Shane Lore

The Williamsons of the Old South

Note: this page is a work in progress. There’s always more to find, but I thought I’d go ahead and publish what I’d uncovered so far.

The Williamson family of Robertson County originally came from Virginia, with prior residence at some point in both Kentucky and in Davidson County, Tennessee. Thomas Williamson (born 1788 in Virginia) married first Mary Ellen Mitchell and second her sister Tabitha Mitchell. He was guardian of the children of John Stark Williamson (born in Kentucky in 1782 and died in the NE corner of Montgomery Co. in 1825). His grandchildren include Dr. Logan Williamson Jones of Nashville and Emmett G. Logan, the first editor of the Louisville Times.

In 1819, Thomas Williamson bought 565 acres, 2 roods, and 2 poles of land from J. Vance. Thomas was living in Christian County, Kentucky, before that (Robertson County Deed Book O, page 165).

In 1825, he bought 12 acres adjoining his original purchase from Robert Shanklin, a relative (probably son) of Andrew Shanklin, who’d received a 640-acre land grant from the state of Tennessee in 1809. Frances Ward had performed the military service for this land grant in the Revolutionary War, and it was sold or conveyed by him in some way to Shanklin. Shanklins lived in this neighborhood for generations afterward (Deed Book H, page 93). Thomas sold 50 acres of his land to Laban Warfield also in 1825 (Deed Book T, page 236). Thomas was willed a small piece of land from his father-in-law J. Mitchell in 1835, adjoining his other lands and being connected to his mill on the Elk Fork of Red River somehow (Deed Book Y, page 200).

Thomas platted the plantation he lived on in 1839 (Plat Book 1, page 143). He did other land deals that didn’t affect the land he resided on (found in Deed Book W, pages 92 and 268, and Plat Book 1, page 314). In 1850, his land, livestock, and slaves were enumerated and moved into a trust with G.A. Henry as trustee. This trust stipulated how his numerous assets were to be divided amongst his heirs. The plantation by this time consisted of about 435 acres, including these slaves who are named: Warren, Frank, Isaac, Sampson, [Guey?], Charles, and boys Joe, [Hoperone?], [David?], [Ceprey?], with women Polly, Lucy, Charlotte, Betsey, [Botsoy?], child of Harriett, and girls Anne, Isabella, Jane, and Kelly. The plantation also included 200 head of stock, 25 head of cattle, 2 yoke of oxen, 10 head of horses and colts, 4 mules, about 50 head of sheep, and a horse wagon and ox wagon, and all the pertinent farming utensils, [then something about shoes?] and harnesses, all on said farm. Also included were one “pleasure carriage,” and the tobacco crop, “growing on the place,” and also seemingly another slave, Harry, and his heirs, a [woman?].

His second wife, Tabitha Williamson, was to have use of this plantation until her death. Mary T. Cromwell and Margaret Elizabeth Cromwell (his granddaughters by the first marriage) were to be given room, board, and clothing as long as Thomas was alive. Part was to go to the two Cromwell grandchildren and the other three-fifths were to go to his children by Tabitha: Marriah, Virgina, and James Logan Williamson. If those three died without children or died underage, that portion was to go to the children of William Benjamin Harrison Logan the [daughter?] of Thos. Williamson[?] Upon Thomas’s death, the trustee was to take possession of the property and sell and distribute the proceeds as described. Tabitha was not to sell any of the property, just to live off the increase of the farm.

His land was described as some “of the very best in the county, and exceedingly desirable for agricultural and manufacturing purposes. The improvements consist of a substantial brick dwelling, all necessary outbuildings, and an excellent saw and merchant corn and flouring mill, on Sulphur Fork, [and] a never failing stream of water that runs through one corner of the land” (Plat Book 5, page 542; Sept. 28, 1866, Clarksville Weekly Chronicle).

Deed reconstruction of the boundaries of the Williamson Plantation ca. 1850, straddling Robertson and Montgomery Counties in Tennessee. The plat book drawing is shown to the right. Current property lines are in orange. A slightly larger version was bought by Williamson from J. Vance in 1819.

Above deed reconstruction of the Williamson Plantation over satellite imagery and current property boundaries.

