Biographies
For
Muscatine County Iowa
1889




Source: Portrait and Biographical Album, Muscatine County, Iowa, 1889, page 575

JOHN F. WILLIAMS, a leading and progressive young farmer residing on section 1, Cedar Township, was born in Union County, Ind., on the 28th of Octoober, 1857, and is a son of J. D. and Lucy ( Burges ) Williams, whose sketch is given elsewhere in this volume. In 1858, while our subject was yet an infant, his parents emigrated to Muscatine County. He was educated in the common schools, and was reared to manhood upon his father's farm, remaining under the parental roof until twenty-two years of age, when he started out in life for himself. Securing employment with R. Miller, he worked for him, for about a year, receiving $ 20 per month, and was then united in marriage with Miss Willimettie Epperly, the ceremony being performed on the 6th of March, 1881. The lady was born Nov. 28, 1863, and is a daughter of William and Lucretia ( Fry ) Epperly, who were the parents of three children : Willimettie ; Jared J., husband of Molly Smith, who is living in Marysville, Mo.; and Margaret Anna, wife of George Washington Hall, a resident of Horton, Kan. The death of Mrs Epperly occurred during the month of June, 1870.

For some time after his marriage Mr. Williams continued in the employ of Mr. Miller, and the following year rented a farm in Seventy-Six Township, which he continued to cultivate for about twelve months, after which he purchased forty acres of land on section 1 Cedar Township, where he still continues to reside. The land was all under plow, but no other improvements had been made. Immediately beginning its cultivation and improvement, the farm, though small, is one of the best in the county, and in connection with it, Mr. Williams engages in the cultivation of another tract of forty acres which he rents. By his union with Miss Epperly, two children have been born ; Edith E., born Nov. 8, 1882, and Harley E., Sept. 29, 1885. In his political views Mr. Williams is a Republican. For the past ten years Mrs. Williams has been a member of the United Brethran Church. They are numbered among the highly respected people of Cedar Township, and have a large circle of friends and acquaintances in the county.



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