William Sherley Williams, known as old Bill was a mountain man of some renown, but also served as an interpreter for the U.S. as he knew several languages. He was born in 1787 in North Carolina. His family moved to St. Louis. When he was 17 he left home to be a preacher, and then became a mountain man/ fur trapper. He also became a trail guide. He married into the Osage nation, A-Ci'n-ga (Wind Blossom) and had two daughters by his wife. He helped to translate the bible into Osage. He also became a trail guide. His daughters both married John Allen Mathews, first Mary Ann and when she died then Sara. Old Bill Williams is the grandfather of John Joseph Mathews, an Osage writer. He helped the blaze the Santa Fe Trail and traveled in the southwest. He traveled with Albert Pike. He trapped with Kit Carson along the Green River and he had friendships with the Utes. He served as guide for the John C. Fremont fourth expedition which became mired in snow and eleven members died. In 1849 he returned to the area with Dr. Benjamin Kern to look for survivors as well as papers that had been lost. While on this mission he and Dr. Kern were killed by Ute Indians. The town of Williams in Arizona is named for him and there is a statue there.
