Sampson Williams Historic Marker Restored

The Jackson County Historical Society has restored the Sampson Williams Historic Marker near the intersection of Highway 85 and Smith Bend Lane.

Historical Society Member Glenn Jones said this marker is particularly important because Sampson Williams is a significant figure in the county’s history. He said Williams founded the now-extinct town of Williamsburg, which was the original county seat of Jackson County before Gainesboro.

“Signs tell people, they educate people who don’t know something that something happened significant in that spot,” Jones said. “And historical markers are expensive. They’re over $2,000 now to get one. So when you can fix one that got knocked down that’s older, you’re actually saving money.”

Jones said the sign was knocked down a couple of years ago by a local citizen. Jones said a friend of his fixed the marker by welding a portion of it and then they worked together to put the whole thing on a new pole.

“He was a state senator,” Jones said. “He was also the sheriff of Davidson County. So that’s kind of weird sounding. People don’t realize that where we’re at right now, Putnam County, wasn’t established until 1842. This used to be Jackson County until it became, the Cookeville area, until it became, you know, Putnam. And before it was Jackson County, this same area was Smith County. Before that it was Sumner County, the same area we’re in. And then before that it was Davidson County, and so while it was Davidson County, that’s when he was sheriff.

Jones said another role the signs play is teaching younger generations about the importance of local history.

“They may think there’s nothing there now, and then to find out that, you know, all of that existed before, I think that’s important,” Jones said. “And I think everyone would think that was important if they actually stopped and read that historical marker.”