The origin of Williams River's name

 

• The origin of the Williams River's name. There are two main theories about the origin of the Williams River's name. One theory is that it is named after William Ewing, a Revolutionary War veteran who owned land in the river's watershed. Another theory is that it is named after Williams, a Dutch settler who lived near the river's headwaters in the early 1800s.
  
• The history of settlement in the Williams River watershed. The Williams River watershed has always been a sparsely populated area. The first European settlers in the area were Jacob Marlin and Stephen Sewell, who arrived in 1749. However, the area remained largely unsettled until the 1800s. In the 1800s, the timber industry began to develop in the Williams River watershed. This led to a small influx of settlers, but the area remained sparsely populated.