Life and works of E.B. Williamson

Make plans to attend the first  Museum History Series of the year with local author, Alan Daugherty who recently published a book on “Edward Bruce Williamson and Bluffton History.” The program will be held on Sunday, May 19, 2:00pm at the Museum Annex located directly behind the main museum building.

*Dragonfly Photo – courtesy of National Parks Board

E. B. as they called him was a banker by vocation and he served as the President of Wells County Bank from 1905 – 1930. However, he was a renowned naturalist with a interest in dragonflies. In fact, he would become the worlds leading expert on dragonflies (Odonata). A graduate of The Ohio State University, he worked for a short time as the Assistant Curator of Insects at Carnegie Museum in Pittsburg. Later, he would serve as the Associate Curator of Odonata at the University of Michigan Museum of Zoology, 1916-1933.

Williamson was also a botanist with expertise as a iris flower breeder. He is know to have produced 85 new varieties of iris that featured new and unique colors, shapes and features. His iris varieties were sold around the world from his iris farm on the west edge of Bluffton.

The newly released book about Edward Bruce Williamson and Bluffton History by Alan Daugherty.