Williamson, IA

From the 1978 History of Lucas County

 The City of Williamson, Iowa, population 212, is located 6 miles north of Chariton in English township. It came into existence with the discovery of coal in this area. Originally it was known as Gunwald.

  In 1922, the name of Gunwald was changed to Williamson in honor of George Williamson, Sr., who in 1914 laid out a site for the town after the Des Moines-Kansas City Branch of the Rock Island Railroad was built through his land. He donated to the railroad space for its depot and yards. A two block square area in the center of the town, Mr. Williamson reserved for a park, which each year was the scene of Williamson’s Labor Day Celebration.

   In the early 1900’s, Inland Mines No. 1, 2 and 3 came into production and this brought many new families into the community.

  The first church in town was built in 1900, known as Central Church, and affiliated with the Christian denomination. It burned in 1919.

  In 1901 mail was received by star route, which run from Chariton to Belinda. Star route carrier was Jonathan Lenig. About 1905 mail was delivered to about one-half east of town by rural route.

  The first post office was started in 1916. At that time the town was known as Gunwald. Mark Avitt of Williamson still has letters which bear the Gunwald, Iowa postmark. First postmaster in 1916 was Tom Greeley and the post office was in the Greeley Grocery Store. Fred Pern became postmaster in 1917, followed by Jerald Done, Lawrence Miller and Loren Miller.

 George Williamson, Sr. became the first postmaster after the name change. In 1922 D. L. (Moody) Smith was appointed postmaster and the post office was moved to the Moody Smith Hardware from the Tom Greeley Grocery Store. In 1940 Rubye Stegemann became postmaster and the post office was moved across the street. The post office is in the same location today. When Mrs. Stegemann retired on November 1, 1970, Mary Jo Polo became officer-in-charge and was appointed postmaster in May 1971.

 Railroad construction began in this area in 1910, with the depot being built in 1913. Pipeline was laid to the lake east of town to supply water for trains. Places of business came into existence around this time, including George Williamson Lumber Yard and M. H. Avitt Store. Railroad cars were moved into the area to provide housing for extra gangs of railroad workers for Greek and Turkish descent. M. H. Avitt platted lots in a pasture, and a man by the name of Clouse built the first one room house. The first shipment of Freight arrived via railroad on July 4, 1914 and the first depot agent in town was H. D. Shoafstall.

The first robbery in town occurred at the M. H. Avitt Store in 1914, when someone blew the door off the safe.

  A blacksmith shop, livery stable, Shore & Miller Store, water tank and turn around table for the railroad, and stockyards appeared on the scene in 1914. In 1915 a meat market, ice house and the George Williamson home were built.

   In 1916, C. A. Knudson organized and built the bank. 

 The sinking of the shaft for the Indiana Consolidated Mine No. 3 by the Chicago, Rock Island and Pacific Railroad in 1925, the most productive mine in this area, brought an influx of new families, increasing the population to it’s peak in 1934.

The first mayor of the town of Williamson was John Y. Foster.

   The Volunteer Fire Department was organized in 1925 with Forrest Bingaman as chief.

Per the 2010 Census, Williamson, IA had a population of 152.