John James Williams’ wife
Victoria
Felicia Robertson
Source: Book
titled Glimpses into the Lives and Times of the Confederate Soldiers Known
to Be Buried in City Cemetery, Winchester, Tennessee, researched and
compiled by Joy Quandt Gallagher, President 1996-1998
Peter Turney Chapter #1927 United Daughters of the
Confederacy, Winchester, Tennessee, 1998, pages 254-266.
John James Williams was Lieutenant-colonel of Company
F, 24th Tennessee Infantry, CSA
Soldier
born December 14, 1829, Williamsport, Maury County, Tennessee, son of John Edwards
Williams and Rachel Harbison Ayers
Soldier died January 21, 1891, Winchester, Franklin
County, Tennessee
Soldier member of Peter Turney
Bivouac, ACS
Married November 26, 1863, Cassville, Georgia, Miss Victoria
Felicia Robertson, daughter of Henderson Francis Robertson and Clarinda
Fisher Smith
Wife born July 4, 1840, Lincoln County, Tennessee
Wife died June 20, 1905, Winchester, Franklin County,
Tennessee
Wife buried beside soldier in City Cemetery,
Winchester, TN
Known children:
Clarence F. (ca. 1865- ),
Eugene Henderson (1867-1927), Claude Paul (1869-1952), Percy H. (1869-1956),
Victor Robertson (1873-1958), Irene F. (1877-1951), Lizzie Corrine (1877-1880),
Clara Belle (1880-1967), Elizabeth May, and Ernest Edwards (1882-1939)
Soldier Williams' sketch in Volume II, Tennessee
The Volunteer State 1769-1923, published 1923:
One
of the leading lawyers and jurists of the last generation in Tennessee was the
late Judge John James Williams of Franklin county, who won distinction not only
upon the bench and in his profession, but as a gallant soldier and officer of
the Confederacy. Judge Williams was
descended from old and honored ancestors.
On the paternal side he was of Welsh descent and it is believed that the
branch of the family to which he belonged descended from one of six brothers
who came from Wales and settled in different parts of the American colonies. One of these settled in North Carolina and is
supposed to have been the progenitor of Judge Williams' branch of the
family. John Williams, his
great-grandfather, was a soldier in the North Carolina line during the
Revolution. The father of Judge Williams,
who was John E. Williams, was born, lived and died at Williamsport, Maury County,
Tennessee, and engaged throughout his life in mercantile and agricultural
pursuits. For years he held minor civil
offices and was a soldier under Jackson, although little more than a boy, and
participated in the Indian battle of the Horseshoe. When seven or eight years of age, John E.
Williams, with other members of the family, went through a dangerous and
thrilling experience. The following is
an extract from an account written by Judge Williams:
"Shortly
after the settlement of Edward Williams on Duck river at the place he lived
(afterward called Williamsport) when he and Coleman (a settler on the opposite
side of the river) had a ferryboat, there came a flood in the river, a stream
of considerable size, the like of which has not happened since. It occurred on the 24th of December,
1808. Reliable accounts show that a deep
snow had fallen and was carried away by an immense rainfall. The river began to rise as was supposed about
two o'clock in the afternoon and at dark it still rained but no one supposed
that there was danger as the house stood on an elevated point on the bank but
close to the river. But soon afterwards
it was discovered that the house was surrounded by the raging waters. So rapid had been the rise that the ferryboat
was surrounded. Edward Williams was not
at home and his wife with several small children was alone, except for a negro
boy about seventeen years of age. This
boy, finding that the house was surrounded waded to his neck to get the boat
and dragged it to the house into which the rapidly rising waters had made their
way. The wife got into the boat with her
children and the faithful negro and herself, with poles in hand, pushed the
boat toward the high land several hundred yards away. The route to the land lay through a clearing
and the boat would lodge on the stumps of trees where it would remain until the
rising flood would float it over the obstacles.
After hours of toil through the darkness they reached the shore in
safety. They made their way by the
flashes of lightning. They had not long
left the house before they saw, by a vivid flash of lightning, the house go to
pieces as was supposed by a large tree being carried against it. To add to the horror it became, on the
ceasing of the rain, suddenly and violently cold.
