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Richard Williamson
(Husband of Jane "Jenny" Wiley)

by Russell L. Whitlock
Based on Information from Mrs. Olive Smith Stone
and John Nathan Bennett

    I've found from experience that we can always depend up Mrs. Olive Stone to furnish us with some small tid bit of interesting information, and she hasn't failed us this time.  Olive indicates to me that she received a letter from John Nathan Bennett in 1985.  (You may recall that Mr. Bennett was author of a book entitled Jenny Wiley Pioneer which I spoke of in an Association newsletter.)  Mr. Bennett indicated in his letter that Richard Williamson lived and is buried in Wyoming County, West Virginia instead of in Wayne County, West Virginia, and Olive says that she is in agreement with him on this point.

    There is a long standing controversy concerning Richards place of burial.  Research seems to indicate that Richard relocated from one place to another so often that his movements were difficult to track.  Olive states further, The letter written to me in June 1985 by him [Mr. Bennett] told me where Richard [Williamson] was buried and included a picture of his grave and marker."  Olive says that Richards grave can only be reached by a four wheel drive vehicle.  (At least that was the case several years ago.)  Olive also included the following from Mr. Bennetts letter, and I found it to be of great interest due to the fact that I had proposed very nearly the same in [a previous] newsletter.

    "In his letter he (Mr. Bennett) said, 'Jane was born on Big Walker Creek Virginia in 1791 and that Jenny made her escape in the winter of 1789.'  [Most researchers believe that Jenny was captured in the winter of 1789 and escaped in the spring of 1790.  rlw]  He (Mr. Bennett) says that proves there is no Indian blood in the Williamson family.  If she were pregnant, she could have had a child before Jane's birth.  I suppose the birth records of that Virginia county have been searched."

    Mr. Bennett's dates and statements agree with conclusions that I had previously reached on this subject.  Does this mean there was absolutely a part Indian baby born to Jenny prior to Jane's birth?  Not necessarily, but the possibility certainly does exist when one considers the time element!  The elderly lady in Virginia who claims to descend from that child could very  easily be correct in her statements.  Mr. Ed Hazelett of Paintsville has the letter from this lady, and it would be very interesting to our membership to see and have a copy of it.

    Thanks for your help, Olive!

    In a recent issue [of the Association Newsletter], I listed the children of Richard and Jane Wiley Williamson.  I will list the second generation as I know it.

    Children of John and Susanah "Susie" Baker Williamson:
        Ellen b ca. 1842
        Malinda b ca. 1846
        Emariah
        Julie Ann b ca. 1853
        Marie b ca. 1858

    It is thought that John Williamson died at an early age.

    Children of Alden and 1) Clarissa Marcum Williamson:
        Nancy b ca 7 October 1852
            m 1) Morgan Messer 1871
            m 2) Mitchell Perry c. 1892
        Malinda b ca. 1853
        Mary Jane b ca. 1860
        Mahala b ca. 1862
            m Lewis Dawson ca. 1881
        Hiram b 1867
        Joseph
        James Harrison
        Moses b ca. 1854
            m Mary Jane Estep

    Child of Alden and 2) Emariah Muncy
        Elizabeth b ca. 1877

    Children of Wiley and Lettie Cook Williamson:
        Sam b ca. 1868
        Polly
        Naoma
        Asa b ca. 1854
        Nellie
        James b ca. 1866
        Ibby
        Nancy b ca. 1863
        Zacriah (Zack) b ca. 1873
        Cassie b ca. 1873
        Delpha b ca. 1876

    Children of Annie "Amy" Williamson and Abraham Smith:
        John H.
            m Janie Milan
        Albert
        Eva

    Children of Nellie Williamson and Joseph Mitchel:
        John
        Richard
        Malenda
        James
        Sally
        Marenda

    Children of Marinda Williamson and William Thomas Smith:
        Madison
        Raleigh
        Joseph b ca. 1850
        Pricie
        Thomas
        Alcy
        Albert
        Margaret

    Children of Charlott Williamson and Zacariah Taylor "Zack" Webb:
        Louisa
        Edward
        William
        James (died at an early age)
        Pricie
        Sarah Jane
        Lucinda
        Anna
        Ellen
        George
        Thomas (died at an early age)
        Martha
        Johnie

    Child of Alifair Williamson and Edward Perry Webb
        Zechariah
 

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