William Williamson

 William Williamson was born near New Sharon, Iowa on 7 October 1875 and moved with his parents to Plankinton, South Dakota in 1882. Williamson attended Wayne Normal School in Nebraska, and returning to South Dakota, he graduated from the University of South Dakota in 1903. Two years later he received a law degree from the same university and passed the South Dakota bar. Williamson began practice in Lyman, South Dakota, where he served as prosecuting attorney for Lyman County from 1905 to 1911. He served as the circuit judge of the eleventh judicial district from 1911 to 1921. In 1921, he successfully campaigned for the republican House of Representative seat in Congress. After 1933, Williamson returned to South Dakota and practiced law in Rapid City. He served on the Mount Rushmore National Memorial Commission from 1928 to 1972. Williamson died in Custer, South Dakota on 15 July 1972.