Look closely at this photograph. You see a young blond girl with baby in carriage. Looks turn of the 20th century to me.
Another picture from the same era. Any ideas? The little one might be a midget (is that politically correct to say?) If she isn't a midget then that little girl is about the homeliest little girl I've ever seen (oops, let's hope it isn't someone's dearest dearest great great Grandmother. If so then I've really put my foot in it!).
Finally, this picture. This was taken in Hot Springs, South Dakota. Luella thinks the young lady on the left is Great Grandmother Vesta (Violet's mother). If so, then who are the other two? Vesta was raised by Charles and Nancy Roe and they didn't have a son. On the other hand, the little girl might be Vesta? If so, then the boy might be her older brother James but he doesn't look 8 years older than her, does he?
Williamson, West Virginia
Please remember that I haven't rock solid proof that Matthew Williamson was the son of Cuthbert Williamson Jr. but all the facts point to this line as our line of descent (refer to the previous post on Matthew Williamson's line). The facts are so obvious that I'm 90% sure this is our correct Williamson Family Tree.
Mr. Williamson was born near Lynchburg, Virginia, October 15, 1834 and while yet a small boy his parents moved to Floyd County, in what is now West Virginia. There he grew to manhood and was married to Miss Margaret Anne Willis of that place on July 25, 1856.
Surprised? I was. Notice that Selena's last name was Levis. This couldn't be her could it?
A mother and son, taken in the early 1840's. 
This is a page taken from the 1840 US Census. There she is! The Census records a certain Salina (her name was spelled several different ways on many different census records) living in the Charlotte, Virginia area. Charlotte is near Lynchburg. Also notice her middle name starts with "D". Our Great Grandmother's name was Selena Dandridge Jeffries.
This is the same Census record in text. Selena was the head of household in this Census. Notice her household consisted of 2 people, Selena and a young son listed at 5 or younger (George Matthew was born in 1834/35).
Notice how close Rough Creek (A) is to Lynchburg VA.
This is a picture of Charles Lidman, husband to Josephine Mattson Lidman. This picture was taken in Lead, South Dakota.
In this photo taken about 1913 we have Great Grandmother Ida holding her only child, Walter (Grandpa Mattson). Grandpa Mattson was born in 1912. We don't know who the other woman and child are.
This is another picture of Josephine Mattson Lidman sitting on the porch of her home in Lead.
This is a picture of Rose Lidman, the wife of Ed Lidman. Ed was a first cousin to Grandpa Walter.
This is a family picture of the Lidman's. From left to right. Josephine Mattson Lidman, Rose (her daughter in law), Charles Lidman - Josephine's husband, Albert Mattson, and seated - Ida Tornberg Mattson.
Josephine Mattson Lidman standing with her daughter in law, Rose.
Ida Tornberg Mattson came to the United States to work as a domestic in Michigan (see earlier posts on her crossing and dates). She came to the country with friends from Sweden. Great Grandmother Ida is on the right.
This is a picture of Josephine Lidman. She is the daughter of Ed and Rose Lidman. Luella knew Josephine. She was buried in Hermosa, South Dakota Cemetery. Little Josephine took care of her father Ed for years and years, remaining unmarried. When Ed died Josephine married in her later years having no children.
Josephine Mattson Lidman in her later years.
Josephine Mattson Lidman sitting with her husband Charles.
The Battle of Tours and the Salvation of a Christian EuropeCharles Martel (ca. 688 – 22 October 741), Charles Martel, literally Charles the Hammer, was a Frankish military and political leader, who served as Mayor of the Palace under the Merovingian kings and ruled de facto during an interregnum (737–43) at the end of his life, using the title Duke and Prince of the Franks. In 739 he was offered the title of Consul by the Pope, but he refused.He is remembered for winning the Battle of Tours in 732, in which he defeated an invading Muslim army and halted northward Islamic expansion in western Europe.
A brilliant general, he lost only one battle in his career (the Battle of Cologne). He is a founding figure of the Middle Ages, often credited with a seminal role in the development of feudalism and knighthood, and laying the groundwork for the Carolingian Empire. He was also the grandfather of Charlemagne.
The Tomb of Charles Martel in France
Martel was born in Heristal (Herstal in present-day Belgium), the illegitimate son of the mayor, duke Pepin II and his concubine Alpaida.
The following tale is told of Charles and the origins of his name: in 676, Pepin and his wife Plectrude were talking together in private when they were intruded upon by a messenger, bringing news that the Mayor's mistress, Alpaida, had given birth to a son at Herstal. The messenger, fearful of arousing the wrath of Plectrude, decided not to announce the news directly. Instead, he said: "Long live the king, it is a carl" ('man'). Pepin, equally cautious of his wife, dismissed the messenger as follows: "A carl, is it? Then let him be called that." This was done, and, so legend claims, the child was named "Carl". In German-speaking countries he is known as Karl Martell. Alpaida also bore Pepin another son, Childebrand.
