What do you think?
Rate this book
Bloody Williamson: A Chapter in American Lawlessness
Williamson County in southern Illinois is well-known by historians and crime enthusiasts as "Bloody Williamson"... a dark (and most likely not appreciated) nickname that came about in the 1920's after being the scene of a bloody massacre, brutal battles with the Klan, and a fantastic Prohibition war between battling bootleggers. Regardless of how you look at it, the moniker of "Bloody" is something that Williamson County has earned!
352 pages, Paperback
First published June 12, 1952
38 people are currently reading
314 people want to read
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 25 of 25 reviews
June 16, 2021
I first read this book many years ago and it’s as good as what I remembered. This is the area of the country where I grew up, where many of my grandfathers mined coal, so it’s especially fascinating to me. Angle presented a fair picture of the area. Great book. Many of the stories presented here are ones I grew up hearing about; they all knew Charlie Birger and probably drove over to kick a few strikebreaker’s dead bodies.
November 7, 2013
A patron recommended Bloody Williamson to me back in 1973, in my first library job. I found the book fascinating. Having just re-read it, I find it equally fascinating now. This dark story of the violent years in southern Illinois' Williamson County is as relevant today as when it was written, nearly sixty years ago.
Originally settled from the South via Tennessee and Kentucky, the county's first wave of violence began post-Civil War, with the "Bloody Vendetta", a family feud reminiscent of the Hatfields and McCoys. Labor strife, rampant in the southern Illinois coal mining industry during 1910s and early '20s, culminated in the infamous Herrin Massacre of 1922 with over twenty dead. Only intervention by the Illinois State Militia brought an end to the violence. The dust had barely settled when the powerful, well-armed Ku Klux Klan initiated a series of bloody battles in the name of “law and order”, nearly taking over local government. Again, intervention by the Illinois State Militia brought temporary peace. But within weeks violence again broke out, involving murder, arson, and corrupt law enforcement, as a splintering local criminal organization turned on itself. Several dramatic trials and subsequent hangings ended the worst of the troubles, and, as the decade of the ‘20s ended, peace finally came to Bloody Williamson.
A fast-paced narrative history, Paul Angle's Bloody Williamson provides a fascinating look at a troubled time and place now little remembered.
June 21, 2022
This book is absolutely incredible, and has served both as inspiration and primary source material for the tragedy I am currently musicalizing. (I'm only sorry that it took me nearly 25 years to get to work on writing the libretto.) I expect to link to that here once I have completed the score, but if you're reading this review, don't wait on me. Go read this book, which is like the short story true-history anthology version of Truman Capote's In Cold Blood.
There's a lot here, and it's a sobering, gripping, chilling experience throughout.
UPDATE: Happy to say I managed to complete my initial draft of the full book & score as of the centenary of this horrific event. I have linked my libretto above, which itself includes links to demo recordings of all the music. As of now, I have started work on an uptempo gospel number to replace the Act I hymn that backs Father Hart's distorted withered tree sermon. This will cover the same substantive prosperity gospel content, only with a brighter, shorter, and more lively/lighter delivery. I intend to update the recordings slightly in advance of my August 6, 2022 reading, so if you hear a solemn sermon/hymn instead of a rousing gospel bit, you'll know I'm still working on the latter. Beyond that, the most obvious thing is that nearly all the voices on these demos are mine, by necessity. While true throughout the demo recordings, this glaring defect will be most readily apparent in the lullaby that starts the show and the elegy that ends it, both numbers intended to be sung by women and instead delivered by a yutz whose falsetto can only approximate Little Mary Sunshine in its best days. Ouch.
Anyway, I welcome all constructive suggestions, comments, and engagement that can help me improve the show and better convey the impact of this history as I have interpreted and presented it, from, I guess... the five of you who actually read this review, follow the link, and read the libretto/listen to the tracks (if that)? Anyone who does get that far is also strongly encouraged to tell me where I've bollixed up a particular chord by substituting/interposing a B flat when I obviously should have used a B or, say, put a D in the bass where a G would sound better, etc. Just don't bother pointing out technical or performative defects in my demo recordings, since there's little I can do about them.
[One last note: the first three numbers/scenes of the show, from the opening hymn (track 1) to the lullaby and drinking song reprise (track 3) are intended to be heard as a seamless transition. They are linked as a single track on track 2. Thus, those listening to the demos can start with track 2, jump to track 4, and proceed thereafter in proper numerical order.]
