The Williams Families of Wyandot County, Ohio

BENJAMIN WILLIAMS was born in Ashford, Windom Co., Conn., September 17, 1819, and is the son of Raymond and Eunice (Eastman) Williams, natives of Connecticut, and of English and French parentage respectively—his father a lineal descendant of Roger Williams, of Puritan fame. His father was also a commissioned officer in the war of 1812; was married December 16, 1818; migrated to Ohio in 1838; purchased 160 acres at the land sales in this county in 1845, and in 1852 removed to Lake County, Ind., where he died December 80, 1876, aged eighty years. There were ten children of the family, six living — Benjamin, John, Esther, Oliver, Scott and George. The deceased are Lucinda, Fielder, Frank and Hiram. The mother died in 1845, aged forty-eight years. Benjamin Williams, our subject, remained with his parents till twenty-three years of age: operated the Indian Saw Mill in this county in 1840-41; went East, and was married, June 1, 1843, to Miss Elizabeth Hitchcock, daughter of John and Mary (Hosner) Hitchcock; rented land in Marion County from 1844 to 1847, purchasing his present homestead in the latter year. He now owns 245 acres, highly cultivated. He is the father of seven children, five living— Mary, Ann, Volney, John and Frank. The deceased are Frank and William. Mr. Williams has been a hard worker, having cleared 100 acres of forest land. He served as Trustee two years; as Coroner of county four terms; as Director of Agricultural Society ten years, and Vice President four years; and as School Director twenty-nine out of thirty-two years.

As printed in the source². Wording is the original; obvious scanning errors have been corrected, and a few may remain.

db, Google liams, natives of New York state, where the father was born on the 17th of September, 1818, and the mother in February, 1817. Benjamin Williams was a farmer by occupation and spent the later years of his life upon his property in Pitt township, where he died in 1911, having survived his wife for a number of years, her death having occurred February 20, 1900. He was one of the earliest settlers in Wyandot county and operated a saw and gristmill for the Indians in the early days and laid the foundations of his future prosperity in his trade relations with the savages. He and his wife became the parents of six children: Mary J., Anna, Volney E., John E., Franklin B. and one child who died in infancy.

Volney E. Williams attended district school in Pitt township and high school in Upper Sandusky, leaving the latter institution at the age of twenty in order to assist his father with the work of the farm. He left the homestead in 1881 in order to begin his independent agricultural career. That he has met with success in the years which have come and gone is indicated by the fact that he is today the owner of three hundred acres of fine land on sections 15 and 16, Pitt township. On his place stand a fine residence and substantial bams and outbuildings for the shelter of grain and stock. Mr. Williams follows the most modern methods in carrying on his work and each year gathers abundant harvests of all kinds of farm produce as a reward for the care and labor he bestow upon his fields. He is also extensively interested in stock-raising, owning twenty horses, three hundred sheep, seventy-five hogs and twelve head of cattle. Of his high-grade racing horses, of the breeding of which he has made a specialty since the beginning of his active career, "Bay Dick" was the first. He bought him for thirty-five hundred dollars and subsequently sold him to William H. Vanderbilt, in 1882, for seven thousand dollars. Another famous horse "Ambassador" he sold to Brown Stockbridge at Kalamazoo, Michigan, for the high sinn of eighteen thousand dollars, these figures being indicative of the quality of his horses.

On the 20th of December, 1881, in Mifflin township, Mr. Williams was united in marriage to Miss Angenette Straw, a daughter of Joel and Mary (Swayze) Straw, the former a prominent farmer in that section. He died in 1867, at the age of fifty-eight, and was survived by his wife until 1898, her death occurring when she was eighty-eight years of age.

Mr. and Mrs. Williams became the parents of two sons, Harry S. and Robert W.

Mr. Williams gives his allegiance to the democratic party and his interest in the cause of education is indicated by the able and effective work which he did during his term of service as a member of the school board. Having resided in this township during his entire life, covering a period of sixty-three years, he is well and favorably known here and is widely recognized as a prosperous and progressive business man as well as an upright and honorable citizen.