Other Williamson properties (yet to be mapped):

  • Williamson, B.F. to Thos. Parker (Plat book 5, page 86) [Image 63 of 619 online], dated 15 Feb. 1846 (15 acres); Martha Jane (Cross) Williamson was heir to this property as a 1/3 part of the John Cross estate. It adjoined F. [Duffer?] and an R. Mitchell property.
  • Williamson, B.F. to A.H. Cromwell (his son-in-law) (Plat book 5, page 498), dated 13 Mar. 1848. It describes more or less the Thomas Williamson plat and references a court case against Thomas Williamson.
  • Williamson, B.F. to W.C. Gossett (Plat book 5, page 542), dated 5 June 1848; 113 acres to Gossett, partly in Robertson and Montgomery Counties, next to the 640-acre Snake Spring tract. Does not seem to be part of T. Williamson’s land.

Here’s an overview of the family during this time:

Here are some facts from the Census about the Williamsons:

1830 Census Thomas Williamson household:

  • 1 male aged 5 to 9, 1 male aged 40 to 49.
  • 1 female aged 10 to 14, 1 aged 15 to 19, 1 aged 30 to 39.
  • 7 male slaves under age 10, five aged 10 to 23, two aged 36 to 54.
  • 4 female slaves aged 10 to 23, two aged 24 to 35, two aged 36 to 54, one aged 100 and over.
  • Total free whites under 20: 3; total aged 20 to 49: 2; 5 overall.
  • Total slaves: 23.

1840 Census Thomas Williamson household:

  • 1 male aged 10 to 14; 1 male aged 15 to 19, 1 aged 50 to 59.
  • 2 females under five, 1 aged 15 to 19, 2 aged 40 to 49.
  • Male slaves: 3 under 10, 4 aged 10 to 23, 6 aged 24 to 35, 3 aged 36 to 54.
  • Female slaves: 6 under 10, 2 aged 10 to 23, 2 aged 55 to 99.
  • 12 persons employed in agriculture.
  • 5 whites under 20, 2 whites aged 20 to 49, 8 total.
  • Slaves: 26

1850 Census Thomas Williamson household:

  • Thomas Williamson was a farmer with real estate valued at $10,000 in District No. 6 of Robertson Co. (NW corner of the county).
  • His household consisted of wife Tabitha, age 50, children Thomas J. Williamson, 25, Mary G. Williamson, 11, Virginia H. Williamson, 10, and James L. Williamson, 8.
  • Also in their household was a Mary T. Cromwell (12 years old), 10-yr-old Margaret E. Cromwell, and C.[L?] Gooch, an “overseer.”
  • They lived near or next door to John A. [Woolon?], a miller (with real estate valued at $300).
  • On the other side, their neighbor was Ann Reasons.
  • Also nearby were [Gaigsby?], Morrison, Bell, Shankland, Shepherd, and Gooch.
  • On the 1850 slave schedules, Thomas had 21 slaves, 12 males and 9 females, ranging in age from a 1-year-old girl to an 80-year-old man. 7 were under 18, and 8 were aged 20-40. Three were in their fifties. Robert Shankland next door had one 53-year-old male slave. Richard Laprade and Joel B. Fort were bigger slave owners in the vicinity, with Fort owning 42 [with one marked as “hermaphrodite”??].

1860 Census Thomas Williamson household:

  • He lived in the Western Division of Robertson Co., with a real estate value of $20,000 and personal estate value of [unreadable: 25.770? Or 20,770? Or 212.770? Or 22,770].
  • The local post office was Saddlersville.
  • His wife Tabitha was 60, his son T.J. Williamosn was 35, his son J.L. Williamson was 18, and his granddaughter M. Cromwell was 20.
  • They lived next to R.J. Shanklin and [H?C?] Rey[?] and Wm. Winn and J.M. Talley and the Sadlers and the Adamses.

Goodspeed’s History of Robertson County had this snippet about the Williamson family’s religious affiliation: “Salem Church, in the Seventeenth District, near Sadlersville, was organized in 1843, with the following members: Robert Mitchell and wife, Robert Shanklin and wife, James T. Gunn and wife, Thomas Williamson and wife, H. Sadler and wife, Richard Qualls and daughter, Tabitha Williamson and W. R. and Elizabeth Sadler. When the church building was erected, it stood in Montgomery County, but a change in the line, in 1870, threw it into Robertson County. The first minister was the Rev. Dye.” This church was likely Methodist (Methodist Episcopal Church South).