There's a lot here, and it's a sobering, gripping, chilling experience throughout.
UPDATE: Happy to say I managed to complete my initial draft of the full book & score as of the centenary of this horrific event. I have linked my libretto above, which itself includes links to demo recordings of all the music. As of now, I have started work on an uptempo gospel number to replace the Act I hymn that backs Father Hart's distorted withered tree sermon. This will cover the same substantive prosperity gospel content, only with a brighter, shorter, and more lively/lighter delivery. I intend to update the recordings slightly in advance of my August 6, 2022 reading, so if you hear a solemn sermon/hymn instead of a rousing gospel bit, you'll know I'm still working on the latter. Beyond that, the most obvious thing is that nearly all the voices on these demos are mine, by necessity. While true throughout the demo recordings, this glaring defect will be most readily apparent in the lullaby that starts the show and the elegy that ends it, both numbers intended to be sung by women and instead delivered by a yutz whose falsetto can only approximate Little Mary Sunshine in its best days. Ouch.
Anyway, I welcome all constructive suggestions, comments, and engagement that can help me improve the show and better convey the impact of this history as I have interpreted and presented it, from, I guess... the five of you who actually read this review, follow the link, and read the libretto/listen to the tracks (if that)? Anyone who does get that far is also strongly encouraged to tell me where I've bollixed up a particular chord by substituting/interposing a B flat when I obviously should have used a B or, say, put a D in the bass where a G would sound better, etc. Just don't bother pointing out technical or performative defects in my demo recordings, since there's little I can do about them.
[One last note: the first three numbers/scenes of the show, from the opening hymn (track 1) to the lullaby and drinking song reprise (track 3) are intended to be heard as a seamless transition. They are linked as a single track on track 2. Thus, those listening to the demos can start with track 2, jump to track 4, and proceed thereafter in proper numerical order.]
July 12, 2013
This is a interesting little book about a small county in southern Illinois's violent past. Union wars, Ku KluxKlan, gangsters. A well written book and some interesting characters and crazy events. I was up late a couple nights reading it so I will say I really enjoyed it.
December 28, 2017
It's the best book about a period of about 25 years of labor massacres and Klan-Bootlegger armed conflict in Southern Illinois. This is partically because it's basically the only book on it. A little out-of-date but still very readable.
January 4, 2025
Book Review: Bloody Williamson by Paul Angle
A shocking and hair-raising story of unparalleled violence and disorder in rural America.
Paul Angle’s Bloody Williamson is a meticulously researched account of one of America’s most violent counties — Williamson County, Illinois. Known as the "Queen of Egypt," this picturesque region became infamous for its brutal feuds, violent labor disputes, and rampant organized crime during the early 20th century. Angle’s narrative captures a fascinating period in American history, where rural life transitions into modern industrialization, but with devastating consequences.
The book is a sobering exploration of how economic hardship, cultural differences, and weak law enforcement combined to create a fertile ground for violence. The themes of Angle’s work resonate far beyond Williamson County, offering insights into broader social issues, such as crime, corruption, and the failure of institutions in America’s rural heartlands.
Williamson County’s history is rooted in the post-Civil War era when Southern sympathies were still strong in this part of Illinois. The county’s nickname, "Little Egypt," reflects its unique cultural identity, where Southern traditions and Northern influences intersected. This cultural friction, combined with economic hardship, laid the groundwork for decades of violence.
The early 20th century saw Williamson County embroiled in notorious events, including:
The Herrin Massacre (1922): A violent clash between striking coal miners and strikebreakers that left 23 men dead.
The Klan Wars: The Ku Klux Klan’s attempts to enforce moral order in the county led to violent confrontations with bootleggers and other criminal elements.
Gang Violence and Bootlegging: The Prohibition era turned Williamson County into a hotbed of organized crime, with bootlegging gangs operating with near impunity.
Angle’s work documents these events in painstaking detail, presenting a grim portrait of a community grappling with lawlessness and brutality.
One of the central themes of Bloody Williamson is the breakdown of law and order. Angle highlights how law enforcement in Williamson County remained rooted in outdated rural traditions, unable to cope with the challenges of a rapidly modernizing society. The lack of an effective legal framework allowed personal disputes to escalate into violent feuds and gave rise to organized crime.
