Shawnee County History
Williamsport Twp.
"History of Shawnee County and Representative Citizens," James L. King, 1905
Williamsport Township � This township lies in the southern part of
the county, with Monmouth on the east and Auburn on the west, the southern
limit extending to the Osage County line. It is watered by the Wakarusa
River and Six Mile Creek. The Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe Railway runs
through the township, north and south, and the Missouri Pacific cuts across
the northeastern corner. Williamsport became a separate township April 20,
i860, being detached from Auburn. Rev. Robert Simmerville, a missionary
in charge of the Baptist mission, was the first known settler. For the benefit
of the Pottawatomie Indians he made a translation of the New Testament
into their language. He built a cabin and a blacksmith shop in the township
in 1854. His arrival was on the 13th of August of that year, and the second
settler, Joseph Drenan, arrived August 14th.
WILLIAMSPORT ACCESSIONS.
On the 26th of the same month and year, two cousins of the name of
William Matney arrived. William Coker, Dr. Jesse D. Woods, Joseph Herald and Dr. C. Lykins came in the same year. In 1855 the accessions were:
William Yocum, J. Babcock, J. Carroll, H. M. Sharp, Isaac Baxter, Samuel
Allen, Joseph Lykins. Robert Gault, Robert Todd, William Armstrong and
J. G. Zimmerman. James Young and H. K. Winans arrived in 1856, and in
the following year came Seth Todd, Edgar Winans, R. Buttles, D.Kilby, Chester Thomas, Sr., Daniel, Fred, and Cyrus Fultz, Rev. Monfort, Dr. A. J.
Huntoon, Joel Huntoon, J. Nelson, L. Buttles, J. M. Waugh, T. U. Thompson, John Cunningham, T. H. Lescher, Simon Hawk and Mr. Curtis.
Wakarusa and Pauline are the only towns, both on the railroad, the
former having 90 and the latter 50 inhabitants. Wakarusa was platted in
1868 by Mills & Smith, of Topeka. It was first called Kingston, in honor of
Zenas King of Topeka, who was one of the original promoters. His associates were I. T. Lockhard, J. P. Ennis, A. J. Huntoon, Joel Huntoon and
T. U. Thompson. Some of the settlers around Wakarusa, and in other parts
of the township, were: W. H. Mills, A. F. Barker, S. D. Conwell, R. U.
Farnsworth, William S. Hibbard, John MacDonald, Rev. John McQuiston,
Walter Matney, W. H. Moffitt, J. E. Pratt, Perry Tice, James Robb, J. D.
Vawter, John H. Young and John N. Young. Williamsport township derived its name from Williamsport in Pennsylvania.
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