Robert McAlpin Williamson - Georgetown, TX - Statues of Historic Figures on Waymarking.com

Born in Georgia, Williamson was 15 when he was afflicted with tubercular arthritis. This caused his right-leg to stiffen – permanently – at a 90-degree angle. A wooden leg was fastened to Williamson’s right knee, so he could walk.

The end result left him with one good leg, one bad leg and one wooden leg – leading to the descriptive nickname of "Three-Legged Willie". It survives him to this day.

After passing the bar exam at age 19, Williamson practiced law in Georgia for one year before coming to Texas in 1827. He soon met up with Stephen F. Austin and William B. Travis. The latter was said to be his best friend.

Williamson and Travis practiced law together in San Felipe, along the Brazos River near what’s now Houston. While there, Travis organized a militia and agitated for Texas’ independence from Mexico.

“Had it not been for Willie, William Barrett Travis would have been hauled away down to Mexico City and probably executed,” Stubblefield said. “A group of mercenaries were sent by the central government of Mexico up to Texas, to get Travis and bring him down for trial and probable execution.

“Willie got together a posse and rode to Anahuac, which was a little port town near Houston. Travis had already been loaded on shipboard and they were ready to depart for Mexico. They sent a message into the mercenaries and said you have two choices: ‘You’ll hand over Buck Travis, or we will kill you all and we’ll burn your ship down to the water line.’ They thought about the options and thought perhaps the former choice was better. So, Travis was released and the rest of course is history.”

Stubblefield said that later, Williamson sent Travis a letter during the fateful siege of the Alamo: “Tell ‘em Willie’s on his way.”

“Of course he never made it there,” Stubblefield said. “He joined Houston in the regular Texian army and they engaged the Mexican army at San Jacinto.”

After Texas gained independence, Williamson served in the state Senate. When Williamson County was founded in 1848, his fellow-legislators named it after him, passing up other options such as Clearwater County and San Gabriel County.

“He loved Texas,” Ross said. “He wanted Texas to be annexed into the United States. One of his children was named William Annexus Williamson.”