Angle’s narrative demonstrates that the violence in Williamson County was not random. It was deeply rooted in economic and social factors:
Economic Hardship: The county’s economy relied heavily on coal mining, a volatile industry prone to strikes and labor unrest.
Cultural Divides: Williamson County’s population included a mix of Southern sympathizers, European immigrants, and African Americans, creating cultural tensions that often led to conflict.
Moral Policing: The rise of the Ku Klux Klan in the 1920s added a new layer of violence, as the Klan sought to impose its moral code on the community.
Law Enforcement and the Rule of Law
A recurring theme in Bloody Williamson is the failure of law enforcement to maintain order. The local sheriff’s office was often complicit in criminal activities or simply powerless to intervene. The inability of legal institutions to impose justice contributed to a culture of vigilantism and self-policing.
Paul Angle’s writing is detailed and methodical. His background as a historian is evident in the depth of his research. However, the sheer volume of names, dates, and locations can make the book dense and challenging to read for a general audience. Yet, Angle’s ability to weave these facts into a compelling narrative makes the book a valuable resource for those interested in American history, crime, and social change.
Angle’s approach is retrospective, reflecting on the county’s violent past while contrasting it with the peaceful, respectable community he encountered during his visit. This contrast adds a layer of reflection to the book, prompting readers to consider how communities can evolve and overcome dark legacies.
A shocking and hair-raising story of unparalleled violence and disorder in rural America.
Paul Angle’s Bloody Williamson is a meticulously researched account of one of America’s most violent counties — Williamson County, Illinois. Known as the "Queen of Egypt," this picturesque region became infamous for its brutal feuds, violent labor disputes, and rampant organized crime during the early 20th century. Angle’s narrative captures a fascinating period in American history, where rural life transitions into modern industrialization, but with devastating consequences.
The book is a sobering exploration of how economic hardship, cultural differences, and weak law enforcement combined to create a fertile ground for violence. The themes of Angle’s work resonate far beyond Williamson County, offering insights into broader social issues, such as crime, corruption, and the failure of institutions in America’s rural heartlands.
Williamson County’s history is rooted in the post-Civil War era when Southern sympathies were still strong in this part of Illinois. The county’s nickname, "Little Egypt," reflects its unique cultural identity, where Southern traditions and Northern influences intersected. This cultural friction, combined with economic hardship, laid the groundwork for decades of violence.
The early 20th century saw Williamson County embroiled in notorious events, including:
The Herrin Massacre (1922): A violent clash between striking coal miners and strikebreakers that left 23 men dead.
The Klan Wars: The Ku Klux Klan’s attempts to enforce moral order in the county led to violent confrontations with bootleggers and other criminal elements.
Gang Violence and Bootlegging: The Prohibition era turned Williamson County into a hotbed of organized crime, with bootlegging gangs operating with near impunity.
Angle’s work documents these events in painstaking detail, presenting a grim portrait of a community grappling with lawlessness and brutality.
One of the central themes of Bloody Williamson is the breakdown of law and order. Angle highlights how law enforcement in Williamson County remained rooted in outdated rural traditions, unable to cope with the challenges of a rapidly modernizing society. The lack of an effective legal framework allowed personal disputes to escalate into violent feuds and gave rise to organized crime.
Angle’s narrative demonstrates that the violence in Williamson County was not random. It was deeply rooted in economic and social factors:
Economic Hardship: The county’s economy relied heavily on coal mining, a volatile industry prone to strikes and labor unrest.
Cultural Divides: Williamson County’s population included a mix of Southern sympathizers, European immigrants, and African Americans, creating cultural tensions that often led to conflict.
Moral Policing: The rise of the Ku Klux Klan in the 1920s added a new layer of violence, as the Klan sought to impose its moral code on the community.
Law Enforcement and the Rule of Law
A recurring theme in Bloody Williamson is the failure of law enforcement to maintain order. The local sheriff’s office was often complicit in criminal activities or simply powerless to intervene. The inability of legal institutions to impose justice contributed to a culture of vigilantism and self-policing.
Paul Angle’s writing is detailed and methodical. His background as a historian is evident in the depth of his research. However, the sheer volume of names, dates, and locations can make the book dense and challenging to read for a general audience. Yet, Angle’s ability to weave these facts into a compelling narrative makes the book a valuable resource for those interested in American history, crime, and social change.
