My Genealogy Hound

JOSEPH WILLIAMS, manufacturing chemist, Sharpsburg, was born in Worcestershire England, in 1834, a son of Richard and Hannah (Holloway) Williams, the latter a native of Tipton, England. To these parents nine children were born, of whom Joseph is the fourth child. He was educated at the public schools of his native land, and since early youth has made the study of chemicals a specialty, and was, until twenty-eight years of age, employed in some of the large chemical works of England. At that age he came to America, and located in Pittsburgh, where he was engaged as engineer and master mechanic for a number of iron manufacturers, as well as in Ohio. He was sent for, to superintend the erection of large chemical-works in New Jersey, returned to Pittsburgh in 1869, and two years later introduced his first compound chemical preparation, “Tallowine,” a hot and cold neck rolling-mill grease. In 1870 he brought before the public “Williams’ Soluble Thymol,” an invaluable deodorizer and disinfectant. Mr. Williams married, in 1856, Mary Ann, daughter of James Waterhouse, of Worcestershire, England, and eleven children were born to them, five of whom are now living: George H., Joseph, James O., William H. and Edward R. Mr. Williams is a member of the I. O. O. F. and the Legion of Honor; politically he is a republican.