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{{Short description|American judge}}
[[Image:Robert-mcalpin-williamson.jpg|thumb|223px|Judge Robert McAlpin Williamson]]
{{Infobox officeholder
⚫
'''Robert McAlpin Williamson''' (1804? – December 22, 1859) was a [[Republic of Texas]] [[Supreme Court of the Republic of Texas|Supreme Court]] Justice, state lawmaker and [[Texas Ranger Division|Texas Ranger]]. [[Williamson County, Texas]] is named for him. He is the first documented white banjo player.<ref>{{Cite book|title=The Evolution of a State or Recollections of Old Texas Days|last=Smithwick|first=Noah|publisher=University of Texas Press|year=1984|isbn=|location=Austin|pages=49}}</ref>
| honorific_prefix =
| name = Robert McAlpin Williamson
| honorific_suffix =
| image = Robert-mcalpin-williamson.jpg
| alt =
| caption = Judge Robert McAlpin Williamson
| office = [[Republic of Texas]] Supreme Court Justice
| term_start = 1837
| term_end = 1840
| nominator = <!--Can be repeated up to 16 times by changing the number-->
| appointer = <!--Can be repeated up to 16 times by changing the number-->
| predecessor = <!--Can be repeated up to 16 times by changing the number-->
| successor = <!--Can be repeated up to 16 times by changing the number-->
}}

⚫
'''Robert McAlpin Williamson''' (1804? – December 22, 1859) was a [[Republic of Texas]] [[Supreme Court of the Republic of Texas|Supreme Court]] Justice, state lawmaker and [[Texas Ranger Division|Texas Ranger]]. [[Williamson County, Texas]] is named for him. He is the first white person documented playing the banjo.<ref>{{Cite book|title=The Evolution of a State or Recollections of Old Texas Days|last=Smithwick|first=Noah|publisher=University of Texas Press|year=1984|location=Austin|pages=49}}</ref>


==Early life==
==Early life==
Williamson was born in [[Wilkes County, Georgia]] to a prestigious family. His mother died shortly after and he was raised by his paternal grandmother, Sarah Gilliam, in [[Milledgeville, Georgia]]. At the age of fifteen, he contracted [[Tuberculosis|tuberculous]] [[arthritis]] that caused his right leg to permanently stiffen at a 90 degree angle. In order to walk, a wooden leg had to be fastened to his knee. Because of this, he later acquired the nickname "Three-Legged-Willie". He passed the bar at the approximate age of nineteen before practicing one year of law in [[Georgia (U.S. state)|Georgia]].
Williamson was born in [[Wilkes County, Georgia]] to a prestigious family. His mother died shortly after and he was raised by his paternal grandmother, Sarah Gilliam, in [[Milledgeville, Georgia]]. At the age of fifteen, he contracted [[Tuberculosis|tuberculous]] [[arthritis]] that caused his right leg to permanently stiffen at a 90-degree angle. In order to walk, a wooden leg had to be fastened to his knee. Because of this, he later acquired the nickname "Three-Legged-Willie". He passed the bar at the approximate age of nineteen before practicing one year of law in [[Georgia (U.S. state)|Georgia]].


==Life in Texas==
==Life in Texas==
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* 1843 to 1844 – Texas Republic Senate
* 1843 to 1844 – Texas Republic Senate
* 1843 to 1844 – Texas Republic House of Representatives
* 1843 to 1844 – Texas Republic House of Representatives
* 1846 to 1848 – Texas State Senate
* 1846 to 1848 – [[Texas State Senate]]
* 1849 – Unsuccessfully ran for U.S. Representative from Texas,
* 1849 – Unsuccessfully ran for U.S. Representative from Texas,
* 1851 – Unsuccessfully ran for Lieutenant Governor of Texas
* 1851 – Unsuccessfully ran for Lieutenant Governor of Texas
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==Death and burial==
==Death and burial==


Williamson died in [[Wharton County, Texas]] on December 22, 1859 after a long illness. He is buried in the [[Texas State Cemetery]].{{cn}}
Williamson died in [[Wharton County, Texas]] on December 22, 1859 after a long illness. He is buried in the [[Texas State Cemetery]].{{citation needed|date=October 2018}}


==See also==
==See also==
* [[Robert Williamson (Adams)|''Robert Williamson'' (Adams)]]
* [[Statue of Robert McAlpin Williamson]]


==References==
==References==
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[[Category:1859 deaths]]
[[Category:1859 deaths]]
[[Category:Members of the Texas Ranger Division]]
[[Category:Members of the Texas Ranger Division]]
[[Category:Texas Supreme Court justices]]
[[Category:Justices of the Texas Supreme Court]]
[[Category:People from Wilkes County, Georgia]]
[[Category:People from Wilkes County, Georgia]]
[[Category:Members of the Texas House of Representatives]]
[[Category:Members of the Texas House of Representatives]]
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[[Category:Williamson County, Texas]]
[[Category:Williamson County, Texas]]
[[Category:People from Milledgeville, Georgia]]
[[Category:People from Milledgeville, Georgia]]
[[Category:19th-century American politicians]]
[[Category:19th-century American legislators]]
[[Category:19th-century American judges]]




Latest revision as of 03:27, 27 April 2024

Robert McAlpin Williamson
Judge Robert McAlpin Williamson
Republic of Texas Supreme Court Justice
In office
1837–1840

Robert McAlpin Williamson (1804? – December 22, 1859) was a Republic of Texas Supreme Court Justice, state lawmaker and Texas Ranger. Williamson County, Texas is named for him. He is the first white person documented playing the banjo.[1]

Early life

[edit]

Williamson was born in Wilkes County, Georgia to a prestigious family. His mother died shortly after and he was raised by his paternal grandmother, Sarah Gilliam, in Milledgeville, Georgia. At the age of fifteen, he contracted tuberculous arthritis that caused his right leg to permanently stiffen at a 90-degree angle. In order to walk, a wooden leg had to be fastened to his knee. Because of this, he later acquired the nickname "Three-Legged-Willie". He passed the bar at the approximate age of nineteen before practicing one year of law in Georgia.

Life in Texas

[edit]

Williamson came to Stephen F. Austin's colony (San Felipe de Austin) in June 1827. He became acquainted with both Stephen F. Austin and William B. Travis during this time. He co-founded the newspaper The Cotton Plant in 1829 and became the first prosecuting attorney for San Felipe shortly after. He later went on to edit the newspapers The Texas Gazette and The Mexican Citizen.

He was made the first Major of all the Rangers on November 28, in the Texas Rangers in 1835 and went on to participate in the Texas Revolution fighting in the Battle of Gonzales and the Battle of San Jacinto in William H. Smith's 2nd REG. "J" cavalry.

Political activity

[edit]
  • 1833 – Delegate to Convention of 1833
  • 1835 – Delegate to Consultation (Texas)
  • 1837 to 1840 – Justice of Texas Republic Supreme Court
  • 1840 to 1843 – Texas Republic House of Representatives
  • 1843 to 1844 – Texas Republic Senate
  • 1843 to 1844 – Texas Republic House of Representatives
  • 1846 to 1848 – Texas State Senate
  • 1849 – Unsuccessfully ran for U.S. Representative from Texas,
  • 1851 – Unsuccessfully ran for Lieutenant Governor of Texas

Death and burial

[edit]

Williamson died in Wharton County, Texas on December 22, 1859 after a long illness. He is buried in the Texas State Cemetery.[citation needed]

See also

[edit]

References

[edit]
  1. ^ Smithwick, Noah (1984). The Evolution of a State or Recollections of Old Texas Days. Austin: University of Texas Press. p. 49.
[edit]


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