The Defeat of the Muslims and the Saviour of a Christian Europe
The Battle of Tours earned Charles the cognomen "Martel" ('Hammer'), for the merciless way he hammered his enemies. Many historians, including Sir Edward Creasy, believe that had he failed at Tours, Islam would probably have overrun Gaul, and perhaps the remainder of Western Europe. Gibbon made clear his belief that the Umayyad armies would have conquered from Rome to the Rhine, and even England, having the English Channel for protection, with ease, had Martel not prevailed. Creasy said "the great victory won by Charles Martel ... gave a decisive check to the career of Arab conquest in Western Europe, rescued Christendom from Islam, [and] preserved the relics of ancient and the germs of modern civilization" (bearing in mind that Arab-Islamic invaders had already forcibly converted most of the population of North Africa and the Middle East, which had been the cradle of Christianity, almost completely eliminated the Zoroastrians from Persia and destroyed the Royal Zoroastrian libraries, and that Muslim invaders would later demolish or destroy thousands of Buddhist and Hindu places of worship and learning within the Indian subcontinent). Gibbon's belief that the fate of Christianity hinged on this battle is echoed by other historians including John B. Bury, and was very popular for most of modern historiography. It fell somewhat out of style in the twentieth century, when historians such as Bernard Lewis contended that Arabs had little intention of occupying northern France. More recently, however, many historians have tended once again to view the Battle of Tours as a very significant event in the history of Europe and Christianity. Equally, many, such as William Watson, still believe this battle was one of macrohistorical world-changing importance, if they do not go so far as Gibbon does rhetorically.
In the modern era, Matthew Bennett and his co-authors of "Fighting Techniques of the Medieval World", published in 2005, argue that "few battles are remembered 1,000 years after they are fought ... but the Battle of Poitiers, (Tours) is an exception ... Charles Martel turned back a Muslim raid that had it been allowed to continue, might have conquered Gaul." Michael Grant, author of "History of Rome", grants the Battle of Tours such importance that he lists it in the macrohistorical dates of the Roman era.
Contemporary historians believe that a failure by Martel at Tours could have been a disaster, destroying what would become Western civilization after the Renaissance. Certainly all historians agree that no power would have remained in Europe able to halt Islamic expansion had the Franks failed. William E. Watson, one of the most respected historians of this era, strongly supports Tours as a macrohistorical event
Relationship Chart for the Williamson and
Mattson / Pierce Lines
41st Great Grandfather
Charles Martel married Rotrude of Treves
to
Pepin, King of France married Berthe Countess of Laon
to
Charlemagne, Emperor of the Holy Roman Empire married Hildegard
to
Louis I Holy Roman Emperor married Emengarde Princess of Hesbave
to
Louis II Emperor of the Holy Roman Empire married Engelberga, Empress of Germany
to
Emengarde Princess of the HRE. married Dux Boso de Provence
to
Kunigunde, Princess of Provence married Sigebert De Verdun
to
Wigerich Count of Trier and Ardennes married Kunigunde, Countess.
to
Ralph Comte de Bayeux married Hedwig Von Nordgau
to
Frederic I, Count of Luxemburg married Miss Gleiberg
to
Ogive of Luxembourg married Baldwin IV Count of Flanders
to
Baudouin V Count of Flanders married Adaele Princess of France
to
Matilda married to William the Conqueror of England
to
Henry I King of England married Sibylia Corbet
to
Princess of England Elizabeth Beauclerc married Lord Fergus Galloway
to
Uchtred of Galloway married Gunhild De Dunbar
to
Alan Lord of Galloway married Helen de I’Lsle
to
Helen McDonald of Galloway married Roger de Quincy
to
Elizabeth de Quincy married Alexander Comyn, Earl of Bucan
to
Elizabeth Comyn married G Umfreville Earl of Angus
to
Robert De Umfreville married Lucy De Kyme
to
Eleanor De Umfaville married Gilbert Boroughdon
to
Baroness Eleanor Boroughdon married Henry Talboys
to
Sir Wlater Talboys, Sheriff of Lincolnshire married Margaret Deincourt
to
Lord Waiter Tailboys married Alice Stafford
to
Dorothy Tailboys married Sir Hugh Tylney
to
Anges, Duchess of Norfolk married Sir Thomas Howard
to
Dorothy Howard married Edward Stanley, Earl of Derby
to
Jane Stanley married Edward Sutton, Baron of Dudley
to
Edward Sutton married Elizabeth Tomlinson
to
Ann Sutton married John Bagley
to
Edward Bagley married Ann Gregorie
to
Ann Bagley married William Brinton
to
John Willis married Ester Brinton
to
Henry Willis married Mary Rachel Underwood
to
John Willis - Phebe Bennett
to
Bennett Willis - Katherine Nosseman
to
Jonathan Willis - Anabella Phlegar
to
Margaret Ann Willis - George Matthew Williamson
to
William J. Williamson - Effie Helen Victor
to
Vennie, Ima Della, Inez, Lillie Ethel, Josie, Emmett, Walt, Charles, Maurice.
to
Charles Williamson married Luella Mattson
to
Me
_______________________________________________
to
Pepin, King of France married Berthe Countess of Laon
to
The Front (Click to Enlarge)
The Inside (Click to Enlarge). Notice Elda's name was misspelled and hand corrected.
The Back with the Teacher's Own Handwriting."Also Baptized
Robert McCrelis."
