Butte
County
Biographies
E. T. WILLIAMSON
E.
T. Williamson, assistant vice president of the Bank of America National Trust
and Savings Association, at Chico, one of the greatest chain banks in America
today, has been continuously identified with financial affairs in Butte County
during the past quarter of a century and is widely known as one of the
prominent and influential citizens of northern California. He is a native son of the Golden state, born
at Fairfield, Solano County, April 3, 1876, his parents being Angus and
Katherine (Matthews) Williamson, the former a native of Glasgow, Scotland, and
the latter of Liverpool, England, where they were married. In the year 1853, bidding adieu to the
friends and the scenes of their youth, they sailed around Cape Horn and landed
in San Francisco. For a time Angus
Williamson tried his luck at mining and then engaged in farming and sheep raising. He made his
headquarters at Fairfield, and bought ranches in the Montezuma hills, where he
had a fine stock-raising farm. Both
parents have passed away.
E.
T. Williamson, the youngest of the family, came to Chico in 1886, when a lad of
ten years, and here attended the public schools, while subsequently he
continued his studies at the Chico State Normal School, from which he was
graduated as a member of the class of 1895.
For two years he taught school at Douglas City, six miles south of
Weaverville, Trinity County, and later entered the department of natural
science in the University of California where he studied for two years. He next taught as principal of the Palermo
school for two years, and for three years he was assistant principal of the
public school of Chico. He also taught
for a term in the high school at Chico, and for a year had the chair of
mathematics at the State Normal School.
Mr. Williamson became widely recognized as an able and successful
educator, imparting clearly and readily to others the knowledge that he had
acquired. However, during the second
year of his connection with the Chico State Normal School, he resigned to
accept the position of cashier of the Butte County Savings Bank, when it first
opened its doors for business on September 5, 1905. In this official capacity he continued until
1923, when in recognition of his marked ability and his thorough knowledge of
the banking business, he was placed in charge of the Bank of Italy at
Chico. The steady expansion and success
of the Chico branch of this great financial institution under Mr. Williamson’s
management fully demonstrates his progressive spirit and sound judgment.
Mr.
Williamson also served as secretary and treasurer of the Hotel Oak Company
until the hotel was sold, and has long enjoyed an enviable reputation as one of
the leading business men and citizens of his community. At the present time he is a director of the
Butte County Savings Bank at Chico.
In
early manhood Mr. Williamson was marred at Portland, Oregon, to Miss Pearl
McMillan, a native daughter of California and a graduate of the Chico State
Normal School. They are the parents of
two daughters, Janet and Helen.
Mr.
Williamson is a Republican in national politics and at all times has manifested
the interest of a public-spirited and enterprising citizen in all projects
looking toward the development and progress of this part of the state. He has done effective work as secretary of
the Bidwell Park and Playground commission, which was appointed by the city
trustees to care for and improve the twenty-three hundred acres donated by the
late Mrs. Annie E. K. Bidwell to the city of Chico for a park, and during the
past five years, has been chairman of the board. For many years past he has taken a live
interest in the volunteer fire department, belonging to Chico Engine Company
No. 1.
Mr. Williamson has been a Rotarian
for a number of years, having served as president of the Rotary Club of Chico
during the year 1930. He is a vice
president and chairman of the Court of Honor of Mount Lassen Area Council, Boy
Scouts of America, at the present time.
Fraternally Mr. Williamson is affiliated with the Benevolent and Protective
Order of Elks, and his many friends in the varied relations of life attest his
sterling character and commendable qualities.
Transcribed by
Gerald Iaquinta.
Source:
Wooldridge, J.W.Major History of Sacramento Valley
California, Vol. 3, Pages 195-197. Pioneer Historical
Publishing Co. Chicago 1931.
© 2010
Gerald Iaquinta.
Golden Nugget Library's Butte County Biographies