My Genealogy Hound

Capt. W. M. Williams lumberman and farmer of Ransom, Ark., is doing a thriving business. He was born in Jackson County, Ala., in 1842, to Thomas and Margaret (Boze) Williams, the former born in East Tennessee, in 1805, and the latter in Alabama, in 1814, their marriage taking place in Jackson County, of the latter State, their home being also there until 1847, when they came to Montgomery County, where Mrs. Williams succumbed to the destroyer, Death, in 1853, her husband following her to the grave in 1885, passing from life in Polk County, Ark., where he had made his home since 1872. Both he and his wife were members of the Cumberland Presbyterian Church, and he was a successful farmer, a soldier in the Florida War, and socially was a member of the A. F. & A. M. Thomas Williams, his father, died in Jackson County, Ala., about 1846, a farmer. The maternal grandfather of W. M. Williams, was Benjamin Boze. The subject of this sketch was the fourth child in a family of four sons and three daughters, three children now living, born to his father’s first marriage. The latter’s second union was to Elizabeth Baggs, who with four sons and three daughters, in a family of ten children survives him. W. M. Williams received but a few months’ schooling in his youth, and in July, 1861, joined Company F, Fourth Arkansas Infantry, in which he served as lieutenant and captain until July, 1862, when he lost his right leg by the blowing up of a steamboat. This ended his military career and he returned home, having been an active participant in the battles of Pea Ridge and Corinth. He followed farming exclusively until 1867, then engaged in saw-milling on the Caddo River in Montgomery County, afterward at Mount Ida until 1874, when he came to Polk County, and followed the same calling in the west part of the county for a few years. The following five years he gave his attention to farming, and in the meantime was elected assessor of Polk County, a position he held twelve years, being a resident of Dallas. In October, 1888, he again engaged at his present stand, three miles northeast of Dallas, where he is doing a good business. He is the owner of 120 acres here and 160 acres on Mount Fork, which property he has acquired by honest and persistent toil. He was postmaster of Ransom for a short time and for four years was internal-improvement commissioner of Montgomery County, also holding the position of treasurer of the county three years, when he resigned to remove to Polk County. He was married first in 1867 to Perlina, daughter of George Gordon, who came from Mississippi to Montgomery County, Ark., in an early day, in which county he died about 1865. Mrs. Williams was born there and died at Dallas on November 13, 1881, having borne six children, four of whom are living. Jane L. Litton, a daughter of Samuel J. Litton, became Mr. Williams’ second wife, she being a native of Mississippi, and by Mr. Williams the mother of one child. Her father was born in Mississippi, and moved first to Texas, and then to Polk County, Ark., where he is still living, engaged in farming. He lost his wife in Texas. Mr. Williams and his wife are church members.