Robert Williams (July 12, 1773January 25, 1836) was an American politician who served as the fourth adjutant general of North Carolina from 1812 to 1821. A member of the

Democratic-Republican Party The Democratic-Republican Party (also referred to by historians as the Republican Party or the Jeffersonian Republican Party), was an American political party founded by Thomas Jefferson and James Madison in the early 1790s. It championed li ...

, he previously served as the third governor of

Mississippi Territory The Territory of Mississippi was an organized incorporated territory of the United States that was created under an organic act passed by the United States Congress, Congress of the United States. It was approved and signed into law by Presiden ...

from 1805 to 1809 under President

Thomas Jefferson Thomas Jefferson (, 1743July 4, 1826) was an American Founding Fathers of the United States, Founding Father and the third president of the United States from 1801 to 1809. He was the primary author of the United States Declaration of Indepe ...

and represented

North Carolina North Carolina ( ) is a U.S. state, state in the Southeastern United States, Southeastern region of the United States. It is bordered by Virginia to the north, the Atlantic Ocean to the east, South Carolina to the south, Georgia (U.S. stat ...

in the

U.S. House of Representatives The United States House of Representatives is a chamber of the bicameral United States Congress; it is the lower house, with the U.S. Senate being the upper house. Together, the House and Senate have the authority under Article One of th ...

from 1797 to 1803.

Early life and education

Robert Williams was born was born on July 12, 1773, in

Surry County, North Carolina Surry County is a county located in the U.S. state of North Carolina. As of the 2020 census, the population was 71,359. Its county seat is Dobson, and its largest community is Mount Airy. Surry county comprises the Mount Airy, NC Micropol ...

, where his family had significant political power. Since no public schools existed at the time, he received a private education appropriate to his class. He read law, and was admitted to the North Carolina bar.

Early career

In 1796, although barely legal age, Williams was elected as a Democratic-Republican to the U.S. House of Representatives, and he served three terms, 1797 to 1803. In 1803 President

appointed Williams to the federal commission empowered to determine the legitimacy of land claims in the recently acquired

. In May 1805 Jefferson appointed him

governor A governor is an politician, administrative leader and head of a polity or Region#Political regions, political region, in some cases, such as governor-general, governors-general, as the head of a state's official representative. Depending on the ...

, and he served until the end of Jefferson's term in March 1809. During the

War of 1812 The War of 1812 was fought by the United States and its allies against the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, United Kingdom and its allies in North America. It began when the United States United States declaration of war on the Uni ...

, he served in the

militia A militia ( ) is a military or paramilitary force that comprises civilian members, as opposed to a professional standing army of regular, full-time military personnel. Militias may be raised in times of need to support regular troops or se ...

as the adjutant general of North Carolina.

Later life and death

After the 1814 death of his wife in

Washington, Mississippi Washington is an Unincorporated area, unincorporated community in Adams County, Mississippi, Adams County, Mississippi, United States. Located along the lower Mississippi River, Mississippi, east of Natchez, Mississippi, Natchez, it was the sec ...

, Williams moved to a plantation near

Monroe, Louisiana Monroe is the ninth-largest city in the U.S. state of Louisiana, and is the parish seat and largest city of Ouachita Parish. With a 2020 census-tabulated population of 47,702, it is the principal city of the Monroe metropolitan statistical ...

, which he called Bon Aire. He operated Bon Aire until his death in

Ouachita Parish, Louisiana Ouachita Parish () is a parish located in the northern part of the U.S. state of Louisiana. As of the 2020 census, the population was 160,368. The parish seat and largest city is Monroe. The parish was formed in 1807. Ouachita Parish is pa ...

, on January 25, 1836. He was buried at Bon Aire, but the exact location of the grave is not known. It is the present-day site of the Baptist Children's Home and Sellers Baptist Maternity Home in Monroe.

Personal life

Williams' brother

Lewis Lewis may refer to: Names * Lewis (given name), including a list of people with the given name * Lewis (surname), including a list of people with the surname Music * Lewis (musician), Canadian singer * " Lewis (Mistreated)", a song by Radiohe ...

served as a Congressman from North Carolina, and his brother

John John is a common English name and surname: * John (given name) * John (surname) John may also refer to: New Testament Works * Gospel of John, a title often shortened to John * First Epistle of John, often shortened to 1 John * Second E ...

served in the

United States Senate The United States Senate is a chamber of the Bicameralism, bicameral United States Congress; it is the upper house, with the United States House of Representatives, U.S. House of Representatives being the lower house. Together, the Senate and ...

from Tennessee. His cousin

Marmaduke Williams Marmaduke Williams (April 6, 1774 – October 29, 1850) was a Democratic-Republican U.S. Congressman from North Carolina from 1803 to 1809. Family Williams was born in Caswell County, North Carolina. He was a brother of Mississippi Territorial ...

also represented North Carolina in the U.S. House.

References

External links

*
Robert Williams
at

The Political Graveyard The Political Graveyard is a website and database that catalogues information on more than 277,000 Politics of the United States, American political figures and List of United States political families, political families, along with other informa ...