ADMINISTRATIVE INFORMATION
Title John M. Williamson Collection Collection 303
Introduction Biographical Sketch Series Description Box and Folder Listing
Introduction
The papers of John M. Williamson of Stony Brook, New York reflect his business, professional
and political activities. Also included in the collection are letters and documents
relating to other members of John Williamson's immediate family, specifically Seth
Williamson (John's brother), William S. Williamson (John's half-brother), and Anne
Williamson Davis (John's niece).
In addition to the approximately sixty family letters, there is extensive business
correspondence, most of it addressed to John M. Williamson, correspondence and documents
related to John M. Williamson's law practice, records on the settlement of several
estates, letters and documents related to John M. Williamson's political career, and
hundreds of receipts relating to various legal, business and personal matters.
The material is almost entirely handwritten and comprises 1.8 cubic feet and 3,000
separate items. Most of the documents date from the 1830s - 1850s; the date span is
from the 1770s through the 1870s.
Of particular interest is the insight provided into daily life on Long Island in the
mid-19th century. Also, the inventories included in the estate files and the various
financial records provide data on financial matters of the day, especially the type,
extent and nature of personal property held by Long Islanders. The law office files,
although very incomplete and containing many draft documents, reveal the method and
type of legal work undertaken by 19th century Long Island lawyers.
The personal correspondence provides intimate and sometimes touching accounts of family
activities. Besides births, deaths and marriages, accounts of journeys to other parts
of Long Island and New York City are included. Although incomplete, the files on the
Town of Brookhaven and Suffolk County offer an interesting view of the local political
scene.
Other substantial collections of Williamson family materials are known to reside in
the Suffolk County Historical Society Library at Riverhead, the Smithtown Library
and The Long Island Museum of American Art, History and Carriages in Stony Brook.
Provenance The papers came to the Department of Special Collections in 1981 as a loan deposit
from Mr. Cornell Jaray of Nassau County. Their provenance before coming into Mr. Jaray's
possession is not known. A second accession of correspondence was purchased in 2004
from Ms. Shirley Bennett (Box 5).
Arrangement and Processing Note Processed and described by John B. Smith, January 1983. Finding aid updated in January
2008 by Kristen J. Nyitray. Updated in February 2014.
Language English
Restrictions on Access The collection is open to researchers without restriction.
Language English
Restrictions on Access The collection is open to researchers without restriction.
Rights and Permissions Stony Brook University Libraries' consent as the physical owner of the collection
does not address copyright issues that may affect publication rights. It is the sole
responsibility of the user of Special Collections and University Archives materials
to investigate the copyright status of any given work and to seek and obtain permission
where needed prior to publication.
Citation [Item], [Box], John Williamson Collection, Special Collections and University Libraries,
Stony Brook University Libraries.
Biographical Sketch
John M. Williamson was born in the hamlet of Stony Brook, New York on September 27,
1787, the second son of Jedidiah Williamson and his wife, Charity Mowbray Williamson.
During childhood he attended the local district school and learned the trade of a
carpenter with his father. During the War of 1812 he took part in the movements of
the Militia at Sag Harbor as a Captain and was later elevated to the rank of Major.
John M. Williamson exhibited early an inclination toward scholarship and entered the
practice of law. He also early showed an inclination toward politics. He carved out
a distinguished career in such capacities as Supervisor of Town of Brookhaven, Member
of the New York State Assembly (representing the western district of Suffolk County),
Judge of the Court of Sessions, Inspector of Elections and counsellor and referee
in the settlement of numerous estate and civil cases. (Some records, but clearly not
the complete records, of all of these activities are included in the collection.)
He never married and died in Stony Brook at the advanced age of 90 years. He lies
buried next to his father in the churchyard of the Setauket Presbyterian Church, of
which he was a devoted lifetime member.
John M. Williamson's immediate family consisted of: his father, Jedidiah; his mother,
Charity, who died about 1800; his step-mother, Sophia; a brother, Seth; a sister,
Amy; and five half-siblings, Charity, Deborah, Nancy, William S. and Mary Ann. It
was not possible to establish the dates of birth and death for these other family
members, except for Jedidiah, who was born about 1757 and died in 1837. Some letters
of subsequent generations also are in the collection, especially, Richard (possibly
the son of William S.), Richard's wife, Louisa, Jedidiah (grandson of the first Jedidiah),
and Jedidiah's wife, Sallie. Several single letters, probably from distant relatives,
also are included.
References
Fix, Edward B. "Jedidiah Williamson, a Biographical Profile of the Stony Brook Farmer/Carpenter."
