mr. Williamson suffered a painful injury by being caught between the wheels of a wagon and the corner of a building near the Williamson and Libbey factory, his right arm and leg being badly bruised. Soon after the accident blood poisoning set in and caused his death. During the time of his illness he has suffered most intense agony, but was conscious up to ten o'clock last evening. George M. Williamson, secretary treasurer of the Williamson & Libbey Lumber company, and one of the most prominent citizens of Oshkosh, was born near Melrose, Scotland, in 1830, and when only three years of age he came to America with his father, Robert Williamson. The father settled in Schenectady, N.Y., where he lived until his death, some years later. When fifteen years of age he left his father and learned the carpenter's trade at which he worked until 1854, at the time when the gold fever had taken possession of the country, when he, in company with others, emigrated to the gold fields in California. Two years were spent in mining by Mr. Williamson with moderate success, after which he returned to the states, settling in Oshkosh in 1856. The carpenter's trade occupied his attention for a few years, but in 1866, in company with G.C. Griffith and N. Conrad, be purchased a sash, door and blind factory. In 1869, Mr. Conrad's interest was sold to J.S. Cameron, the firm name being that of G.M. Williamson & Co., the following year. In 1875, during the great fires, the mill was totally destroyed by fire, but it was immediately rebuilt, but on a much large scale. In March 1879, D.L. Libbey became a member of the firm when a charter was obtained and the company incorporated. Mr. Williamson was never married. In his death the city loses a public benefactor and a man who had always the interests of his fellowmen at heart.