The Williams Families of Des Moines County, Iowa

THOMAS M. WILLIAMS.

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Mr. Williams was the son of George Mr. Williams engaged in business em-

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€ral branches. moved to Pittsburg, and engaged in the

George MacWilliams was a farmer, manufacture of rope, in concurrence with and lived at Cooteshill, County Cavan, the theory of the physicians that the in-

Ireland. and was married to Elizabeth halation of the fumes of tar used in the

McCrea. He died at the age of twenty- )recess would be beneficial. After living four, leaving a widow and two children, at Allegheny City several years, and his

Thomas and Agnes Nancy. health again becoming precarious, he ac-

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America; but after the passage tickets and household goods by steamer down were bought, the mother was taken sick the Ohio and up the Mississippi River with what was supposed to be only a as far as Galena, but concluded to return severe cold. The doctor ordered her to Burlington, where he had friends, and the seashore to await recovery, and the located on the Irish Ridge road. After son and daughter reluctantly sailed, exfarming for several years, Mr. Williams meeting the mother on the next vessel, removed to the city, bought property

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" ' None knew him but to love him — None named him but to praise.'

He died, as he had lived, without an enemy, and the sympathies of a whole community have followed him to his final resting place on earth.

"His funeral took place yesterday afternoon, and was largely attended, not only by our citizens generally, but by almost the entire Masonic fraternity of the city, of which society he had long been a bright and most honored member, and of which he was grand senior warden for the State at the time of his death."

Mrs. Letitia (Bcnning) Williams, born in Oxford, Pa., Nov. 13, 1805, was the daughter of John and Jane (Hopkins) I'.ending. The father was born at Xewtoncumavady. County Derry, Ireland, 1774, and died at Piiiladelphia when he was forty-five years of age. He came to America when eighteen years old, but returned to Ireland and kept a store at Coleraine until he returned to Amcrica a few years later. He was a man of great enterprise in manufactures and general merchandizing, and accumulated quite a fortune. His religious faith was Presbyterian; in politics a Jacksonian Democrat. His wife, Jane Hopkins, was born at Newtoncumavady within two and one-half miles of the sea, and from their home passing ships were in plain view. The family were of the Covenanter, or Presbyterian, faith. They had nine children, all except the first one born in the United States. Letitia, the fourth child, was married in Philadelphia to Thomas M. Williams, Dec. 3. 1R27, and died at P.burlington, Iowa, March 12, 1883. She was a woman in whom the love of home and family was very strong, a most devoted wife and mother, of marked patience and cheerfulness, facing every peril and trial of life with wonderful endurance and an abiding Christian faith.

As printed in the source¹. Wording is the original; obvious scanning errors have been corrected, and a few may remain.

JOHN WILSON WILLIAMS.

John Wilson Williams, who was prominently connected with many of the early surveys of the State, and has left the impress of his individuality and ability upon the legislation of Iowa by reason of his service in the State Senate and his influence in political circles, was born in Qiarlotte, \ t...March 25, 1816, his parents being John Wilson and Minerva (Barnes) W'williams. His education was acquired in the early schools of his native town ankl in the high school at Ileinsburg. IK- was reared by Mrs. Anna I'barnes. his grandmother and also his guardian. ankl when he was twenty years of age she gave him a portion of his matrimony, having complete confidence in his business ability and trustworthiness. He then started out in life on his own account, making his way westwanl to Hancock county. 111., where he made investments. He determined to become a surveyor, and received his theoretical knowledge of the profession from a Mr. Johnson in Wrmont. while his ])practical training came from Mr. Sheldon, a noted civil engineer of Jacksonville. 111., under whose direction he followed the business until lubecame a practical and skilled civil engineer.

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As printed in the source¹. Wording is the original; obvious scanning errors have been corrected, and a few may remain.

GEORGE H. WILLIAMS.

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He emigrated to Iowa Territory in 1844, and located at Fort Madison, where he practiced law until 1847. when he was elected judge of the first judicial district. then including the counties of Lee, Des Moines, Henry, Louisa, and Washington, serving five years. At that time Mr. Williams was a Democrat; but the Whigs united with the Democrats in offering him a unanimous re-election, which he declined. He was presidential elector-at-large for J'franklin I'pierce in 1852. and canvassed the State for him.