"The
few scattering settlers on hearing of the calamity came early in the morning to
assist the family. The faithful negro
boy, Thomas Jones, was rewarded with his freedom on the death of his old
master, and lived honored and respected by all of his descendants and by
everybody else who knew him. From him
most of the facts and circumstances as to minute and detail were obtained. But the writer of this memoranda has had
confirmatory evidence from others who became acquainted with the circumstances,
when they were fresh within the recollection and knowledge of contemporary
people of this terrible flood, the like of which has never occurred on this
river since. From the point where the
house stood as shown to the writer in after years, to the point where the river
was supposed to be when the rise began, must have been as much as thirty feet
in perpendicular measurements, and this rise was made in not more than eight
hours."
John
E. Williams, the father of Judge Williams, was one of the children mentioned in
the above paragraphs.
John
J. Williams was born December 14, 1829, at Williamsport, Tennessee. He received his common school education in
his native county and also attended a boys' school near Columbia. Early in life he had decided upon the law as
his vocation and with this end in view he read law in the office of Colonel Ed
Gantt of Memphis and with the firm of Gantt & Polk in Columbia and
afterward Centerville. Judge Williams
was admitted to the bar of Maury county in 1851. He began the practice of law there and
previous to the outbreak of the Civil war he represented Hickman county in the
legislature.
John
J. Williams was an ardent supporter of the southern cause and during the early
months of the war between the states he enlisted in the Twenty-fourth Tennessee
Regiment of Infantry and became captain of Company F [service record shows Company
I]. Just previous to the engagement
at Shiloh he was elected to the rank of major and a short time later became
lieutenant colonel of his regiment. He
commanded his regiment in the sanguinary battle of Shiloh and here received a
severe wound, a minie ball having entered his chest and passed entirely through
his body. This wound practically
incapacitated him for further active service.
After the battle of Shiloh he was appointed a colonel on the staff of
Governor Isham G. Harris, the war governor of Tennessee. After the war he remained a strong
secessionist and in consequence was indicted for treason. He was pardoned, however, by the intervention
of President Johnson.
In
1863 Mr. Williams went to Cassville, Georgia, and here met and married Miss Victoria
Felicia Robertson, of Winchester, Tennessee. The Robertsons were then refugees in Georgia
from Winchester. Mr. Robertson was a
plantation owner and large slave holder.
For
some two years Mr. Williams managed this plantation, which was situated on Elk
river, but in 1867 he moved into Winchester and resumed his law practice, which
had been interrupted by the war. In 1877
he was appointed by Governor J.D. Porter circuit judge to fill out the
unexpired term of Judge Hickerson and after serving two years in that office he
was reelected for the full term of eight years.
During his incumbency many issues came to a head. A contemporary writer has said:
"In
the early '80s the democratic party in the state of Tennessee split on what was
known at that time as the low tax and high tax question. They nominated two candidates for
governor. The high tax wing of the party
nominated John V. Wright and the low tax wing nominated Frank Wilson. The republicans met in convention and
nominated Alvin Hawkins. John J.
Williams, who was then judge of the sixth judicial circuit, attended the
convention (democratic) and espoused the cause of the low taxer and he was made
chairman of the convention which nominated Mr. Wilson. This was a great and memorable campaign in
which such men as Colonel John H. Savage, Judge David L. Snodgrass, Colonel
Frank Wilson, Judge John J. Williams and Captain William P. Tolley were among
the leaders who took the low tax side of the question and supported Colonel
Frank Wilson for governor. Of course two
candidates running on the democratic ticket split the party in twain and Alvin
V. Hawkins, the republican candidate, was elected.
"During
Judge Williams' administration the legislature passed what was known as the 103
bill, which proposed to pay the debt that the bond holders and the high tax
element claimed the state owed, and to settle the same with the bond holder at
100 cents on the dollar and 3 per cent interest. The low tax people claimed that the state did
not legally or morally owe this debt.
When the legislature passed this bill, through injunction proceedings,
Judge Williams granted the fiat which enjoined the state treasurer from paying
out the money as required by the bill enacted by the legislature. Judge Williams at that time was severely
criticized by all the corporation papers and corporate influences throughout
the country.
"The
case came on to be heard before a chancellor in Nashville who, upon the
hearing, dissolved the injunction issued by Judge Williams and an appeal was
taken to the supreme court from that decision.
