The Williams Families of Warren County, Ohio

J. MILTON WILLIAMS.

This distinguished member of the bar was born at Lebanon December 17, 07. His father, Enos Williams, was an early teacher of Warren County, d held several important civil offices, and among others, that of County Herder for a period of fourteen years. John Milton received a good English ucation. In his boyhood, he assisted his father in the Recorder’s office, and jo wrote in the office of the Clerk of Court. His handwriting was legible. Id and rapid, and the training he received as a copyist at the court house was benefit to him in his future profession. He studied law with Judge George Smith, and, before he had reached the age of twenty-four years, on the 7th June, 1831, was admitted to the bar at a term of the Supreme Court held at bacon, with Judges Peter Hitchcock and Charles R. Sherman on the bench, m. Robert C. Schenck, who had completed his legal studies under Thomas rwin, was admitted at the same time and place.

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The last years of the life of May. Williams are a sad history, over the tails of which it is best that the mantle of oblivion should be drawn. Hal of intemperance separated him from his wife and family, and brought him misery and want before he was yet old. He saw the extremes of life.

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He died July 21, 1871, aged sixty-four years, and was buried in the Lebarl Cemetery.

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

ALEXANDER WILLIAMS, farmer; P. O. Waynesville; born in Highland Co., Ohio, Sept. 10; 1830; is a son of Alexander and Mary (Gordon) Williams, he a native of New Jersey and she of Virginia. Mr. Williams, when a small boy, was stolen from his home by the Indians and carried away and kept in captivity nearly four years, when, fortunately, a white trade happened among them, observed the boy and succeeded in capturing him, and brought him to Cincinnati and put up at the tavern where the landlord was an uncle to the child; he recognized the child by a small hone or whetstone which had his father’s name engraved upon it, and which the child had with him when taken from his home, and which the child had carefully treasurer and kept all that time; the child was now with his friends, and remained with his uncle, who, it seems, not only kept the tavern, but ran a boat across the river for the transfer of persons from Ohio to Kentucky, and vice verse; one morning very early, a man called to be transported across the river, and the uncle sent.the boy to take him over; when a short distance from the shore, some men came hurriedly to the river and demanded the boy to return with his man, but the stranger presented a revolver to the boy’s head and forced the boy to row on; at this instant, one of the men on the shore drew up his rifle and shot the stranger in the boat dead on the spot, who, it seems, was a criminal of some kind; this was a trying ordeal for the lad, and so frightened him that he was not fond of rowing any more strangers across the river. The child grew to manhood; was a soldier in the war of 1812; was married and became a resident of Warren County, locating near Springboro, where he resided till his death, about 1852, aged 65 years, his wife having died many years previously. They had twelve children; eight now survive — William, Catharine, Robert, Thomas, Samuel, Alexander, Amanda and Richard. Our subject was very young when his mother died, but remained with his father till the age of 14 years, when he received a home with James O’Neall, where he lived till his majority; was married, Aug 12., 1855, to Miss Mary, daughter of Israel and Lucy Ann (Thompson) Venard, he a native of Kentucky and she of Ohio; Israel was a son of James and Nancy Venard, and was born Nov. 21, 1796, and when about 6 weeks old was brought to Warren County; located in Deerfield Township, where they resided several years, and where James Venard died; Israel grew to manhood; was married, Jan. 20, 1828, and, after several years’ residence in Deerfield Township, he removed to Butler County; in 1850, returned to Warren County and located on the place where Mr. Williams now lives, and here resided till his death, Nov. 6, 1880, aged 84 years; his wife died in 1844; they had three children; two now survive — James Harvey and Mary; she was born in Deerfield Township July 31, 1835. Mr. Williams and wife have had eleven children; seven now survive: Harry Edgar, Anna Laura, John M., Martha Jane, G. Wilbur, J£aggie May and Catharine Amanda. Mr. Williams, in 1859, located upon the farm where he now lives and has since resided.

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

COLUMBUS WILLIAMS (deceased) was born at Norwood, near Cinci nati, Hamilton Co., Ohio, Aug. 29, 1805; his parents, Jonathan and Mai (Davis) Williams, were natives of New Jersey, of Welsh descent. They en grated to Ohio at an early day and located on a farm in Hamilton Count where the father died, Jan. 22, 1814. The mother survived him twenty year dying on the 22d of December, 1834. Our subject spent the greater part his life on the farm; he was reared as a farmer and received such education was attainable at that early day. When 18 years of age, he commenced lear ing the carpenter trade with his eldest brother, and in that occupation conti: ued for thirty years. In 1853, he purchased the interests of the other heirs his father’s farm, where he spent the remainder of his days. He was married

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

JOHN D. WILLIAMS, farmer and auctioneer; P. O. Lebanon; was born x Turtle Creek Township, Warren Co., Dec. 14, 1815; his parents were Levi 'williams, a native of Ohio, and Lydia (Draper) Williams, of Pennsylvania, e was educated in the common-schools of the township, and has followed:.ring and auctioneering all his life. He is a genial, warm-hearted gentleman, and is well thought and spoken of by all who know him. In 1837, he marked Miss Sally Yoorhis, who died, in 1861, leaving the following children ving: C. O., Elizabeth and C. V., the other two of her live children having ed before her. On the 24th of May, 1863, Mr. Williams married Miss Mary Trimble, by whom he has had two children, viz., Perry T. and Sylvan N.

1 fr. Williams is a Republican and has served his township a number of years as: justice of the Peace.

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

E. T. M. WILLIAMS, farmer; P. 0. Clarksville; was born in Washington Township, Warren Co., Ohio, Aug. 9, 1826; he is a son of John L. and Mary (McDowell) Williams, who were natives of Bucks Co., Penn.; the former was born Aug. 10, 1786, and the latter Aug. 12, 1789. They came to Cincinnati in the year 1800, and settled in Washington Township, Warren Co., in 1822, where they both ended their days; the former Dec. 12, 1857, and the latter April 3, 1863. Mr. Williams, the subject of this sketch, passed his early life upon his father’s farm, and received his education in the common schools of the day. The spring of 1848, he went to Clinton Co., where he was engaged in lumbering till 1852, when he returned and resumed his former occupation. He purchased his present farm of his father in 1853, and has since resided upon it, pursuing the avocation of farming and the rearing of live stock, making a specialty in sheep. Mr. Williams is a man of strict integrity and of stirring enterprise, and stands foremost both as a citizen and a farmer in the township. Mr. Williams was married the first time Dec. 9, 1852, to Miss Mary E. Andrews, who died Aug. 28, 1865, leaving four children, viz.: Horace (now of Vermillion Co., Ill. Ida, Hugh and Mary. Mr. Williams was again married April 15, 1868, to Mary E. Wilkerson, by whom he has had three children — Martha, Nellie and Alice. Mrs. Williams is a member of the M. E. Church. Mr. Williams is connected with the Masonic fraternity, and politically he is Republican. He served his township as Clerk from 1861 to 1869, and from 1875 to 1876. He owns a farm of 250 acres with excellent improvements; a $3,500 residence adorns his farm; it was built in 1869.

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