My Genealogy Hound

WILLIAMS, WILLIAM P., farmer and stock raiser, Sec. 6, town 8, range 12, Jersey County, P. O. Kane. Prominent among the agriculturists of Jersey County we mention with more than ordinary notice the whole souled gentleman whose name heads this sketch; he was born in Botetourt County, Virginia, on the 30th of July, 1823, the ninth of a family of thirteen children, and what is somewhat remarkable, eleven are still living, now aged men and women; The head of this family was John Williams, a native of Virginia, where he followed agriculture and blacksmithing. He was married in Virginia to Miss Elizabeth Rock. He died at an advanced age, and his ashes repose in the old Dominion State. Mrs. Williams survived her husband some six years, and was laid at rest amid the scenes of many years of hardships. William, from whom our sketch is obtained, passed his boyhood in Virginia where he received a liberal education; some thirty years ago, Mr. W. became a resident of Greene County, where he taught school for a short time, and on the 28th of Aug., 1851, he was united in marriage to Miss Rachel Jane English, a daughter of Thos. English who settled in Greene County during the Autumn of 1835; after a residence of five years in Greene County, Mr. W. moved to Jersey County where he soon moved to the front rank as an agriculturist; as his successful and honorable career, in this independent calling is so well known, it is perhaps only necessary to state that he is the owner of 580 acres of valuable land, and a more thorough going, energetic farmer, it would be a hard matter to find; of the marriage, five children were born, Mary, who died in 1852, an infant child; Thomas F., Louan and Martha Kyle. Mr. Williams has always taken a deep interest in educational matters, and for several years has officiated as a school director.