Joseph Williamson

WILLIAMSON, MCNAMAR, LEMMING, REED, ROSSER, ARCHER, EDMONDSON

Posted By: Fran Hunt, Volunteer
Date: 10/5/2001 at 18:02:40

From the Portrait and Biographical Album of Jefferson and Van Buren Counties – 1890
JOSEPH WILLIAMSON
Joseph Williamson, deceased, is numbered among the honored pioneers of Van Buren County Iowa. He is located in the county in 1835, when it formed a part of the Territory of Michigan. The entire State was then an almost uninhabited wilderness and gave little promise of its present prosperity or of the advanced position, which it today occupies in the Union.
Mr. Williamson, a son of Francis and Eve McNamar Williamson, was born June 20, 1814, in Scioto County Ohio, where the first twelve years of his life were spent upon his father’s farm. In 1826, he accompanied the family on their removal from Ohio to Indiana, where he continued to reside until 1835, when he journeyed westward, crossing the Father of Water and set foot upon Iowa soil. From that time until his death, he was identified with the history of the State and especially with the growth and advancement of southeastern Iowa. He aided in the erection of the first house in Farmington and after a year returned to Indiana where, on July 24, 1836, he was united in marriage with Hannah Lemming, who was born in Knox County Ohio, August 28, 1817, and is a daughter of Elias and Deborah Reed Lemming, who were natives of New Jersey, the former born of Scotch parentage, while the latter was of Irish lineage.
About the time when Iowa was made a territory, in 1838, Mr. Williamson and his wife removed to the vicinity of Bonaparte where they resided until 1850, when they became residents of Davis County. Twelve years later they removed to Van Buren County, but in 1875, again became residents of Davis County, where Mr. Williamson died on August 19, 1889. He was a farmer by occupation and followed that business during the greater part of his life. As a citizen, he occupied a front rank among the progressive and influential men of the community and his death proved a loss to a large circle of friends and acquaintances.
Unto Mr. and Mrs. Williamson were born eleven children. John W., born in Indiana, died before the walls of Vicksburg, on March 23, 1862, while serving as a soldier of Company D, Thirtieth Iowa Infantry; Francis M. was born October 10, 1838, and resided in Milton, claims to have been the first white child born in Van Buren County; Mary A., is the wife of G. W. Rosser of Colorado; Ellen, is deceased; William H., is living in Van Buren County; Emily J., is deceased; Eva E. is the wife of C.E. Archer and their home is in Davis County; Martha J., is also deceased; Clara is the wife of W.F. Edmondson and the Postmistress of Milton, Iowa; Sarah I. and Helen B. has passed away.
The mother of this family is still living and makes her home in Van Buren County. She is a member of the Methodist Episcopal Church and a most estimable lady.
I am not related, and am only copying this for the information of those who might find this person in their family.