Thomas Williamson died on December 16, 1862. He’s buried in the Williamson Cemetery. A survey of cemeteries done some time ago had this to say about Williamson burial grounds in Robertson and Montgomery Counties: “There are 2 Williamson Cemeteries located in Robertson County, TN, located very close together. Cemetery #1: Located on the land known as the old Hogan Bryan place which is in the very northwest corner of Robertson County, in sight of the KY state line and Montgomery Co line, on the farm of Frazier Riggins near Guthrie, KY. Cemetery #2: Located near Cemetery #1. Believe to be old Primitive Baptist Church Cemetery. Now on farm of Mack Linebaugh near Guthrie, KY.” Virginia Harrison Jones is buried here (lived 26 May 1840 to 8 Apr. 1871), as is Thomas Williamson. Cemetery #2 may be plowed over. The internments in these cemeteries include:

  • Margaret E. Cromwell (10 Aug 1818 to 6 Feb 1840?)
  • Mrs. R.P. Garrett (unk to 29 Jun 1829)
  • Gideon Gooch (1790 to 1829)
  • Virginia Harrison Jones (26 May 1840 to 8 Apr 1871)
  • James Milton Williamson (1 May 1818 to 14 Nov 1821)
  • John Newton Williamson (28 May 1821 to 16 Sept 1821)
  • John Stark Williamson (1782 to 28 Mar 1825)
  • Mary E. Williamson (unk to Aug 1834)
  • Mary Malvina Williamson (8 Sept 1822 to 12 Mar 1829)
  • Thomas Williamson (27 Dec 1788 to 16 Dec 1862)

His daughter, Virginia Harrison Williamson was married and out of the house by 1860. In that census, she’s listed as 20 years old, born in Tenn., and married to M.P. Jones (age 37), a hotel keeper. They lived in the 1st Ward of Nashville, seemingly in the Jones Hotel (because all the staff lived in it as well). In 1870, she was 30 years old, living in District 10 in Davidson County, keeping house. Her spouse, Madison P. Jones, was 46 years old, working as a bookkeeper in a store. In the home were Catherine T. Jones, age 9; Lizzie M. Jones, 60; Charlie W. Jones, 3; Frederick M. Jones, 2; and Maggie M. Drucker, 28 (born in New York). They lived near a Carmichael, the Bostsons, and the Browns.

Here’s the next generation’s connection with the Jones family:

Some information about Madison Percival Jones (taken from his obituary in The Tennessean): he was born on June 29th, 1823, in Isle of Wight Co., Va., and came to Tennessee in 1837, to Smith County, near New Middleton, with his father Frederick. In his early life, he was in the dry goods business in Georgia. He went to California in 1849. In 1854, he moved to Nashville and opened a hotel on Bridge Avenue and the Square (known as the Jones Hotel). He was associated with McNary and Co., Kirkpatrick and Co., Beach and Co., and finally N.C. & St. L. Railway (of which he was an employee for 20 years in the freight department). He attended Clinton College in Smith County (and was a classmate of Sen. Pettus of Ala.). He lived in Nashville for 57 years, was a prominent Freemason (a member of Cumberland Lodge No. 8, which he joined in 1885), and lived at 803 Wood Street when he died. He died in 1911 at 88 years old.

His brother, Dr. Robert Logan Jones, lived at 2813 Hillside Drive when he died on Sept. 15, 1939, and was married to Mrs. Linnie Tucker Jones. He was a veteran of the Spanish-American War and WWI and was buried at Maplewood in Smyrna. Madison Jones played an important role in a court case involving the Williamson estate and slavery in the wake of the Civil War. Four recently freed slaves, Amanda, Nambet, Edmund, and Cornelius Williamson, sued via their father Cyrus Winston as “next friend” against M.P. Jones. The four were under the age of 21. They filed a petition through Winston to be freed from bondage. The facts of the case were: Thomas Williamson, as mentioned above, died and left his plantation to Tabitha Williamson, including all his slaves. She lived on the land as of May 1865. Upon his death the trustees (G.A. Henry having been the trustee that divded the property, as above) took possession of the property, which included some 30 or 40 slaves—the four mentioned above among them, this being because their mother was a slave of Thomas Williamson. M.P. Jones was the agent of the trustees (the heirs now), and so held the slaves as property of the deceased Williamson’s estate. M.P. Jones refused to free the four mentioned above because, as far as he was concerned, there was no law in force requiring they be freed. Did this mean he did not recognize the new constitution of the State of Tennessee, which abolished slavery, or that he didn’t recognize it as legitimate because his sympathies were with the Confederacy? In any event, he refused to turn the four over to their reputed father when demand was made for them. He held them as late as February 22, 1865, in Robertson County, the date the new consitution was adopted in Tennessee. The court ruled in favor of Winston, and the four were freed. This was reported by the Nashville Union, as referenced in the Commercial Bulletin, Volume 1, Number 10, 17 May 1865.