Extensions and generalizations of a theorem of Widder and of the theory of symmetric local semigroups

The theory of symmetric local semigroups due to A. Klein and L. Landau (J. Funct. Anal.44 (1981), 121–136) is generalized to semigroups indexed by subsets of $\text{R}$ⁿ for n > 1. The result implies a similar result of A. E. Nussbaum (J. Funct. Anal.48 (1982), 213–223). It is further generalized to semigroups that are symmetric local in some directions and unitary in others. The results are used to give a simple proof of A. Devinatz's (Duke Math. J.22 (1955), 185–192) and N. I. Akhiezer's (“the Classical Moment Problem and Some Related Questions,” Hafner, New York, 1965) generalization of a theorem of Widder concerning the representation of functions as Laplace integrals. This result is extended to the representation as a Laplace integral of a function taking values in $\text{B}$($\text{R}$), the set of bounded linear operators on a Hilbert space $\text{R}$. Also, a theorem is proved encompassing both the result of Devinatz and Akhiezer, and Bochner's theorem on the representation of positive definite functions as Fourier integrals.