This case was argued in the supreme court for the low tax element by
Colonel George Gantt of Memphis and Governor Albert S. Marks of Nashville. The supreme court reversed the chancellor at
Nashville and sustained the fiat issued by Judge Williams. At the expiration of Governor Hawkins' term,
General William B. Bate was elected governor of Tennessee, and under his
administration this matter was settled on a compromise at 50 and 4, which meant
50 cents on the dollar and 4 per cent interest.
The decision of the supreme court in sustaining the injunction of Judge
Williams saved the state of Tennessee many millions of dollars."
In
1887 Judge Williams was again elected to the state legislature from Franklin
county and upon the expiration of his term of service in that capacity he
returned to Winchester and practiced law until his death on the 21st of January
1891. He was one of the most prominent
men of his day and contributed in marked degree to the development of Franklin
county and Tennessee. Throughout his
life, as mentioned before, he was a stanch [sic] democrat. Fraternally he was a member of the Knights of
Honor.
Mrs.
John J. Williams, his faithful helpmate throughout his career, was born July 4,
1840, and survived her husband until June 20, 1905 [newspaper obituary gives
death date as June 24, 1905]. She
was the devoted mother of a family of nine children, namely: Clarence F., deceased; Eugene H., and
attorney of Chattanooga; Claude P. and Percy H., who were twins, the former now
being state game warden and the latter employed in the secretary of state's
office; Irene F., wife of William McCallum of Los Angeles, California; Clara
Belle of Nashville; Elizabeth May, wife of Judge Kelsey Blanton of Lakeland,
Florida; Ernest E., of Port Myers, Florida; and Victor Robertson, engaged in
the insurance business in Winchester, Tennessee.
Soldier Williams' wife's obituary in Thursday, July 6,
1905, The Fayetteville Observer, Fayetteville, Tennessee:
Mrs. Victoria
F. Williams died at her home in Winchester June 24, 1905. She [was] born in Lincoln county July
4, 1840, and was the daughter of Col. Henderson F. Robertson, one of the
wealthiest men of this section in his day.
She was married to Col. J.J. Williams at Cassville, Ga., in 1863 while
refugeeing there with her mother. Col.
Williams was a member of the legislature that carried Tennessee out of the
Union and was for several years judge of this circuit and was succeeded by
Judge Smallman. He died in 1891.
Williams' son's obituary in Thursday, September 1,
1927, The Winchester Chronicle, Winchester, Tennessee:
Eugene
H. Williams, aged 60, died Thursday morning, Sept. 1, at 4:30 o'clock, at
Erlanger hospital, Chattanooga.
Mr.
Williams was born and reared in Winchester, the second son of Judge J.J. and
Mrs. Victoria Robertson Williams, and was educated at Winchester
Normal. He served one term as circuit
court clerk of Franklin county, was admitted to the Winchester bar, while
circuit court clerk, and practiced law in Winchester until he moved to
Chattanooga about 18 years ago, where he continued the practice of law.
Soon
after moving to Hamilton county, he was urged to make the race as
representative and was elected by a large vote and made an enviable record in
the lower house.
He
was prominently identified with local and state politics and for years was a
member of the state democratic executive committee. He was manager of the campaign of Hon. T.R.
Preston for governor.
Mr.
Williams was a member of the Episcopal church and was a Mason.
Surviving
him are his wife and four daughters, Mrs. Victoria Almquist of West Point,
N.Y., Mrs. Rachel Gantt, of West Point, N.Y., Mrs. Virginia Otterback of
Chicago, and Mrs. Mary Steihl of St. Louis; one son, Jack Williams of
Chattanooga; four brothers, Claude Williams of Nashville, Percy Williams of
Nashville, Ernest Williams of Ft. Myers, Fla., and Victor Williams of
Winchester; and three sisters, Mrs. William McCallum of Los Angeles, Cal., Miss
Clara B. Williams of Los Angeles, Cal. and Mrs. Kelsey Blanton, of Lakeland,
Fla.
Funeral
services will be held at the O'Donohue funeral home in Chattanooga Thursday
evening, and the body will arrive in Winchester at 8 a.m. Friday, and be taken
to the Episcopal church. Burial will be
at 2 p.m.
