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History of Williams County
Over a period of 10 years Bottineau, Burleigh, De Smet, Gingras, Kidder, Logan, Mountrail, Renville, Rolette, Sheridan, Stevens, Stutsman, Wallette and Wells counties were formed from Buffalo County.  Wallette County was established 08/Jan/1873 (the area in which today's Divide and Williams Counties exist) in Dakota territory, it was never organized due to a lack of settlers.

In 1883 Wallette County split creating two unorganized counties, Buford County on the West and Flannery County on the East.  In 1891 they became Williams County. 

In 1910 Williams was divided into Williams and Divide County after a vote of the citizens

Williams County is but one of 3,072 counties in the United States as clarified in COUNTY NEWS ONLINE. 

County seat - Williston. 
Area 2138 square miles. 

WILLIAMS COUNTY -
Named for Erastus Appleman Williams (1850-1930), legislator when state was a territory and former mayor of Bismarck. He played a large part in naming many of the counties of North Dakota. 1980 population 22,000.