Long Island Forum (March 1979): 52-57.
History of Suffolk County, New York: Munsell and Company, 1882. (Town of Brookhaven
section, p. 74.)
Klein, Howard. Three Village Guidebook, Port Jefferson Station, N. Y.: St. Gerard
Press, 1976.
Series Description
- Family Correspondence
- 1813-1869
- Arranged alphabetically by writer with a category for mementos, and a few single letters
at the end. Also a category for military correspondence.
- Personal letters from one member of the Williamson family to another.
- Business, Legal and Political Correspondence
- ca. 1820-1860
- Arranged alphabetically by writer.
- Letters mostly addressed to John M. Williamson, but to other family members as well,
dealing with a wide variety of subjects including: governmental matters, financial
matters, contracts, wills, etc.
- Estates and Guardianships
- ca. 1813-1857
- Arranged alphabetically by the name of the estate or guardianship.
- Inventories, judicial petitions, receipts, wills, affidavits, letters, etc., dealing
with the administration and settlement of estates and guardianships.
- Town of Brookhaven and Suffolk County
- ca. 1834-1865
- Arranged in original order as packeted.
- Records of Brookhaven Board of Supervisors and Commissioner of Highways; Statements
on inspection of "common" schools; Rosters of workers on the highways. Also some material
on Brookhaven and Suffolk County elections, including election tickets, tallies and
reports of the County Commissioners.
- The Law Practice of John M. Williamson
- ca. 1834-1877
- Arranged in original order as packeted with categories for correspondence, legal documents,
financial records and property boundary sketches added.
- Contains many draft documents and various other records related to John M. Williamson's
law practice.
- John M. Williamson's Service in the N.Y. State Assembly and as Suffolk County Judge.
- ca. 1835-1857
- Arranged by subject.
- Contains a few documents, mostly in draft form, concerning John M. Williamson's work
in the Assembly and on the bench. Some correspondence also is included.
- Financial Records
- ca. 1779-1867
- Arranged in random order.
- Consists of two account books. The first is William S. Williamson's, covering the
period 1857-1867, which contains many entries recording services rendered. The second,
of one of the younger Jedidiahs, contains only a few entries for 1887. The remainder
of this series consists of about 50 receipts for goods and services.
Box and Folder Listing
Series 1: Family Correspondence
Box 1
1. Davis, Ann Maria (Williamson) 2. Williamson, David 3. Williamson, James 4. Williamson, Jedidiah 5. Williamson, Jedidiah (Mrs.) 6. Williamson, John M. 7. Williamson, Louisa 8. Williamson, Richard 9. Williamson, Seth 10. Williamson, William S. 11. Williamson family, letters, mementos, etc. 12. Williamson family, military correspondence
Series 2: Business, Legal and Political Correspondence
1. B Correspondence 2. C Correspondence 3. D Correspondence 4. Davis, James H. and Elizabeth 5. Davis, Silas; Shadrach; James and others 6. Ellis, John 7. F Correspondence 8. Floyd, Charles A. and Augustus 9. G Correspondence 10. H Correspondence 11. Hallock, Ebenezer 12. Hawkins, Eleazer; Elnathan and others 13. Halsey, Hugh 14. Hodgkinson, Williams J. and Elizabeth 15. J Correspondence 16. L Correspondence 17. M Correspondence 18. N Correspondence
Box 2
19. P Correspondence 20. Phillips, George S., Samuel and Charles 21. R Correspondence 22. S Correspondence 23. Satterly, John R. 24. Scudder, Isiah and others 25. Smith (several) 26. Smith, J. 27. Smith, Jonas 28. Smith, Joshua 29. Smith, Richard 30. Strong, S.B. 31. T Correspondence 32. W Correspondence
Box 3
Series 3: Estates and Guardianships
1. Brewster, John (Estate of) 2. Corwin, Isaac (Estate of) 3. Davis, Jonas (Estate of) 4. Jayne, Isaac (Estate of) 5. Mills, Charles Alanzo (Estate of) 6. Newton, William J. and Deborah (Guardianship) 7. Smith, Fordham (Estate of) 8. Smith, Henry (Estate of) 9. Williamson, Daniel (Estate of) 10. Williamson, Ezra (Guardianship)
Town of Brookhaven & Suffolk County
1. Brookhaven, Town of (Packet containing a variety of correspondence, receipts and
other records) 2. Brookhaven, Town of and Suffolk County (Packet containing election materials,
highway rosters and other documents)
Series 4: The Law Practice of John M. Williamson
Box 4
1. Correspondence General 2. Draft correspondence, documents, etc. 3. Draft documents, indentures and letters 4. Law office account book (April, 1841-December, 1842) 5. Receipts 6. Receipts 7. Judicial Petitions, etc. 8. Philip Longbotham's Notes, Receipts, re: Shadrach Davis' estate 9. Estate 10. Property Boundary Sketches 11. Releases, Receipts, etc.
