William M. Williams 1824-1909

WILLIAMS, BENJIMAN, BENJAMIN, COUSE, SHIREMAN, LAWRENCE

Posted By: Merllene Andre Bendixen (email)
Date: 1/12/2011 at 18:22:05

Death of W. Williams
Aged Father of Mrs. L. L. Lawrence Died Suddenly Saturday, February 13
Was Eighty-Five Years Old
Had Been Able to Be About Town Until a Few Days of His Death

William Williams, the aged father of Mrs. L. L. Lawrence died at the home of his daughter in this city about 12 o’clock, Saturday, February 13, after a brief illness. He had been a long sufferer of asthma and it was an aggravated attack of this ailment that was the immediate cause of his death. Funeral services were held from the residence Tuesday afternoon and interment made in Oak Hill cemetery.

William Williams was born at Ovid, Seneca county, N.Y., October 20th 1824 and was married at the age of 23 to Miss Mary Benjiman, of Ovid, N.Y. To them five children were born, all living but one. Those who survive him are Mrs. H. K. Couse of Dowagiac, Mich., Mrs. J. K. Shireman of Amarillo, Tex., Chas. Williams of Alden, Iowa, and Mrs. L. L. Lawrence, with whom he has made his home for the last ten years. He followed his life work which was contractor and builder until his years would not permit him. He was one of the contractors on the insane asylum at Independence, Iowa, for three years. He was a man of sturdy principles and upright character, the principles of truth were within him was a man of no pretentions and adhered firmly to those principles which he felt to be right. His honor, generosity, activity and cheerfulness were good influences to all who knew him, and his memory will live along with many that had but a casual acquaintance with him. He was a member of the I.O.O.F. of Buchanan, Michigan. Om account of his years he was not affiliated with the order here, yet he was always interested in the only order to which he had been a member. He was a diligent reader, and looked forward eagerly to his daily newspaper. Though he was a sufferer he rarely mentioned his ailments. He was as brave to the approach of death as he was to all other phases of life, always with a cheerful countenance ready to do or to bear what fell to his lo. His grand daughter who lived with him was one of his greatest sources of comfort, taking him back to the days when his own family were small. Loving hands made the last days of his life sweet to him, and when the noonday sun was at its meridian, his spirit passed to realms above. (Vindicator and Republican, Estherville, IA, May 17, 1909)