Williams' son's obituary in Wednesday, July 2, 1952, The
Winchester Herald-Times, Winchester, Tennessee:
Claude P. Williams, 82, a native of Franklin County
and former assistant treasurer of the State of Tennessee, died Thursday night
at the home of his daughter, Mrs. Harry Merchant, at Gainesville, Fla.,
following a lengthy illness.
Rites
were held at Gainesville and commitment services will be held later at
Winchester.
Mr.
Williams was the son of the late Judge John J. Williams and Victoria
Robertson Williams. A Tennessee
official for 20 years, he served as state game warden and held a post with the
state department of finance and taxation, in addition to the treasurer's
position.
He
was a member of the police department at Winchester during his early
years. He was a member of the Episcopal
Church.
Surviving,
in addition to his daughter, are his widow, Mrs. Anna Miller Williams,
Gainesville; three sons, Jack Williams, Nashville, Claude M. Williams and Percy
Williams, New Orleans, La., another daughter, Mrs. John Horas, Marietta, Ga.;
two brothers, Percy Williams, his twin, Lakeland, Fla., and Victor R. Williams,
Winchester; two sisters, Mrs. May Blanton, Lakeland, and Miss Clara Belle
Williams, San Francisco, Calif.
Williams' son's sketch in Volume VI of Hale's and
Merritt's A History of Tennessee and Tennesseans, published 1913:
PERCY
H. WILLIAMS, clerk and master of the chancery court at Winchester. Mr. Williams has been a member of the
Franklin county bar for ten or twelve years, and either as deputy or chief has
been connected with his present duties for a much longer period, and in both
his public and private relations with the community his career has been characterized
by faithful and intelligent service. Mr.
Williams represents one of the old families of Tennessee, and as farmers,
business men, soldiers and citizens the various generations have done well
their part in the history of this state.
Percy
H. Williams was born in his present home town of Winchester on September 5,
1869, a son of J.J. and Victoria (Robertson) Williams. His paternal grandfather was John Williams, a
farmer of Maury county, and also for a number of years a merchant at
Centerville, in Hickman county. He
married a Miss Ayres, and their only son was J.J. Williams, while they also had
two daughters.
J.J.
Williams, the father, was born in Maury county, November 10, 1829 [should be
December 14, 1829], and died in 1891.
His wife was born in Franklin county, July 4, 1843 [should be Lincoln
County, July 4, 1840], and died in 1905. They were married in 1863 and became the
parents of six sons and three daughters, eight of whom are still living, Percy
H. being one of twins. J.J. Williams was
reared in Maury and Hickman counties, received most of his
education in the schools of Columbia, studied law with his first cousin, Col.
Ed Gant [sic], of Memphis, and was admitted to the bar in Maury
county in 1851, and began law practice there.
Previous to the war he represented Hickman county in the
legislature. He was an ardent
southerner, and early in the war enlisted in a Tennessee regiment, held a
non-commissioned office, and just previous to the battle of Shiloh was promoted
to colonel and later to major. At the
great fight of Shiloh he was severely wounded, a minie
ball entering his chest and coming out of his back. After that he was practically incapacitated
for active service. He still remained a
secessionist, being unreconstructed after the war, and in consequence was
arrested and tried for treason, but was pardoned through the intervention of
President Johnson. Soon after the close
of the war he came to Winchester, where his wife's people had lived. He had met and married Miss Robertson at Cartersville
[since Cassville is not listed on present maps, it is suspected Cartersville
may be correct], Georgia, where the Robinson family were refugees during
the war. The Robertsons
had a large plantation on the Elk river, owning a large estate and many
negroes. This plantation Mr. Williams
managed for two years, and then in 1867 located in Winchester, where he resumed
the practice of law, which had been interrupted by the outbreak of the war. He was appointed by Gov. J.D. Porter circuit
judge to fill out the unexpired term of Judge Hickerson,
and after serving three years was re-elected for the full term of eight
years. In 1887 he again went to the
legislature from Franklin county, and after that continued in the active
practice of law at Winchester until his death.
He was a Democrat in politics, was fraternally a member of the Knights
of Honor, and had extensive farming interests in Franklin county. Among the older citizens he is well
remembered as a capable and impartial judge of the law and as a man whose life
was in every respect above reproach.
