author
A. W. (Andrew Woods) Williamson
1838–1905
Raised on the Minnesota frontier and later a longtime professor at Augustana, this 19th-century scholar brought together science, language study, and firsthand knowledge of Dakota life. His best-known writing explores the Dakota language and its place among other Indigenous languages.
1 Audiobook
The Dakotan Languages, and Their Relations to Other Languages
by A. W. (Andrew Woods) Williamson
About the author
Born on January 31, 1838, at Lac qui Parle in what is now Minnesota, Andrew Woods Williamson grew up in a family closely connected to missionary and medical work among the Dakota. He studied at Knox College and graduated from Marietta College in 1857, then continued at Yale for advanced work in natural science.
Williamson served in the Union Army during the Civil War and was also present during the U.S.-Dakota War of 1862, experiences that linked him closely to the turbulent history of the region. He later joined Augustana College, where he became a longtime professor of natural sciences and mathematics and remained a notable figure in the school's early history.
As a writer, he is especially remembered for The Dakotan Languages, and Their Relations to Other Languages, a work that reflects both scholarly curiosity and deep familiarity with Dakota language and culture. He also contributed to genealogical research, showing the wide range of his interests beyond science and teaching.