An older historical marker that stood for years near the intersection of Hwy. 85 and Smith Bend Ln. in the Gladice Community, has been fixed and reinstalled in its original place.
A couple years ago, something knocked it down and broke it off its pole. Jeff Huddleston, a history lover that lives in the area, found it on the ground and brought it to Glenn Jones, a fellow member of the Jackson County Historical Society, who oversees the historical signs in the county for the Historical Society. Jones contacted his friend Wyatt Hatfield, who welded new angle iron on the new pole to hold the sign. Hatfield and Jones reinstalled the marker and concreted it in place and repainted the pole and welds. Thank you to Jeff for bringing in the broken marker, and Wyatt for supplying the angle iron and the welding and helping re-erect it.
The Jackson County Historical Society wants to thank everyone involved in helping with this important marker and the others throughout the county.
This marker points the way to the old county seat of Jackson County, Williamsburg.
Sampson Williams b. 1762 d. 1841
Sampson Williams is regarded as the founding father of Jackson County and is considered its first citizen. In a 1789 engagement with the Indians in the Cumberland settlement, Andrew Jackson was under Captain Williams’ command. Later, he and Jackson became close friends. Williams was appointed sheriff of Davidson County on December 15, 1790. He operated a ferry at the crossing of the Cumberland. A Commander of Fort Blount in late 1793, he served as state senator, built early roads, and established at least two schools.