Percy H. Williams has spent practically all his life
in Franklin county, and was educated at the Noted Winchester Normal School,
which produced so many capable men and women in the activities of this section
of the state. After completing his
course in the literary department he took work in the commercial courses, and
his first important business connection was in a railroad office at Nashville,
beginning in 1892 and remaining there three years. After that he returned to Winchester and
began his public career as deputy clerk and master, holding that position for
twelve years. In 1900, after having
pursued his studies under local direction, he was admitted to the bar at
Winchester and spent one year in practice.
He was then appointed clerk and master by Counsellor
McConnell in 1906, and has discharged the duties of this important county
office ever since. Mr. Williams has
taken much part in politics and at the present time is election commissioner of
Franklin county. He served on the state
Democratic executive committee during 1909-10, and resigned in 1911 at the time
of the split in the party in Tennessee.
Mr. Williams is also engaged in the insurance business and has extensive
farming interests in Franklin county.
Fraternally he is affiliated with Cumberland Lodge, No. 158, A.F. &
A.M.; with Winchester Lodge, No. 56, I.O.O.F., and with Osceola Lodge, No. 157,
Knights of Pythias.
He and his wife are both members of the Episcopal church. On December 17, 1907, Mr. Williams married
Edith Orr Carleton, of Memphis, daughter of Ed and Ninia
W. Carleton.
Williams' son's obituary in Wednesday, January 4,
1956, The Winchester Herald-Times, Winchester, Tennessee:
Percy H. Williams, 86, native and former chancery
court clerk of Franklin County, died Sunday at Winchester Hospital after a
short illness.
Funeral
services were conducted at 2:30 p.m. Monday at Trinity Episcopal Church, The
Rev. George H. Harris, rector, officiated.
Masonic
rites were held at the graveside in City Cemetery. Steed-Anderton was
in charge of arrangements.
Mr.
Williams had been receiving treatment for pneumonia for several days before his
death.
He
was a son of the late Judge J.J. Williams and Victoria Robertson
Williams. He was a former employe [sic] of the state treasurer's office
in Nashville.
Mr.
Williams was a member of the Episcopal Church and a Mason.
Surviving are a son, Carlton Williams, Larkspur, Calif.; one
brother, V.R. Williams, Winchester; one sister, Miss Clara Belle Williams,
Winchester; and two grandchildren.
Williams' son's sketch in Volume III, Tennessee The
Volunteer State 1769-1923, published 1923:
Notable among the successful business men of
Winchester and Franklin county is Victor Robertson Williams, engaged in the
general insurance business and an active worker in civic and county
affairs. Victor R. Williams was born in
Winchester, June 15, 1873, the youngest of the nine children of Judge John J.
and Victoria Felicia (Robertson) Williams, whose biographies appear upon
another page of this volume.
The
public schools of Franklin county afforded Victor R. Williams his early
education and he ws a
student in the Winchester Normal School until the age of sixteen years, when he
engaged in contract work with his brother, the late Clarence F. Williams. In 1897 Mr. Williams made his initial step in
the insurance business and through his constant effort and wise management has
found success in his chosen vocation. He
now has the largest agency in this section of the state, representing as
district agent the Aetna Life Insurance Company, the Fidelity Casualty Company
of New York, as well as a number of the oldest and largest fire insurance
companies. For many years Mr. Williams
was extensively engaged in breeding standard-bred horses and was a recognized
authority on the trotting horse. He was
president of the Franklin County Stud, which was headed by the trotting
stallion, Pilatus, 2.09 1/4. Associated with Mr. Williams in this were a
number of the most progressive business men of this section. This famous stallion was brought to this
country by Mr. Williams and was exhibited for several years at the county and
state fairs. He won a silver loving cup
three successive years, which trophy was awarded by the Phoenix National Bank
of Columbia for the best bred trotting horse.
He also won the largest prize ever given by the state fair at Nashville,
in a contest with thirty odd horses, mares and geldings. Pilatus died at the
Winchester fair grounds October 12, 1919.
Mr. Williams was also largely instrumental in the organization of the
Franklin County Fair Association, was the first secretary of the association
and served as such for many years.
On
the 21st of April, 1904, in Nashville, was celebrated the marriage of Victor R.
