Isaiah Vansant Williamson

Biography

Isaiah Vansant Williamson (1803–1889) rose from modest beginnings to become a prominent Philadelphia merchant, shipping goods along the Eastern Seaboard while gaining a reputation for integrity in commerce.

He dedicated a large portion of his estate to the education of working-class youths through the Williamson Free School of Mechanical Trades, and his generous spirit is commemorated beside other civic leaders at Laurel Hill Cemetery.