As printed in the source³. Wording is the original; obvious scanning errors have been corrected, and a few may remain.

DARIUS H. S. WILLIAMS is a native of Lorain County, Ohio, born July 13, 1822, and son of Dr. Hiram S. and Julia (Hays) Williams, natives of Berkshire County, Mass., and of English and Scotch ancestry respectively. They were married in their native county, and were the parents of six children, three of these, Darius H., John Q., and Charlotte C, are still living. Dr. Williams removed from Massachusetts to Lorain County, Ohio, in 1817, where, with the exception of two years in Chippewa County, he enjoyed an extensive practice till 1838, his wife's decease occurring in that year. His death took place, March 2, 1841, in his forty-eighth year. Darius Williams, the subject of this sketch, spent his childhood and youth in the counties of Lorain and Medina, removing, to Wisconsin at the age of twenty and engaging in various calling in that State, till his return to Medina County in 1852; he resided in Medina County, engaged in agricultural pursuits, till 1871, at which time he removed to this county purchasing sixty acres of land in Crane Township. From 1868 to 1871, he was agent of the Ohio Farmer's Insurance Company, and traveled over Wyandot County. In the spring of 1872, he was appointed Superintendent of the County Infirmary, holding this office five years, after which he returned to his farm, which he sold in 1881, subsequently purchasing his present farm of eighty acres, where he is now engaged in general farm pursuits. Mr. Williams was married, January 1, 1853, to Mary Parmeter, a native of Pennsylvania, born in 1825. Two children were born to them — George I., born January 22, 1859, and Myrta M., born May 22, 1867. Mrs. Williams' death occurred March 8. 1869 and Mr. W. was again married, March 22, 1870, to Mrs. Annie H. Ward, widow of Enos B. Ward, deceased. She was a daughter of Cyrus F. and Mary (Bidwell) Beebe, born in Franklin County, Ohio, January 1, 1840; her parents were natives of Vermont and Ohio respectively, and of English ancestry. Mr. and Mrs. Williams have but one child — Frank D., born December 23, 1870. Although a Republican, Mr. Williams held his position as Superintendent of the Infirmary five years, with a full Democratic Board of Directors; he Is a member of the I. O. O. F., and a substantial and well respected citizen.

As printed in the source². Wording is the original; obvious scanning errors have been corrected, and a few may remain.

SAXTON C. WILLIAMS was born February 23, 1831, in New Scotland, Albany Co., N. Y., and is a son of Richard and Mercy (Chesebrough) Williams, who were respectively natives of Connecticut and New York State, and of Welsh and French ancestry. They were married in Albany County, N. Y., and in 1844 removed to Schoharie County, N. Y., thence to Chemung County, in the same State, in 1848, where they resided till the year 1862, when they came to Ohio, settling in Wyandot County. Their union was blessed with three sons and five daughters: Sarah L., Saston C, Samuel Y., Mary E., Huldah, William, Harriet and Lucy. Sarah L., the eldest, is deceased. The father died in November, 1873; the mother resides in Crawford Township. Saxton C. Williams removed to this county in

1857 and settled in Crawford Township. He was married, May 9, 1860, to Miss Emily J. Wisner, born in Orange County, N. Y., June 18, 1838, and a daughter of Asa and Susan (Kinner) Wisner, natives of Orange County and of English descent.

As printed in the source². Wording is the original; obvious scanning errors have been corrected, and a few may remain.

EVAN T. WILLIAMS was born in Licking County, Ohio, December 1, 1846. He is a son of William and Mary (Evans) Williams, natives of Cardiganshire, Wales. His parents were married in Licking County, and had six children, namely: Evan T., Zachariah J., Margaret S., Sarah J., Phoebe A. D. and Susan E., all living but Margaret. The mother died April 30, 1882. Evan T. Williams has always pursued the vocation of an agriculturist. He attended the common schools of his native county, and spent one term in Granville College. In 1881, he moved to this county, and purchased eighty acres of land, which with his improvements he values at $75 to $85 per acre. Mr. Williams was married, March 23. 1876, to Ida M. Keller, native of Licking County, and daughter of Eli and Fidelia (Holler) Keller, also natives of Licking County. Her parents were of German descent, were married in their native county, and reared a family of eight children, namely: Martha J., Lorena, Philo J., Ida M., tua, Eli W., Ira C. and Eber A., all living at the present date. The father died December 3, 1866. Mr. and Mrs. Williams have two sons, namely: Eber K., born September 10, 1877, and Earl R., August 9, 1879. Mr. Williams is a good farmer, and a stanch Republican of the temperance persuasion.

