My Genealogy Hound

WILLIAM WILLIAMS. This intelligent and substantial farmer of Pettis County has his pleasant home located on section 6, and he came here in the fall of 1859 from Pike County, Ill. His father, John Williams, who was a native of North Carolina and a farmer by occupation, lived to be seventy-five years of age, and was respected by all who knew him. The maiden name of his wife was Elizabeth Walk. She, too, was born in North Carolina, whence she went with her family to Illinois, making the entire journey overland in a wagon. She lived to be sixty-three years of age, and died in Illinois, in 1858.

The parental family included twelve children, of whom William was the eldest. Then follow John, America, Sarah, Franklin, Richmond, and Douglas, deceased. Samuel is living in Pike County, Ill., David is also a farmer of that section of the Prairie State; Jonathan is an agriculturist of Sedalia Township, Pettis County, Mo.; Emma makes her home in Montana; Jane lives in Pike County, Ill.; and the youngest is deceased.

The subject of this sketch was born in North Carolina, October 20, 1821. He was a lad of six years when the trip was made to their home in Illinois, where he was reared, and where he secured a limited education, attending school about six months during the year, the balance of the time being devoted to work upon the farm. His parents were pioneers of Pike County, and there was consequently much to do in preparing the soil for cultivation and keeping the place in good condition.

William Williams lived at home until attaining his twenty-seventh year, when he was given a tract of eight acres by his father. He was married about that time, and locating upon the place remained there until 1859, the date of his advent into Pettis County, this state. Three years previous to this time he had visited the state with his brother Jonathan, and being pleased with the outlook they purchased together an unimproved tract of six hundred acres, although eighty acres were fenced.

Our subject was loyal to his country during the Civil War, and for eighteen months belonged to the Missouri Enrolled Militia, doing good service in protecting property and staying the lawless hands of the guerrillas. He is a practical farmer, and has been successful far beyond his expectations. As his children have grown to mature years, he has been enabled to give them good educations and a fair start in life.

Mr. Williams was married, in Indiana, to Miss Ellen F. Posey, a native of Warrick County, Ind. Their family comprises seven sons and daughters. Emma married David F. Palmer, and resides in this county; John is also a resident of this section; Charlie is engaged in business in Sedalia; Belle married Samuel Stevens, an agriculturist of this county; Seymour, Sherman and Nellie all make their homes here, the latter being the wife of Moses Hogan, Jr.

For many years Mr. Williams affiliated with the Democratic party, but he is now a free-silver man. He keeps himself well informed on the financial issues of the day, and possesses intelligent and well defined ideas of the same. He does not believe that there was any good reason for making the change in the unit of value in 1873 from silver to gold, and thinks that change the source of all our late financial troubles. He is convinced that silver was early established by the founders of this Government as our unit of measurement. Three hundred and seventy-one and a-quarter grains of pure silver were a dollar in gold, and everything else was measured by this standard until 1873, when it was changed to gold. Silver, of course, began to decline and all other property with it. In religious affairs, both himself and wife are members in excellent standing of the Christian Church. Mr. Williams has many friends throughout the county, and is regarded by all as a thoroughly good man, who identifies himself with every worthy movement for the benefit of the community.