JAMES WILLIAMS 1828-1906, wife MARTHA OWINGS 1833-1897

Page content last modified:

January 25, 2006, added link to Mary Jeanette Williams Duffy; reference to David Young.
July 23, 2004, added link to Edna Williams Seward; corrected page number of 1880 census.

JAMES WILLIAMS 1828-1906
MARTHA OWINGS 1833-1897

James Williams was born April 9, 1828, in Kentucky, the son of

Matthew Williams and Sarah Jones. He died February 9, 1906, in Fountain Green, Hancock County, Illinois, and was buried at Majorville Cemetery, also in Hancock County.

Tombstone

Obituary

He first came to Illinois with his uncle, Major John Williams, who had returned to Kentucky from Hancock County, remarried, and then took his bride back to Illinois in 1836.

Excerpted From a letter dated February 11, 1906, from Stella Roberts Alton (James' niece) to Cora Ellen Roberts (James' grandniece):

It seems to bad that every time i write i have bad news to tell you. we just got home from laying poor old uncle Jim to rest. he died last friday morning at fifteen minutes past eight. he has been failing for some time but was able to set up untill Thursday, [when] he didn't set up any. only a week from the day he died he was out and sawed wood on the wood pile. he knew every thing up to the last and seemed to know he was going. ~ ~ i saw Tom Callihan at the funeral to day. he said he was at the depo and saw Mary go through Tennessee the morning uncle Jim died, but dident get to only just speak to her and in a few minutes after she was gone he heard of his death. there was a large crowd out to the funeral although it was awful cold and chilly.

Shared by Dianne Brown

James married Martha Owings on April 1, 1858, at New Boston, Lee County, Iowa.

Martha Owings was born in 1833 in Indiana, died June 4, 1897, probably in or near Hancock County, Illinois. She was buried at Majorville Cemetery, also in Hancock County. Tombstone

Martha was first married to Robert Young. Together they had one daughter, Laura Young, born February 19, 1853, in Iowa. Robert died when Laura was still a little girl.

The 1880 Mortality Schedule for Fountain Green Township (scroll to family #77) indicated that a man named David Young, 20, single, had been living in the Williams household at the time of his death from pneumonia in March of that year. He had been a resident of Hancock County for 6 months. He was born in Kentucky, father born Tennessee, mother born Kentucky. Perhaps he was related to Robert.

The children of James Williams and Martha Owings Young were:

i.	Viola Williams, born about January 1860 in Illinois, died before June 1870, probably in Hancock County, Illinois; burial location undetermined.
ii.	Lucy Jane Williams, born about 1861 in Hancock County, Illinois, died before 1906. Burial location undetermined.
iii.	Edna A. Williams, born 1863 in Illinois, died 1952, burial at Majorville Cemetery, Hancock County, Illinois.
iv.	Charles Williams, born about 1866 in Illinois, died before April 16, 1950, burial location undetermined.
v.	Mary Jeanette Williams, born February 22, 1871, in Hancock County, Illinois, near Joetta. She died April 16, 1950, at LaHarpe, Hancock County, Illinois. She was buried at Moss Ridge Cemetery, Carthage Township, Hancock County, Illinois

1860 Illinois Census, McDonough County, Tennessee Township, page 696
enumerated July 21, 1860, dwelling #2447

James Williams, 30, male, carpenter, value of personal estate 100, born KY
Martha, 27, female, born IN
Sarah E Young, 7, female, born IA
Viola Williams, 6/12, female, born IL

1870 Illinois Census, Hancock County, Hancock Township, page 153
enumerated June 14, 1870, dwelling #32

Williams, James, 41, farmer, value of personal estate - 200, born KY
Martha, 33, born IN
Young, Laura, 18, born IA
Lucy Jane, 9, born IL
Edna A, 7, born IL
Charles, 4, born IL

1880 Illinois Census, Hancock County, Fountain Green Township, page 111D
enumerated June 7 and 8, 1880, dwelling #74

Williams, James, 52, married, farmer, born KY, both parents born NC
Martha, 47, wife, married, keeping house, born IN, both parents born KY
Lucy, 19, daughter, single, at home, born IL, father born KY, mother born IN
Edna, 17, daughter, single, at home, attended school within the year, born IL, father born KY,
mother born IN
Charles, 14, son, single, at home, attended school with the year, born IL,
father born KY, mother born IN
Nettie, 9, daughter, single, at home, attended school within the year, cannot write, born IL,
father born KY, mother born IN
Lincoln, Thomas J, 57, boarder, widower, laborer, born in KY, both parents born KY
Lincoln, Mary E, 12, boarder, single, attended school within the year, born IL,
both parents born KY

1900 Illinois Census, Hancock County, Fountain Green Township, page 28B
enumerated June 2, 1900, dwelling #108B

Williams, James, head, white, male, born Apr 1828, 72, widower, born KY, both parents born SC, could read, write, and speak English, owned his home

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