As printed in the source². Wording is the original; obvious scanning errors have been corrected, and a few may remain.

JOSEPH ALBERT WILLIAMS.

Through successive stages of progress and advancement Joseph Albert Williams has worked his way upward in the banking world until he is today cashier of the Nevada Deposit Bank, an important position which has come to him in recognition of merit and of unusual ability as a financier. He was born in Blooming Grove, Morrow county, Ohio, November 6, 1863, and is a son of Christie and Amy Aon (Bachman) Williams, the former born in MUlsboroiigh, Richland comity, March 24, 1831, and the latter in Pennsylvania, August 20, 1838. The father, who was a merchant by occupation, died in Blooming Grove, December 6, 1898, and is survived by his wife and a daughter, Seppie S., who make their home in that city.

Joseph A. Williams attended district school until he was eighteen years of age and then went for one year to the Nevada high school. After laying aside his books he turned his attention to teaching and followed this occupation in the district

,*OOglC schools for one year. The banking business had, however, always attracted him and he was very desirous of making it his life work. In order to accomplish his end he agreed to work as a clerk in the Nevada Deposit Bank for one year without pay. His services, however, proved so valuable that within a few months the contract was set aside and a lucrative position given to him. He has since advanced step by step, assuming new responsibilities every year and proving himself eminently well qualified to discharge his duties. He once had entire charge of the institution for two years and he is now cashier. He is regarded as an able, discriminating and farsighted financier and a great deal of the success of the institution with which he is connected is due to his well directed labors. He is a stockholder in the bank and also in the First National Bank at Upper Sandusky. He is a member of the American and State Bankers' Association, the Private Bankers' Association, and stands as a central figure in banking circles of this part of Ohio having filled responsible positions in the work of state associations.

On the ist of January, 1885, Mr. Williams married Miss Nina Lee Agnew, a daughter of James K. and Jennie (Bibler) Agnew, of Nevada. The father is a well known banker and served through two enlistments in the Civil war. Mr. and Mrs. Williams became the parents of four children, one of whom died in infancy. The others are Grace Louise, Jeannette Agnew and Miles Stanley.

Mr. Williams and family are members of the Methodist church, and fraternally he is connected with the Masonic order and the Knights of Pythias. He gives his political allegiance to the republican party and has always been prominent in public affairs, serving two years as president of the school board and four as a member of that organization. He has been treasurer of Antrim township and treasurer of the village of Nevada, holding the latter office for twelve years, and he was for three terms a member of the town council, two years of which time he served as president. Mr. Williams is also a notary public, and as such is widely known, having very recently served in this capacity under commissions from the states of Colorado, Kansas and Pennsylvania. His interest in public affairs is of a most practical character, manifest by active cooperation in measures calculated to promote the public good. He is not only one of the distinctly successful

, men of the community but is also the possessor of a forceful character which makes him a leading figure in community affairs as well as in business circles.

As printed in the source³. Wording is the original; obvious scanning errors have been corrected, and a few may remain.

D. B. WILLIAMS, son of John and Rebecca (Cope) Williams, was born in Columbiana County, Ohio, June 2, 1830. His parents wei'e natives of Ohio and Virginia, and were married in Columbiana County, where they resided most of their lives. He was a brick-layer by trade, and the father of eight children, the living — John T., Caroline, D. B. and Elizabeth. He died in 1839, aged thirty-eight years; his wife in 1872, aged sixty-eight.

As printed in the source². Wording is the original; obvious scanning errors have been corrected, and a few may remain.