Tsk, tsk

The Williamsons were instrumental in the foundation of the Shiloh Cumberland Presbyterian Church in Pope County, Arkansas in 1833.

Some of the minutes from the church were compiled and typed by J. B. Lemley for the Pope County Genealogy and Family Group. Many Williamsons were members of this church. Some acted as Elders or had other leadership roles. My current subject of study, William Woodberry Williamson, was an Elder and is mentioned in many of the meeting minutes, even taking the very notes I am reading in some cases.

In one set of session minutes dated August 19, 1883, I found this little nugget about William Woodberry Williamson:

"Bro. W. W. Williamson was charged with unbecoming Christian conduct or card playing for amusement, which he frankly acknowledged in an open session and further more that he had repented and very sorry indeed that he had committed the deed. On these terms he was pardoned and set aright in the church by a unanimous vote of the session and admonished to watch his future coarse (sic) in life."

The Williamsons of Pope County, Arkansas were a pretty straight-laced group, so there's not much dirt to find. When WWW wasn't playing cards and repenting, he was a farmer, then school teacher, then county treasurer in the 1920's.