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In 1902 Mr. Williams was elected mayor of Portland, which office he now holds during the progress of the Lewis and Clark Exposition (1905), setting a marked example of ])physical and mental virility, and devotion to public interests. He is the only surviving member of President (grant's Cabinet, and. it is believed, the only pioneer of Murlington dating as far back as 1847 who is still in ])public life.

As printed in the source¹. Wording is the original; obvious scanning errors have been corrected, and a few may remain.

The name which introduces this review is one familiar to the people of eastern Iowa, and it is one which suggests to the honest man a feeling of confidence. Jacob Williams, sheriff of Des Moines county, Iowa, was born in the year 1857, in Adams county, Illinois, the son of Jacob and Margaret (Schaefer) Williams, both natives of Germany. The father came to America when about thirteen years of age. growing to manhood's estate in Quincy. Ill., where his death occurred in i8(p, followed by that of his wife in 1892, and both are there buried. To them were born twelve children, seven of whom still survive, as follows: Kate, widow of William Smith, resides in Milwaukee; Jacob, our subject; Maggie, wife of John Strauss, of Quincy, Ill.; Lizzie, wife of Barney Brink, of Kansas City; Nettie, wife of George Humphreys, of Milwaukee; Anna, wife of Eric Anderson, of St. Louis; and Emma, wife of Ed. Struby, also of St. Louis.

Passing his early years in the city of Quincy, Mr. Williams obtained his education in the public schools of that place, and on the completion of his studies, looking about for an occupation in which to engage as a means of making his own way in the world. he decided to learn the trade of cigar-making. He accordingly entered himself as an apprentice, and after serving the regulation period of three years, became a journeyman. Ambitious to secure further advantages, he came to Burlington in 1877, being for a time employed at his trade by Mr. Dehner, and also by ]\Mr. Dempsey, large manufacturers. For eight or ten years he engaged in the saloon business on North Main Street, but sold the business, and bought of Mr. George Smith a cigar store at Corse and Osborn Streets, which he continued to conduct very successfully for about five years. At the expiration of the latter period he acted for a time as manager of the Turner Hall, and in 1892 he was elected sheriff of Des Moines county, to fill the unexpired term of Sheriff Muenzenmeyer, deceased. In this position he served for one year, and in 1903 he was re-elected for a term of two years.

At Burlington, in 1882, Mr. Williams wedded Miss Josephine Florang, who was born and reared in SAvitzerland, and to them have been born three sons: Andrew, who married Miss Edna Smith, resides in Galesburg, Ill., where he is at the present time employed in the freight department of the Chicago, Burlington & Quincy Railroad; Jacob H., who is still a member of his father's household, is a cigar-maker by trade, and is employed in the Dehner factory; Clarence B., also at home, is a pupil in the public schools. The family occupies a pleasant home at Grace and Highland Avenues, erected by Mr. Williams in 1893.

Our subject is a member of the Catholic church, to whose support he is a generous contributor, and in his fraternal relations he occupies a leading position, having membership in Aerie No. 750, Fraternal Order of Eagles, of Burlington, of which he is a charter member: in Cigar-makers' Union No. 72: in the Sterbekasseverein, a German beneficiary order of Des Moines county: and in the Burlington Turnverein. He has always been an active worker in the ranks of the Democratic party, in whose principles he is a believe, and has for many years past occupied a very influential position in the counsels, of his party, having been for two years chairman of the city central committee of Burlington, and for four years committeeman for the first ward. He is a man of unusual ability, a fact which he has amply demonstrated since entering upon the duties of his office as sheriff, and it is scarcely necessary to say that he is endowed with a strong individuality, and manifests the most intrepid bravery when in the face of desperate situations, and a remarkable coolness and presence of mind under all circumstances. As a man among men, he holds the confidence and esteem of all who know him intimately, and the strength and loyalty of his character have made him many friends.

As printed in the source¹. Wording is the original; obvious scanning errors have been corrected, and a few may remain.