WILLIAMS, John - 1890 Bio (1812-1898)

WILLIAMS, PAXSON, IRELAND, SMITH, MILLS, ROBERTS, JONES, WYCOFF, COLE

Posted By: Joey Stark
Date: 9/4/2007 at 22:02:42

Portrait and Biographical Album of Jefferson and Van Buren Counties, Iowa, Printed 1890 by Lake City Publishing Co., Chicago
Pages 270 and 273

John WILLIAMS, one of the honored pioneers of Jefferson County, is living on section 8, Penn Township. He was born in Champaign County, Ohio, October 24, 1812, but was reared in Logan County. His father, Henry WILLIAMS, was a native of Grayson County, Va., where his boyhood days were passed. He removed to Ohio, in 1811, married Nancy PAXSON, and for many years was a resident of Logan County. By occupation he was a farmer, and followed that busienss throughout his entire life, becoming quite wealthy. He lost his wife in 1848, but his own death occurred not until 1870, at an advanced age. They were the parents of a family of nine children: John, of this sketch; Sitnah and Almeda, deceased; William and Obadiah, who are residents of Hardin County, Ohio; Lemuel, who makes his home in the same county; Henry, a resident of Logan County; Lydia, deceased wife of Alexander IRELAND, and Newton, of Ohio.

The eldest child of the family is the one in whom the citizens of Jefferson County are especially interested. He spent his early life upon his father's farm, and obtained his education in the subscription schools common at that day. On reaching man's estate, he left the parental roof, and on the 8th of December, 1836, was joined in wedlock with Miss Harriet SMITH, a native of Kentucky. The young couple began their domestic life upon a rented farm, and in Ohio, Mr. WILLIAMS continued farming operations until 1840, which year witnessed his arrival in the Territory of Iowa. He chose Jefferson County as the scene of his future labors, and here enterd a claim, but in 1842 he left it for his present home, which at that time was an unimproved quarter section. Not a furrow had been turned, a fence built, or a building erected thereon. It was still in its primitive condition, but Mr. WILLIAMS at once put up a log cabin, and with characteristic energy began the development of the hitherto wild land. The result of his efforts is a good farm which now pays a golden tribute for the care and cultivation bestowed upon it. Mr. WILLIAMS is now living a retired life, enjoying in his old age the result of long years of usefulness and labor.

Although the trials and hardships incident to pioneer life fell to the lot of our subject, and although the task of developing a farm from wild land was no easy one, Mr. WILLIAMS overcame these disadvantages. His first great trial came to him in 1845, when he was called upon to mourn the loss of his wife. They had just begun to realize some profit from their labors, and the future was indeed bright, when the angel of death threw his dark shadow over the household. Four children were left to share with the father his bereavement: Jesse, who was born in December, 1837, and is now engaged in farming in Dakota County, Neb.; Milton, was born in September, 1839, and resides near Jesse; Newton, a resident farmer of Penn Township; and Jonathan, who is located in Dixon County, Neb. In 1847, Mr. WILLIAMS married Miss Martha A. MILLS, but after nineteen years of wedded life, she too passed away leaving a family of four daughters: Mary J., wife of Samuel ROBERTS, of Nebraska; Elma, wife of James M. JONES, of Dixon County, Neb.; Nancy, wife of John WYCOFF, who is managing the farm for her father; and Laura, wife of Perry COLE of Pleasant Plain.

His views being in harmony with the principles of the Whig party, Mr. WILLIAMS cast his first vote for Henry Clay. Strongly opposed to the institution of slavery, he later became an Abolitionist, was afterward a Free-Soiler, and when the Republican party was formed to prevent the further extension of slavery, he joined its ranks, and has since continued to fight, a valiant soldier, under its banner. He has often represented his township in the county conventions of his party, and has faithfully served in the offices of Township Trustee and Justice of the Peace. His residence in Jefferson County covers half a century, and therefore he has been a witness of almost its entire growth. anything pertaining to its advancement he is deeply interested in. It has been the scene of his business successes, and the stage upon which he has played the part of an honorable, upright man, winning the confidence and respect of all. In his declining years he can look back over the past and feel no great regret for unimproved opportunities or time unworthily spent, but has the consciousness of knowing that his character has been unmarred by anything which would detract from a clean and worthy record.

*Transcribed for genealogy purposes; I have no relation to the person(s) mentioned.