John H. (John Harvey) Williams

John H. Williams, identified in library and archive records as John Harvey Williams (born 1864), wrote illustrated books about the mountains and scenery of the American Northwest. His work is closely tied to Tacoma, Washington, where The Mountain that was "God" was published in 1911 and where he also published The Guardians of the Columbia in 1912.

His best-known book, The Mountain that was "God", is a richly illustrated volume about Mount Rainier, which he discusses through landscape writing, local history, and the mountain's cultural importance. In its foreword, he explains that he wanted to offer readers a fuller visual and descriptive portrait of the peak from many sides, not just the familiar views.

Williams also wrote The Guardians of the Columbia, a companion work centered on Mount Hood, Mount Adams, and Mount St. Helens. Together, these books helped preserve an early popular vision of the Pacific Northwest as a place of awe, grandeur, and volcanic beauty.