Series 5: John M. Williamson's Service in the N.Y. State Assembly and as Suffolk County
Judge
1. Oneida Indian Affairs, letters, drafts, etc. 2. Pilots and pilotage 3. Suffolk County Court, correspondence, forms, documents
Series 6: Financial Records
1. Account books of Williams S. Williamson and Jedidiah Williamson 2. Receipts
Second Accession
Box 5
1. 1872 John M. Williamson G.W. Barke & Co. - men's store opening. 2. 10/27/68 Judge J. Williamson Mrs. E. Selleck - Invite to Ladies Fair & Festival.
3. 10/27/56 JMW J.J. (Barton?) - notice of rally for democracy. 4. 4/29/57 JMW J. Smith - Planting. 5. 5/22/59 Jedidiah Williamson Richard W. - horse race. 6. 3/28/63 Jed. W. Louisa Williamson - finding house. 7. 9/18/64 Jed. W. Ann M. Davis - coat. 8 1/19/60 Judge W. ? - memorial to legislature. 9. 11/1/59 Jed. W. Horace - Newton trunk. 10 12/23/60 Jed. W. Louisa W. - much news-fire, 7 story building. 11 9/19/82 Friend Jed James Weir, Jr. - sick horse (Wier Florist letterhead). 12.3/7/60 JMW ? Charles going to Wash. - send team 13 3/28/58 William S. W. Ann M. Davis - very lonely; give sister hat. 14.Wed. JMW N. Smith - bad sea, sickness; chickens 15.------ JMW N. Smith - vessels fitting out; food. 16.6/16/? JMW Nancy Smith - supplies; "I sent two oranges." 17.4/10/53 Jed. W. Jedidiah Hawkins - "My rooster will beat R.'s shanghi." 18.6/25/66 Jed J. Smith Harness - 8 cents for pressing hay. 19.11/30/63 Judge W. Thomas S. - Captain. J. Smith's real estate tax. 20.4/1/62 JMW N. & J. Smith - vessels fitting out; rent 21.4/2/65 Jed. W. Jonas Smith, Jr. - staying in Poughkeepsie. 22.? JMW N. Smith Grand - procession-Wash. greys. 23.3/30/58 JMW ? 24 5/16/62 JMW ? 25.7/9/64 Jed. W. Jonas Smith - go Monday and help the men. 26.4/19/? JMW J L - house; bridge Rebels burned. 27.3/31/? Jed. W. J. Smith - see to drying sails. 28 2/11/53 JMW C.Ball, C.Smith & B. Wells Party at Cap't. Donovans' house. 29.5/30/64 JMW Jonas Smith per JW - send carriage, Aunty is coming. 30.6/11/66 Col. WSW Seth W. - am safe in Milford. 31.6/22/6? JMW E. Guthile (?) - Funeral, Brother Dayton. 32.5/5/57 JMW J. Smith – health, bad weather for moving 33.10/64 Jed. W. George Hawkins - wood for Clerk & S. for "sherif" 34.2/56 JMW J. Smith (can't decipher) 35.3/11/65 Jed. W. George Hawkins - time to do something. 36.3/28/57 JMW J. Smith – Mr. Wood on board, nothing new 37.9/29/5? J.W., Supervisor George Raynor (?) - keep Roe house as Public House 38.2/22/62 JMW J. Smith 39.9/?/? Jed W. Ann M. Davis - Birth (berth) on the Oceanic. 40.7/21/59 JMW J. Smith - mumps. 41.4/5/57 JMW J. Smith - put up a shanty. 42. 5/8/58 JMW J. Smith – pieces of chain, Tommy leaves this morning 43. Thurs. 10/9/? Jed W.? N. Smith – Oliver sailed, food requests 44. n.d. JMW ? – mark the parcels allowed 45. 3/15/56 JMW ? - pay your company 46. 3/21/57 JMW J. Smith – Mrs. Wheeler stone house, Nancy sausages would spoil 47. 9/16/58 JMW M.H. Smith – Communication about relatives 48. 11/64 Jed W. George Hawkins – man to board, health 49. 3/30?/61 JMW J. Smith 50. 2/9/72 J.W. Harry Dexon – bad health, family news, deaths 51. n.d. JMW Nancy Smith – trunk and pails in house 52. n.d. JMW N. Smith – people coming 53. 4/20/61 JMW ? - much confusion 54. 1853 JMW J.B. Nichols – send the food 55. 