In the book's own words, not ours, with obvious scanning errors fixed. Families often supplied these stories to the publisher, so check key dates.
Born 1809
From The History of Muscatine county, Iowa, containing a history of the county, its cities, towns, &c. .. (1879)
ROBERT WILLIAMS, City Recorder and Police Judge of the City of Muscatine, was born in Greensburg, Westmoreland Co., Jan. 26, 1809; he is a brother of Judge Joseph Williams, formerly Chief Justice of Iowa; Robert was brought up in Pennsylvania; he and Hon. Jere Black, who studied law in his brother's office, were boys together; after reaching manhood, he engaged in the mercantile trade, the firm being Williams, Bingham & Co.; Hon. Hiram Price, Member of Congress, used to clerk in his store. He was appointed and served as Foreman of the first grand jury ever impaneled in Blair Co., Pcnn.; in April, 1855, he came to Iowa and located in Muscatine; he was appointed by Gov. Lucas Deputy Recorder of this county; in 1860, he was appointed Pos-master of Muscatine under President Buchanan; he was elected Police Judge of this city in 1871; has held that office every year since; he was appointed City Recorder in 1872, and since then he has filled that office. July 7, 1840, in Philadelphia, he married Miss Julia A. Lincoln; she is a native of the city of Philadelphia, and is a stepdaughter of Richard Penn Smith; they have three children — Elinor M., Robert B. and Sarah B.; they have lost two children — William L. and Richard C.
[This passage is too damaged in the scanned book to reproduce. See the original book.]
As printed in The History of Muscatine county, Iowa, containing a history of the county, its cities, towns, &c. .. (1879). See the original pages. Wording is the original; obvious scanning errors have been corrected, and a few may remain.
The printed record stops around 1879. We trace your line from there down to you, with every source cited.