Location: NC 108 (Mills Street) at Courthouse Street in Columbus
County: Polk
Original Date Cast: 1959
William Sherley Williams (1787-1849), known as “Old Bill,” was a fur trapper and, along with “Kit” Carson and James Bridger, was among the best known of the Old West explorers often referred to as the “Mountain Men.” Williams was the fourth of nine children born on a farm on Horse Creek what is now Polk County, North Carolina. His parents, Joseph and Sarah Musick were both of Welsh decent. When he was seven years old, his family moved southwest to St. Louis, Missouri.
At the age of seventeen, Williams became a traveling Baptist minister; however, after seven years professing the Gospel, he switched to fur trapping. He had such an admiration for the Osage Indian culture that he lived among them nearly 25 years, learning their language and customs. During his time with the Osage, he traveled back and forth from Missouri and Arkansas to the Rocky Mountains. He also married within the Osage tribe and fathered two daughters.
Williams served as an official interpreter during the War of 1812. His familiarity with the Osage Indian customs and the Osage region made him a highly regarded guide for the United States government. His scouting ability afforded Williams the opportunity to take part in numerous expeditions. Known for his rowdiness and drinking, “Old Bill” Williams traversed the Santa Fe Trail and took part in expeditions which explored California, New Mexico, and the Northwest.
In 1848 Williams joined an ill-fated expedition led by Charles Fremont, during the course of which 11 men died during a mountain snowstorm, causing the party to turn back. Williams and another survivor were attacked and killed by Ute Indians when they attempted to retrace the trail. The town of Williams and Bill Williams Mountain in Arizona are named for “Old Bill.”
References:
William S. Powell, ed., Dictionary of North Carolina Biography, VI, 216—sketch by James Meehan
Janice Cole Gibson, “Old Bill Williams,” The State (April 1994), 31-33
Town of Williams (Arizona) website: http://www.williamsarizona.gov/
All Things William website: http://www.allthingswilliam.com/willynilly/oldbill.html