Alexander Williams

As printed in 1882

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 History of Warren County, Ohio (1882). See the original pages. Wording is the original; obvious scanning errors have been corrected, and a few may remain.