3/22/63 JMW J. Smith – letting house, $3.75/cord 56. 9/12/65 Jed W. George Hawkins – stallion 57. 8/19/65 Jed Jonas Jr. – hearing nothing from you 58. 1/21/58 JMW J. Smith and N.S. – George, children 59. 7/16/65 JMW Jonas Smith – under the weather, Uncle George sow turnips 60. 4/16/61 JMW J. Smith & N. Smith – stormy weather, George can have house – 2 shirts 61. 5/17/? William S. Williamson Ann M. Davis – news to parents 62. 4/?/03? JMW ? – Capt. Smith went to Connecticut 63. 9/19/? Mortimer? Hobard College; Clara 64. 6/9/35? JMW ? – papers hard to send 65. 3/23/57 JMW J. Smith 66. n.d. JMW Nancy Smith – treat cold, Seth lost boy 67. 3/16/61 JMW J. Smith – Democracy of village 68. n.d. Jed W. Nettie Charlotte – take me out to ride some 69. 12/2/69 JMW Maria H. Smith – thank you for stay, family info 70. 6/5/64 Jed W. A.M. Davis – health, 4th of July plans 71. 6/29/? JMW N. Smith – send small pot of butter 72. n.d. JMW N. Smith – snowstorm, package to Mrs. Wheeler 73. March? JMW Nancy Smith – Jonas is ill, sleepy, Mr. Jones to cut wood 74. 5/17/69 Jed W. A.M. Davis – safe arrival, Silas is sick 75. 1/11/? JMW N. Smith – Ed Mills, great dinner, baskets 76. 1/20/59 JMW Jonas Smith – injunction, caught cold 77. 4/6/69 JMW J.S. 78. 4/28/62 JMW J. Smith – look in desk 79. 3/3/? JMW Lawrence Smith? – regarding case of death of a lunatic 80. 1/1/56 Mr . R. Randall JMW - $30, one years interest 81. 2/21/65 JMW Jonas Smith – Mr. Edwards tax 82. 2/1/5/57 JMW J. Smith and N. Smith – Mr. Wood to come down, eggs, measles 83. 8/2/? Jed W. A.M.D. – Silas visit to mother 84. 9/29/62 Jed W. J. Smith – sending feed, trip to Riverhead 85. 9/25/59 William S. Williamson Ann M. Davis – money, school, rain 86. 2/12/48 JMW ? - purchaser for house 87. 2/24/? Jed W. ? – offer to drive cart 88. 2/26/59 JMW J.S. 89. 8/11/67 JMW Bellows – visit, talk of the bible 90. 2/3/58 JMW J. Smith 91. 5/21/63? JMW J. Smith - sending money, visit 92. 9/21/59 JMW Robert M. Jayne? – request to be a witness 93. 9/25/52 William S. Williamson Ann M. Davis – tell all we are well, send response
to Philadelphia 94. 9/30/65 JMW E. Tuthile? – Grand lecturer will be at house tonight, please come 95. 6/14/62 JMW J.S. – Ebenezer Hawkins can have calf for 5 ½ cents 96. 5/6/66 JMW N.H. Cranston - $19 enclosed 97. 11/12/70 JMW Chat? E. Jayne – sent 2 undershirts 98. 9/14/44 ? W. Cummin, G. Blothenberger, J. Jackman, F. Rinehart, J. Stanley, J.T.
Mussleman – invite to attend Democratic Meeting 99. n.d. JMW N. Smith – put butter on board the Native, send eggs 100. 3/13/56 Jed W. Seth Williamson – family and friend’s health, thank you letter 101. 12/2/58 Jed W. Louisa Williamson – can’t come for Christmas, children are well 102. 5/3/53 JMW James Bloeper? – painting of offices 103. n.d. JMW N. Smith - can’t come home tomorrow, hat not done 104. 5/1/? Jonas Smith George Hawkins – request to work for 5 months 105. 2/4/63 JMW J. Smith - did not come yesterday – cold 106. 11/6/64 Jed W. A.M. Davis – sickness, death, butter 107. 10/18/? JMW Lanas Hines – should he pay for lot? 108. 1/16/48? Cornelia Wright Persis Mallory? - much news 109. empty envelopes addressed to Jedidiah Williamson and John M. Williamson
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