Williams and Mrs. Clara Vaughan, the daughter of John and Dora (Blake) Welker,
the former a native of Indiana and the latter of Pennsylvania. Mr. and Mrs. Williams have become the parents
of two children: Victoria Felicia, born
in 1907; and Clara Welker, born in 1911.
Since
attaining his majority Mr. Williams has been a stanch [sic] supporter of
the democratic party. Fraternally he is
identified with the Knights of Pythias and,
indicative of his interest in civic affairs, he is a member of the Civitan Club. In
January, 1923, he was elected president of the latter organization. Mr. Williams' religious faith is that of the
Episcopal church and he has been a vestryman for a number of years and was
elected junior warden in 1921. For a
period of four years Mr. Williams served as school director of the Winchester
public schools and during this time was directly responsible for many permanent
improvements both in school property and management. He gave to this position a practical and
valuable business administration.
Through his efforts the Winchester public school was made a first-class
graduating elementary school of eight grades.
He also introduced the domestic science of home economics course for the
upper grades and was instrumental in the purchase of a large adjacent lot to be
a part of the school campus.
Williams' son's obituary in Wednesday, June 18, 1958, The
Winchester Herald-Times, Winchester, Tennessee:
Victor
Robertson Williams, 84, founder and co-owner of V.R. Williams Insurance Co.
here, and a prominent civic leader for a number of years, died Saturday morning
at Emerald-Hodgson Hospital, Sewanee, after a short illness.
Mr.
Williams, who had been in declining health for several months, had undergone an
appendectomy at the Sewanee hospital the previous Tuesday.
Funeral
services were at 4 p.m. Sunday at Trinity Episcopal Church here. The Rev. James H. Newsom Jr.,
priest-in-charge, officiated.
Interment
was in City Cemetery, with arrangements by Sims-Watson & Huffman.
Pallbearers
were William Cravens, Frank Hickerson, John Baggenstoss, Maynard Long, Francis Bass and Karl Edwards.
Mr.
Williams was born in 1873, a son of the late Judge J.J. Williams and Mrs.
Victoria Felicia Robertson Williams, members of pioneer Franklin County
families.
He
was a charter member of the first Civitan Club formed
here and served as president of the organization. He organized Winchester's first Boy Scout
troop, known as the Davy Crockett Troop.
Mr.
Williams was founder of the Franklin County Fair Association and served as its
racing secretary for a number of years.
He
was a charter member of Winchester Rotary Club and still maintained membership
in the organization at the time of his death.
Mr. Williams was honored by his fellow Rotarians during a program at
Woods Reservoir in August 1956.
He
was a former member of the Franklin County Board of Education and a former
member of the Knights of Pythias. He was an honorary lifetime senior warden of
Trinity Episcopal Church and an honorary member of the Associated Alumni of the
University of the South, Sewanee.
He
entered the insurance business here in 1896 and was actively associated with
the firm for more than 50 years. In
spite of advancing years, he continued to maintain contact with the agency
office until shortly before his death.
Survivors
include his widow, Mrs. Clara Welker Williams; two daughters, Mrs. James E. Thorogood, Sewanee, and Miss Clara Williams, Winchester; a
sister, Miss Clara Belle Williams, Altamont; and one granddaughter.
Williams' daughter's obituary in Wednesday, September
26, 1951, The Winchester Herald-Times, Winchester, Tennessee:
Committment [sic] services for Mrs. Irene Williams
McCallum, member of a prominent Winchester family, were held at 4:30 p.m.
Friday at City Cemetery in Winchester.
The Rev. George H. Harris, rector of Trinity Episcopal
Church, officiated. Mrs. McCallum died
several weeks ago at her home in Lakeland, Fla.
Daughter
of the late Judge J.J. Williams and Victoria Robertson Williams, she was
born March 1, 1877 at Winchester, where she spent most of her early life.
Her
study of art, which began here in girlhood, was continued in Colorado and
California and she was graduated from the Otis Art Institute in Los Angels [sic]. Mrs. McCallum achieved special success in
portraiture and her works were exhibited with distinguished artists at numerous
galleries throughout the country, bringing her a large number of awards. She was a member of California, Florida and
North Carolina art societies.
