Samuel Williamson

As printed in 1879

SAMUEL WILLIAMSON.

The subject of this sketch was born in Crawford county, Pennsylvania, on the 16th of March, 1808. He is the eldest son of Samuel Williamson, who was born in Cumberland county, Pennsylvania, and removed to Ci'afford county abotit the year 1800. During his residence in that county he was married to Isabella McQueen, by whom he had a family of seven children. On the tenth of May, 1810, he removed to Cleveland, Ohio, where, in connection with his brother, he carried on the business of tanning and carrying, which he continued until his death, which occurred in September, 1834. He was a man of enterprise and public spirit, highly esteemed as a citizen, liberal in politics, and for many years justice of the peace and associate judge of the court of common pleas.

Samuel Williamson was but two years of age when he came, with his parents, to Cleveland. When he attained a suitable age he was sent to the j)public schools, which he attended until 1826, and then entered Jefferson College, in Washington county, Pennsylvania. He graduated from that institution in 1829, and, returning to Cleveland, entered the office of Judge Andrews, with whom he read law for two years. In 1832 he was admitted to the bar, and immediately commenced the practice of his profession in connection with Leonard Case, with whom he was associated until 1834, when he was elected to the position of auditor of Cuyahoga county. He remained in that office for a period of eight years, at the expiration of which he returned to the practice of law. This he continued with slight interruptions until 1872, when he retired from its activities to the enjoyment of a well-earned leisure. During these j'ears his time was not, however, wholly engrossed by his professional interests. He was elected to a numlier of responsible positions of public trust, and discharged the duties pertaining to them with unvarying fidelity and marked ability. In 1850 he was chosen to represent the county in the legislature; in 1859-'60 he was a member of the board of equalization, and in the fall of 1862 was elected to the State senate, in which he served two terms. He rendered valuable service as a member of the city council and of thcboaid of education, being active in promoting public improvements and educational institutions. He was a director of the Cleveland and Columbus railroad, and for two years held the office of prosecuting attorney. He is now president of the Cleveland Society for Savings, one of the largest and best conducted iissociiitions of this kind in Ihe West, having a de]post of over $8,000,000.

Throughout his professional career he maintained a high rank at the bar of Cuyahoga county, and while he had a wide and varied experience in every branch of legal practice he was particularly successful as prosecutor's counsel, and was extensively employed in the settlement of states.

[This passage is too damaged in the scanned book to reproduce. See the original book.]

As printed in History of Cuyahoga County, Ohio .. (1879). See the original pages. Wording is the original; obvious scanning errors have been corrected, and a few may remain.