This is a Message Board Post that is gatewayed to this mailing list. Author: lfpurdy Surnames: Williamson, Atkinson, Foreman, Whitlow, Atkinson, Polk Classification: queries Message Board URL: http://boards.rootsweb.com/localities.northam.usa.states.arkansas.counties.columbia/433.429.1/mb.ashx Message Board Post: Ira Lee Williamson (born 8-9-01, died 5-7-67, a couple of weeks before my high school graduation; buried at Macedonia [Baptist Church] Cemetery, Columbia County, Arkansas; married Virginia [Virgie] Leona Foreman, who died after a lengthy illness with rheumatic fever 10-24-50, when I was a toddler; Ira Lee remarried, to a widow, Marjorie Mills, with whom he lived until his death from a heart attack; he made his living as a bulldozer operator; he used his bulldozer to dig a pond on my parents' farm; he had a couple of other heart attacks before the fatal one; one heart attack was when his bulldozer fell on him, during unloading from the truck, when he was pinned under the dozer for a period time; following his Ira Lee Williamson's obituary --- Born Aug 9, 1901; Died May 7, 1967 Ira Lee Williamson, 65, of Magnolia, died early Sunday night at his home. He was a Columbia County native. Survivors include his widow; a son, Walter Henry Williamson of Taylor, AR; two daughters, Mrs. Mona Faye Atkinson of Magnolia and Mrs. Cleolis Green of Laurel, Miss; a stepson, W.F. Mills of Benton, AR; a stepdaughter Mrs. Helen Davenport of Ralston TX; a brother Ervin Williamson of Magnolia; a half-brother, Jodie Caldwell of Shreveport, LA and 13 grandchildren. Funeral services will be held at 2:30 p.m. Tuesday at the Macedonia Baptist Church by Rev. Farrell White and Rev. Jimmie Henry. Burial will be at the church cemetery by Lewis Funeral Home.) is my maternal grandfather. We called him "Grandaddy Williamson". His brother Ervin Delmar Williamson (Uncle Ervin) and Uncle Ervin's wife Aunt Ethel, and their son C.W. Williamson often visited in our home and were a close part of our extended family. My mother is Ira Lee Williamson's youngest child, Mona Faye Williamson (she married Emory Nathan Atkinson, Jr., Magnolia, Columbia County, Arkansas, died 7-13-87, and is buried, with our father, at Friendship [Magnolia Township] Cemetery, of that city and county; Mother has 4 children, me, the oldest, Lanelle Faye Atkinson Purdy, David Edward Atkinson, Teresa Ann Atkinson Hughes, Allen Nathan Atkinson, all living). Ira Lee Williamson's oldest child is Cleolis Aline Williamson (born 11-9-25, died 1-21-03; married Jerrell P. Green; both ! buried at Stephens Cemetery, Ouachita County, Arkansas; no children). The other child is Walter Henry Williamson (born 9-9-28, died 11-12-11; buried in Friendship [Magnolia Township] Cemetery, Magnolia, Columbia County, Arkansas; two daughters, Martha Williamson Wise and Amy Williamson, both living). Grandaddy Williamson's obituary references a half-brother Jodie Caldwell, of Shreveport, LA. Before he died my dad took me on a driving tour of the area around his and my mother's home off the Taylor Highway, outside of Magnolia, Arkansas, headed toward Taylor, AR, and Springhill, LA, and pointed out the wooded area, clearly an old "home place", where I understood that Grandaddy Williamson and Uncle Ervin lived as young boys. I don't recall details, but it seems that he mentioned their mother's dying and their becoming orphans, but I am probably inaccurate. My youngest sibling, Allen Atkinson, is the family historian, having had the privilege of spending "one-on-one" time with our parents, after the 3 older siblings married and left home. He knows facts of what I am trying to recall. My siblings and I are working to create family history, for ourselves, our children, grandchildren, etc., but we let pas the opportunity to learn from our parents, grandparents, aunts, uncl! es, etc., so we are forever missing facts and stories. I/we will appreciate hearing from whoever is searching for the Williamson family history, because that is the part of our family tree that is sparse with information. We know our maternal grandmother's (Ira Lee's first wife and the mother of his 3 children) family and our father's maternal and paternal families, but Grandaddy Williamson's family history is missing. We will appreciate the opportunity to collaborate with anyone researching that side of the family, as we work to create our family tree. Thank you. Important Note: The author of this message may not be subscribed to this list. If you would like to reply to them, please click on the Message Board URL link above and respond on the board. <br>