John R. Williams, d. abt. 1886

WILLIAMS

Posted By: Melissa Mayhew Grandt (email)
Date: 4/27/2009 at 22:54:36

[Transcriber's note: this obituary was VERY hard to read. Researchers should cross-reference information with other sources, if possible.]

Williamsburgh Journal, Williamsburgh (Iowa Co.), Iowa, 2 April 1886.

IN MEMORIAM.
The funeral of REV. MR. JOHN R. WILLIAMS, took place Monday, March 29th 1886. Services were held at 1 p.m., at the residence, conducted by Rev's. Henry Davies and Thomas E. Hughes. The funeral then proceeded to the Congregational Church, which was filled to its fullest capacity. After singing, Rev. Mr. Hughes., read portions of Scriptures appropriate for the occasion; followed by Rev. Davies, who led in prayer; after singing Mr. Hughes made some very beautiful remarks on the happy [?] of the godly man even in death itself. Mr. Davies afterwards spoke of the urgent necessity of obtaining the de[?] and the necessary preparations to meet death. Allusions were made by both speakers to the life and [?] of the departed, and warm sympathy was manifested and expressed with the bereaved widow in her great affliction and with the orphan children in their distress. The funeral left the church and proceeded to the cemetery where the remains of the departed were interred in their future [?] place, till the great day comes to pass when the mortal shall put on immortality. Both ministers officiated at the grave.

Mr. Williams was born in Manfair-feehan County of Caernaivan, North Wales, April 2nd, [?]. His trade was a stone cutter, which he followed until he came to America. He began to preach the gospel with the wesleyan Methodists in his native [?]; and after crossing the ocean he persued the same vocation of the high calling in Christ Jesus. He was fully obtained to the great work of the Christian ministry in connection with the M.E. Church, Rev. Bishop Simpson, of renowned memory, presiding at the Conference he was ordained. His first field of [?] was in Canada, where he labored as a Missionary to a colony of Welsh people. This was in [?] the year he came from his native country. In [?] he went to South Trenton N.Y. where he stayed until [?]. His own denomination being so weak in this country, among the Welsh-speaking people, he determined, for the sake of obtaining a wider field of usefulness, to leave his own and join the Congregational denomination. He went to Pittston, Pa from South Trenton and was pastor of the Congregationsal Church there for three years. To Beaver Meadow Pa he went from Pittstown and preached there for two years. He afterwards lived in C[?]ville and Pittston afterwards. The family came to Chicago a short time before the great fire, but they escaped without sustaining any loss by that great conflagration. In 1872 came to Long Creek where they had purchased a farm. His first wife died and was buried at Long Creek. He went to Chicago in 1874 where he preached for a year and came to this place in 1875. September 1875 he married Mrs. Rogers, who is now left, as already stated, a widow. He leaves, beside his wife, two sons and one daughter. May the Lord be to the bereaved family all in all, fulfilling His precious promises to those left destitute through the ministry of death.

X.

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[Transcriber's note: This obituary was VERY hard to read. Researchers should cross-reference information with other records, if possible.]

Williamsburgh Journal, Williamsburgh (Iowa Co.), Iowa, 2 April 1886.

DEATH.
Death has again entered a beautiful home in our city, and taken from us an aged pilgrim, one who has borne the heat and burthen of a long and useful life. Many times has the [?] Mr. J.R. Williams, slowly and with difficult breathing, climbed the stairs into our office, always cheerful and uncomplaining. But after years of suffering he has gone from time terrestial to eternity celestial.

While we stand beside the coffin and weep, through tears by faith. we see our beloved brother rise again in the resurrection at the last day.

As [?] vegetation shall grow and the flowers shall bloom again, when called forth from their winter grave and their snowy shroud, so shall they come forth unto the resurrection of life. In a few months the beauties of nature, now cold in death, still bloom. The grass so green and flowers so gay, and the birds that sing, the pure air of Heaven that lovingly kisses the cheek and braces the form with health and buoyancy, will announce that "winter is past, the rain is over and gone." for they are called from death and banishment by that emblem of divine light and love. Then we shall see a world enrobed in beauty, a home of happiness and joy, while the very air we breathe is burdened with balm and the breeze is filled with life and song.

Since the inanimate creation can we reflect the [?] and essence of one of God's creatures, of what a transformation into the beauty of holiness is that being [?] who is created in the image of God and endowed with immortality, by the spiritual light and warmth of ineffable love from the Sun of Righteousness.

The flowers in many of our homes have faded by the chilling icy touch of death, many of the opening buds as well as ripened shocks have been gathered, would that we had the power to lighten the sorrows of those who mourn, but we can only commend them to that Divine Savior "who wept." While we leave others who are better qualified by education and acquaintance to write the obituary of J.R. Williams, we pen these humble thoughts hoping that they may in some way lighten the great sorrows that hang over [?] hearts.