Angle’s approach is retrospective, reflecting on the county’s violent past while contrasting it with the peaceful, respectable community he encountered during his visit. This contrast adds a layer of reflection to the book, prompting readers to consider how communities can evolve and overcome dark legacies.
February 11, 2025
Southern Illinois has always been a place that you could get murdered easily in, and this book just proves it. Williamson County is smack in the middle of southern Illinois between the rivers and has towns like Marion, Herrin, Carterville, and Johnston City. These aren't cities you usually have as your destination, but you do get off the interstate at Marion to drive over to Southern Illinois University in Carbondale.
The book was written in 1952, so I need to give it some grace. But I wanted more citations and facts, and less storytelling. It irks me when people speak in quotations as if it were fiction, with no source given. I'm also not quite sure why Angle started with the 1920s and then jumped back to the 1870s and 1910s and then forward to the 1920s again. I'm a big fan of chronological order when reading history, thank you.
Having said all that, Williamson County is a hot mess. Full of WASPs back then in the Klan (including all the preachers) who wanted to outlaw drink and kill all the Italians who were Catholic and drinking too much wine. It's so odd how the area was built on coal mines and wars were fought between union miners and scabs, yet now they all vote Republican and anti-union. But this book was written in the 1950s and describes the high poverty rates because of the mines closing. Hasn't changed--the county still has a high number of folks on public aid. The last few chapters are about the Birger/Shelton war (which I knew about from teaching in Wayne County). I know I have read a book about the Sheltons, but don't remember the title.
The book was written in 1952, so I need to give it some grace. But I wanted more citations and facts, and less storytelling. It irks me when people speak in quotations as if it were fiction, with no source given. I'm also not quite sure why Angle started with the 1920s and then jumped back to the 1870s and 1910s and then forward to the 1920s again. I'm a big fan of chronological order when reading history, thank you.
Having said all that, Williamson County is a hot mess. Full of WASPs back then in the Klan (including all the preachers) who wanted to outlaw drink and kill all the Italians who were Catholic and drinking too much wine. It's so odd how the area was built on coal mines and wars were fought between union miners and scabs, yet now they all vote Republican and anti-union. But this book was written in the 1950s and describes the high poverty rates because of the mines closing. Hasn't changed--the county still has a high number of folks on public aid. The last few chapters are about the Birger/Shelton war (which I knew about from teaching in Wayne County). I know I have read a book about the Sheltons, but don't remember the title.
April 15, 2024
FINALLY finished this on my third attempt over many years.
This is not a five star read, BUT I couldn't give it less than five stars because of the content. I grew up hearing the term "Bloody williamson," in one of the towns featured. I never knew any of this history until I sought it out. I'm glad this book exists and I was able to buy a copy (actually in a chain bookstore!) 72 years after it's original publishing.
Very boring writing style IMO, but to be fair is anything written earlier than idk, 1970s/80s maybe even 1990s not written in an incredibly boring way?
Anyway, Birger might be on the cover but he and other bootlegger gangs are not mentioned until over 100 pages in. Prior to that we mainly get the origin and history of local mines and their owners (OMG WHO CARES, skimp on the entire history of businesses and life stories of their owners and tell me more about the true crime stuff!)
If you are interested in Birger, I highly encourage you to read "a knight of another sort"...also boring BUT much more information specifically about charlie birger's gang.
This is not a five star read, BUT I couldn't give it less than five stars because of the content. I grew up hearing the term "Bloody williamson," in one of the towns featured. I never knew any of this history until I sought it out. I'm glad this book exists and I was able to buy a copy (actually in a chain bookstore!) 72 years after it's original publishing.
Very boring writing style IMO, but to be fair is anything written earlier than idk, 1970s/80s maybe even 1990s not written in an incredibly boring way?
Anyway, Birger might be on the cover but he and other bootlegger gangs are not mentioned until over 100 pages in. Prior to that we mainly get the origin and history of local mines and their owners (OMG WHO CARES, skimp on the entire history of businesses and life stories of their owners and tell me more about the true crime stuff!)
If you are interested in Birger, I highly encourage you to read "a knight of another sort"...also boring BUT much more information specifically about charlie birger's gang.
March 23, 2023
Southern Illinois in the late 19th Century was all coal. After the turn of the new Century, the mine had changed ownership & coal was almost gone in the area. Greedy mine owners, union strikes, and scabs led to the need for "law and order". The Ku Klux Klan brought law and order but at a price.
