Crazy Bill Williams

In March of 1823, James Monroe signed a bill appropriating $30,000 to survey and mark a wagon route to New Mexico.  Congressman Benton suggested an actual road be built and but there was not enough money to build the road over 800 miles.  The bill did however give the federal approval for western commerce and expansion at long last.

George Sibley was put in charge of hiring 35 men for Monroe's survey party - "we don't want a party of  gentleman coffee drinkers", George said.  He hired Joe Walker and Joe's younger brother, John, as part of the team.

The last team member picked was Bill Williams, who was the total opposite of Joe Walker with bouts of frightening drunkenness along with a very sadistic nature.  Walker and Williams would eventually have a showdown years later and 500 miles to the west.

"Crazy Bill" as Williams came to be called, was clumsy on and off a horse, talked to himself, and even tried preaching to all the men.  Williams did have a couple of good talents - he had wrote a complete Osage -English Dictionary and was well aware of the customs and language of the inhabitants of whose land they would be traveling through.  Crazy Bill was a good negotiator, interpreter, and had boundless energy and strength.  All in all, enough good traits to overrule the not-so-good.

Next time -    The Road to Santa Fe