She
was married in 1919 to William McCallum, a Los Angeles architect, and they made
their home in California until 1944, when they moved to North Carolina because
of her declining health. The couple
moved to Lakeland last October.
She
was a member of the Episcopal Church at Winchester.
In
addition to her husband, Mrs. McCallum is survived by three brothers, V.R.
Williams and Percy Williams, both of Winchester, and Claude Williams, Gainesville,
Fla.; two sisters, Miss Clara Belle Williams and Mrs. May W. Blanton, both of
Lakeland.
Williams' daughter's obituary in Thursday, June 3,
1880, The Home Journal, Winchester, Tennessee:
DIED, on the 23d of May, 1880, Lizzie Corrine, second
daughter of Judge J.J. Williams and wife, aged 2 years and 8 months [if this
age is correct, she was born in 1877; therefore, her sister Irene was born in
1876 rather than 1877].
She
has left us, gone like a dream--beautiful and bright. Like a captive bird, she burst her prison
bars, plumed her bright wings, and soared away in freedom beyond the stars; and
the little angels pushed the gates ajar and she entered into rest. Corrine, we would not call you back, though
dear to all. We meet and we miss
you. Your little chair is vacant, your little turned-down plate, your little doll laid away
with care. Sister Irene is lonely now;
she is most patiently waiting, and says God will send you back again. Poor, heartbroken Mama and Papa will hear no
more the sweet words, "Mama love me," that fell from your lips so
often during the day. With the fond
parents, O, Heavenly Father, abide,--forsake them not, thou truest and best of
friends. Do thou but lead them on, and
they will follow thee to the end.
Cease no longer here to detain me,
Fondest parents, drowned in woe;
Now thy kind caresses pain me,
Warm advances--let me go.
AUNT
LIZZIE.
Williams' daughter's obituary in Thursday, August 17,
1967, The Herald-Chronicle, Winchester, Tennessee:
Miss Clara Belle Williams, of Winchester, member of a
pioneer Franklin County family, died last Wednesday night at the Coffee County
Hospital in Manchester after a lengthy illness.
She was 87.
Funeral services were held at 4 p.m. last Friday at
Trinity Episcopal Church. The Rev.
Walter Norcross officiated, and burial was in the Winchester City Cemetery.
Miss Williams, was a retired teacher at Smith College, in
Massachusetts. A Franklin County native,
she was the daughter of the late John J. and Victoria Felicia Robertson
Williams. She was a member of the
Episcopal Church.
Miss
Williams was the sister of the late V.R. Williams, founder of the Winchester
insurance agency which bears his name.
Only
nieces and nephews survive.
Williams' son's obituary in Thursday, November 30,
1939, The Truth and Herald, Winchester, Tennessee:
Ernest Williams, 54 [tombstone gives birth year as
1882], died at 10:20 o'clock Tuesday night, following a week's illness from
an acute stomach ailment. Mr. Williams
had not been in good health for several months but his untimely passing was a
great shock to his relatives and friends.
Ernest
Williams was the son of the late Judge John J. Williams, one of the leading
lawyers and jurists of the state, a soldier and officer of the Confederacy, a
member of the State Legislature and Colonel on the staff of Gov. Isham G. Harris.
His
mother was Victoria Robertson Williams, one of the early graduates of
old Mary Sharp College, and also a member of a prominent pioneer
family.
Mr.
Williams was a native of Winchester. He
was educated at the Winchester Normal College and Terrill College at Decherd,
and attended the Sewanee Military Academy at Sewanee.
For
many years he was connected with his brother, V.R. Williams, in the general
insurance business here. He was engaged
in insurance in Ft. Myers, Fla., for several years but returned to Winchester
in recent years and assumed his former place in the office of V.R. Williams.
Mr.
Williams was highly esteemed by all who knew him. He was modest in manner and not inclined to
ostentation. His character embodied
those virtues that drew around him a friendship that was wide and enduring.
He
was a Mason and a member of the Trinity Episcopal Church.
Surviving
are three brothers, Percy, Victor and Claude.[error in punctuation]
three sisters, Miss Clara Belle of Winchester, Mrs. Kelsey Blanton of Lakeland,
Fla., and Mrs. William McCallum, Los Angeles, Calif.
Funeral
arrangements have not been made at this time, awaiting the arrival of
relatives.