If you want to understand small-town America - especially IL - this is a good book. Many towns have lost their once-thriving mines, foundries, and factories and have gone through a similar right of passage.
If you want to understand small-town America - especially IL - this is a good book. Many towns have lost their once-thriving mines, foundries, and factories and have gone through a similar right of passage.
August 28, 2019
Great historical view of south-central Illinois' Williamson County and surrounding counties that relied on coal mining during the late 19th and early 20th century. This book gives some solid answers to what made the "locals" what they were as well as how eastern and southern European communities came to exist in rural southern Illinois! I enjoyed it a great deal, but, then, my parents are from close-by Jefferson county, IL
July 4, 2022
Growing up in the area during the summers in the 1980s/90s, this book was kind of bittersweet. It opened my eyes to alot of things I had no idea about. It was interesting to read about the history of towns I know but at the same time concerning because it's completely at odds with what I knew. That and the fallacy of human condition that brings tragedy like this. Good book though and I highly recommend it if you are familiar with the area.
April 24, 2024
Unbelievably violent history in a southern Illinois county. The author seemed to have meticulously researched this history as he wrote this book. I became overwhelmed by the number of characters and double crossers in the last 1/3 of the book. A short synopsis of each chapter was helpful. Read if your interested in Illinois history including mine wars, Klan wars and gang wars.
May 19, 2025
S. Illinois history
I loved the history of the county and city I was born and lived in. The time-line was a little hard to follow at times but the story is written similar to a Mitchener novel. I would recommend the book for people to see the progress of our country.
I loved the history of the county and city I was born and lived in. The time-line was a little hard to follow at times but the story is written similar to a Mitchener novel. I would recommend the book for people to see the progress of our country.
May 24, 2018
I was fascinated by this book. My family was in the Bloody Vendetta, one of the prominent families. It has been a while since I read this book. I need to reread it. Such a complicated story.
October 6, 2024
4.5 rounded up
November 1, 2012
Wow! Who knew the area I grew up near was so volitile?! This book recalls a span of about 50 years of the history of Williamson County, IL starting in the 1890s. It opens with a disturbing recap of the Herrin Massacre of 1921 in which several strikebreakers were executed by the striking miners with very little justice found in wake of the murders. The author then takes you back further in time to the 1890s to describe the beginnings of the violence and lawlessness of the area in the form of "The Bloody Vendetta" in which two fueding families and their supporters try to assassinate each other. The book concludes with the prohibition era where bootleggers reigned, the KKK took law into their own hands, and a gang war broke out between Charlie Birger and the Shelton brothers. It was every bit of a screenplay as the author described the driveby shootings, roadhouse raids, and corrupt lawmen and politicians taking bribe money. I had no idea little ole Southern Illinois was so exciting!
March 24, 2015
Fascinating. If you have relatives who lived in Williamson County, IL (or even if you don't) this will be a read you'll remember. The genuine characters, the knowledge that the events are a part of history, the raw and unrelenting connection to life always makes non-fiction my preferred reads and Bloody Williamson is at the top of the list for the category for me.
January 27, 2010
I have read this book several times for the chapters relating to the Birger-Shelton Gang War. Angle does an excellent job in describing the circumstances surrounding the feud and the previous social problems of Southern Illinois.
June 16, 2015
Interesting book. I wouldn't have read it if it weren't for book club and the fact that I live in the county just east of Williamson. The behavior of the Ku Kluk Klan in Williamson County, Illinois in the 1920's is very reminiscent of the Tea Party today.
January 28, 2012
A fascinating read. Mostly due to my father's father being involved in some of the things mentioned in the book. It brought my grandfather's stories into perspective.
December 25, 2012
I grew up in the area and worked in the coal mines, and had always heard my family speak of the murders and labor disputes the book is well written and captivated me from the first page!
January 22, 2013
its my fav book i love it
December 17, 2019
A well researched and written history of Williamson County in the 1920's and 1930's. Hard to believe what happened there: Almost like something you'd expect from nazi's, not from Midwest Americans.
June 20, 2016
Angle was a professional historian from the Lincoln School, and it shows in how he tempers the utterly sensational material with objectivity and astute analysis. Shocking.
Displaying 1 - 25 of 25 reviews