REV. ELIJAH WILLIAMSON.

EV. ELIJAH WILLIAMSON, son of Francis and Elizabeth Williamson, was born in Hertford county, North Carolina, May 2, 1804, and died at Sandusky, Lee county, Iowa, July 25,1887, aged 83 years, 2 months and 28 days.

      In early life he received a good English education. In 1820, at the age of sixteen he made a public profession of Christianity, uniting with the Bethel Christian church in Hertford county, North Carolina. The same day on which he united with the church he was baptized by Elder Joseph Thomas (the White Pilgrim). He began to preach in 1821, and sinners wept as they listened to the boy preacher. He was ordained in 1822.

      In 1828, at a Union Meeting and Conference held at Union meeting house in Southampton county, Virginia, it was "agreed that Elder Elijah Williamson be received as a member of this Conference." He moved to Darke county, Ohio, in 1883. He felt that God had called him to preach the gospel, and after settling in Ohio, he was, as before, constantly about his "Father's business," [106] and soon organized a church in Greenville, the county seat of Darke county. Of a visit there Elder Walter says: "I was cordially received by Elder Elijah Williamson, and welcomed by his congregation. We had a pleasant meeting in the evening, and truthfully found it good to wait upon the Lord. On Sabbath, the multitude thronging the house of worship evinced an interest in the subject of religion encouraging." Other churches around Greenville he organized. He preached in Ohio twenty-three years. Before this he had labored in Eastern Virginia and North Carolina twelve years. Leaving the farm on which he had settled and lived in Ohio, he moved in 1866 to Iowa, and settled in Van Buren county. He moved to Sandusky, Lee county, in 1859, and served the Sandusky church faithfully twenty-seven years.

[LCM 106-107]