Page:The Biographical Dictionary of America, vol. 10.djvu/448

 WILLIAMS

WILLIAMSON

tepee, aiul was promoted captain, Sept. 12, 1850. He was engaged in the Florida hostilities against the Seminole Indians, 18.56-57, was promoted major. May 14, 1861, and wa.s commissioned brigadier-general of volunteers, Sept. 28, 1861. He relieved General Mansfield at Hatteras inlet on Oct. 13, 1861; commanded a brigade in Butler's army in Louisiana in 1862. and after the fall of N,>w Orleans. Butler sent him, on May 8. 1862, w'ah 1400 men to Baton Rouge, which he occupied. Oil May 18. he demanded the surrender of Vicks- Imrg, and on May 15 raised the siege and re- turned to Baton Rouge. On June 20. 1862, re-en- forced, he once more proceeded to Vicksburg, and on this expedition attempted to alter the course of tiie Mississippi river from in front of Vicks- burg by digging a canal across a neck of land. The river, however, filled faster than the canal was excavated, and on July 26, three-fourths of his 3200 men being incapacitated by overwork, malaria, scurvy and privation, he abandoned his canal and again returned to Baton Rouge. He was followed by General Breckinridge, with 6000 men and on Aug. 5, 1862. was attacked by this superior force. He was without iutrenchments, and liis lines were at first roughly handled; but owing largely to his personal braverj^ his troops regained their position and the attacking party was repulsed. He was killed while leading a charge at Baton Rouge, La., Aug. 5, 1862.

WILLIAMS, Thomas Lanier, jurist, was born in Surry county, N.C., Feb. 1, 1786; son of Col. Josepli and Rebecca (Lanier) Williams, and twin brother of Lewis Williams (q.v.). He removed with his brother John (q.v.) to Knoxville, Tenn., was graduated from the University of North Carolina, A.B., 1808, A.M., 1812; studied law; was admitted to the bar and practised in Knox- ville, Teim. He was a representative in the state legislature, a state senator, and judge of the supreme court of Tennessee. He was married to Mary Ljiwson, daughter of Charles and Mar- garet (White) McClung of Knoxville, Tenn., the latter being the daughter of James White (q.v.). He .served as chancellor of the state corporate courts of equity jurisdiction, 1836-52. He died in Nashville. Tenn.. Dec. 2, 18-56.

WILLIAMS, WILLIAH, signer, was born in I/ebanon, Conn., April 18, 1731; son of the Rev. Solomon Williams (1700-76) of Lebanon. He was graduated from Harvard, A.B., 1751, A.M., 17.54; studied theology under his father, 1751-52, and in 17.55 joined the regiment of Mas.sachusetts volunteers under Col. Ephraim Williams (q.v.) in the invasion of Canada. He was married to Mary, daugliter of Gov. Jonathan Trumbull. He was town clerk of Lebanon, Conn., 1756-1801; a representative in the assembly for over fifty years; colonel of the 12th regiment of militia.

1773-76, and a delegate to the Continental con- gress, being one of the signers of the Declaration of Independence of July 4, 1776. He was a mem- ber of the committee of safety; and expended most of his valuable property on the patriot cause. He was an assistant or councillor, 1780- 1804; judge of the count}' court of Wyndham and probate judge for fort}' years, and a member of the convention that ratified the constitution of the United .States in 1787. The honorary degree of A.M. was conferred on him by Yale in 1753. He died in Lebanon, Conn., Aug. 2, 1811.

WILLIAflSON, Benjamin, jurist, was born in Elizabeth, N.J., May 16. 1808; son of Chancellor Isaac Halstead Williamson (q.v.) and his wife Anne Crossdale (Jouet) Williamson. He was graduated from the College of New Jersey, A.B., 1827, A.M., 1830; studied law under his father and Chancellor Halstead, was admitted to the bar, 1830, and began practice in Elizabeth, N.J. He was made counsellor in 1833; served as pros- ecutor of the pleas for Essex county, N.J., 1848-52, and as chancellor of the state, 1852-60. after which he resumed the practice of law. He was married to Elizabeth, sister of Chief Justice Mer- cer Beasley, and daughter of the Rev. Dr. Fred- erick Beasley, at one time provost of the Univer- sity of Pennsylvania, and formerly rector of St. John's church, Elizabeth, and Maria (Williamson) Beasley. He was a delegate-at-large to the Dem- ocratic national convention in 1860; a commis- sioner from New Jersey to the Peace congress at Washington, D.C., 1861, and in 1863 was defeated as the Democratic candidate for U.S. senator. As a corporation lawyer he had no superior in New Jersey. He was trustee or director in nu- merous institutions and corporations. The hon- orary degree of LL.D. was conferred upon him by the College of New Jersey in 1857. He died in Elizabeth. N.J., Dec. 2, 1892.

WILLIAHSON, Hugh, delegate, was born in West Nottingham, Pa., Dec. 5, 1735; son of Joseph and Mary (Davison) W^illiamson. He was graduated from the college, academy and chari- table school of Pliiladelphia, A.B., 1758, A.M., 1761; was a tutor there, 17.5-.59; studied medi- cine at tiie University of Edinburgh, but aban- doned it for theology. He was licensed to preach in 1759, and later admitted to the presbytery of Philadelphia, but was never ordained. He was professor of mathematics at the College of Philadelphia, 1761-63: went to the West Indies to procure aid for the Newark (Del.) academy in 1772, and visited England in 1773. In 1774 he was examined by the privy council on the sub- ject of the destruction of tea in Boston harbor; traveled on the continent, 1774-76; and in 1777 engaged in mercantile pursuits with a younger brother in the south, eventually settling in