S. B. Williams

S. B. WILLIAMS.

S. B. Williams, who is holding the important and responsible position of national pension agent for Jasper county, was born in Montgomery county, Illinois, April 1, 1834. The grandfather of our subject, Joseph Williams, was a native of Kentucky, and \\as there reared and married. He afterward became one of the early pioneers of Montgomery county, Illinois. His life occupation was that of a farmer. The family is of Welsh descent. David 'williams, the father of our subject, was also a native of Kentucky, Ijut when eight years of age removed with his parents to Illinois, a location being made in Montgomery county, where David M. followed agricultural pursuits. He subsequently took up his above in Kansas, where he passed away in 1861. He was prominent in the ranks of the Republican party, and for many years served his county as a justice of the peace. He voted for Fremont in 1856. In his religious affiliations he was a member of the Cumberland Presbyterian church. The mother of our subject, nee Mary Bartlett, was born and reared in Kentucky, and lived to the age of seventy-two years. Her father, Samuel Bartlett, was a native of the Old Dominion and of English descent. He subsequently left the state of his birth and took up his residence in Kentucky. Unto David M. and Mary (Bartlett) Williams were born five children who grew to years of maturity.

S. B. Williams, the eldest child in the above family, was reared and educated in the county of his nativity, and his education was there received in the district and select schools. He remained under the parental roof until twenty-three years of age, and after reaching his twenty-first year he followed school teaching until the breaking out of the Civil war. when, his patriotic spirit being aroused, he enlisted for service in Company D, Thirty-second Iowa

Volunteer Infantry, as a private. He entered the army in 1862, and for three years served his country as a gallant and intrepid soldier. He was with A. J. Smith's Sixteenth Army Corps, and participated in the battles of Little Rock, Helena and Brownsville, Arkansas, where he was shot through the left breast, and for thirteen months was confined at Little Rock and Murfreesboro. He was then sent north to Camp Douglas, Chicago, where he was engaged in guard duty, and was honorably discharged at Cairo, Illinois, to which place he had been sent to do guard duty..After the close of hostilities and when the country no longer needed his services Mr. Williams returned to his home in Montgomery county, where he again took up the quiet duties of the farm, also teaching school during the winter months. He followed the dual occupation until about 1873. when he went to Salina, Kansas, there following agricultural pursuits for two years. On the expiration of that period he came to Jasper county. Missouri, locating on a farm in Duval township, where he followed farming through the summer months and taught school during the winters at Cedar Bluffs, Sunnyside and Alba. In 1885 he located on a farm in Mineral township, remaining there until 1890, when he took up his residence in Alba. Here he has since remained, and his genial nature and true worth have gained and retained for him the love and esteem of many friends.

In 1856 occurred the marriage of Mr. W'williams and Miss Mary Jones, a native of Harrison county, Indiana, but reared in Montgomery county, Illinois. She is a daughter of Hardy and Matilda ( Xicholson) Jones, who became early settlers of Montgomery county, Illinois, and were of Irish and English descent. Mr. and Mrs. Williams have become the parents of six children, namely: Mary M., the wife of George McClellan, a painter of Hillsboro, Illinois; Martha E., the wife of George MorrLs, a machinist of Bellville, this state; Joseph C. deceased; Dora the wife of '. E. Robbins, whose sketch a])years in this volume; Ida M., the wife of Samuel Gather, who is engaged in business with Mr. Robbins; and Orlando, a resident of Jasjier county. In his political affiliations Mr. Williams is a stanch supporter of Republican principles, and in 1856 he cast his first presidential vote for Fremont, having ever since continued an active worker in the party's ranks. While a resident of Montgomery county, Illinois, he held the office of justice of the peace for eight years, and in Jasper county he has filled that responsible position for fourteen years. He has also served as township clerk and has held many other positions of honor and trust. At one time he was a candidate for assessor, but as the county had a Democratic majority of about si.x hundred votes he was defeated, aUhough he ran ahead of his ticket, coming within one hundred and seven votes of winning the election. He is now serving as national pension agent.

In his social relations Mr. Williams is a member of the Grand Arni\ of the Republic, holding membership in Post No. 559, in which he has served as senior vice-commander. He was made a Mason in the '60s, in Donaldson, Lodge No. 255, of Illinois. Religiously he is a member of the Friends church.

As printed in The biographical record of Jasper County, Missouri (1901). See the original pages. Wording is the original; obvious scanning errors have been corrected, and a few may remain.