[1] Williamson was born on July 31, 1779, in Canterbury, Connecticut, and was named after his father's maternal grandfather and eldest brother, William Durkee.

[2] Williamson moved to Bangor, then part of Massachusetts, in the first decade of the 19th century and established a law practice there in 1807.

Williamson returned to his law practice in Bangor, also serving as Judge of Probate for Penobscot County until 1840.

She was the youngest daughter of Josiah and Submit Rice, who had been adopted into the family of her uncle, Gen. Zebina Montague.

[9] He was also the grandfather of Professor Henry W. Haynes of Boston, Mayo W. Hazeltine and Philip Livingston, a graduate of Columbia College.