Copyright USGenNet Inc., 2013, All Rights Reserved U.S. Data Repository Please read U.S. Data Repository Copyright Statement on this page: Transcribed and submitted by Karen D. Foster for the US Data Repository http://www.us-data.org/ ========================================================================== U.S. Data Repository NOTICE: These electronic pages may NOT be reproduced in any format for profit or presentation by any other organization. Non-commercial organizations desiring to use this material must obtain the consent of the transcriber prior to use. Individuals desiring to use this material in their own research may do so. ========================================================================== Formatted by U.S. Data Repository Chief Archivist, Linda Talbott All of the above information must remain when copied or downloaded. ========================================================================== SOURCE: History of Genesee County, Michigan pub. Everts and Abbott - 1879 Page 298 - 299 WILLIAM I. WILLIAMS Among the self made men of Genesee County there are none who better deserve the title, or who by their acts have made their influence more felt, than William I. Williams, of whom this brief sketch is written. Mr. Williams was born in Darlington, Canada, May 31, 1828. His father, Adna Williams, was born in Connecticut, but moved to Canada, where he married Miss Ellen Cutcher, who was born Oct. 23, 1809. Soon after William's birth his father moved back to the States, and settled in Livingston Co., N.Y., where he worked at his trade, that of a machinist. After the death of his father his mother again married, and the family at once came to Michigan, settling in Saginaw, then a place of about two hundred inhabitants. This was in 1836. In 1840 they moved to Grand Blanc, where his step-father worked a rented farm. He afterwards purchased the farm now owned by John L. Jennings, but, his death occurring a few weeks later, the farm was given up. William I. was then but fourteen years old, and the eldest ========================================================================== Page 299 of the children; he thus early became the head of the family. With the help of an uncle a log house was built, and the first three acres cleared and got into wheat, but the farm had to be given up as above stated. He then bought five years of a ten-year lease of fourteen acres of land on the farm of Mr. Baldwin, and paid the rent for the same by clearing land. He lived on this land five years, and endured many privations, there being days in their lives when, with nothing in the house to eat, hunger and grim want stared them in the face. Yet William showed himself equal to the occasion, and the family were reared and educated, he himself having had but limited opportunities in that direction, being wholly embraced by a few months' attendance at a winter school and studying nights by the light of a fireplace. So well did he avail himself of his advantages that when seventeen years of age we find him teaching school, which he followed successfully for several terms. In 1850, Mr. Williams bought the south half of the west half of the southwest quarter of section 28, which was then all new, he cutting thereon the first tree. On this tract he built a log house, and moved his mother's family into it. Six years after, he bought the remainder of the eighty acres which he now owns, and which are under a good state of improvement, with a fine new house, good barns, orchard, etc., and where the aged mother still finds a home. Mr. Williams owes his success in life to the fact that he has always been able to turn his hand to almost any kind of work. He has worked at the cooper's trade, has helped build his own buildings, in his younger day was a successful sheep-shearer, and has never refused to work on account of low wages. He is now working his farm and is also engaged in the mercantile busi- ness, keeping a small stock of general merchandise in connection with the post-office at Mundy, of which he is and has been for several years postmaster. He has for several years passed his leisure hours in writing poetry and articles on temperance and pioneer life, many of which he has contributed to the county press. In politics he is a Democrat. He has been for five years supervisor of his town, filling the office to the satisfaction of his constituents; has also served as town clerk for several years, and many times as highway commissioner and school inspector. In 1870 he was the Demo- cratic nominee for State senator, and in 1872 for sheriff', but, his party being largely in the minority, he was not elected. On the 1st day of January, 1859, Mr. Williams married Miss Julia Merrill, daughter of Horace Merrill. This union was blessed with one child, Ida J., born Sept. 19, 1859. Miss Williams is now teaching in Oregon. Mrs. Williams died April 3, 1862. For his second wife Mr. Williams married Miss Selina L. Peck, daughter of William A. and Eliza (Lindsley) Peck, born May 15, 1839, married March 29, 1869. There have been born to them four children, — Charles B., born Dec. 8, 1868 ; William E., born March 8, 1870; Julius I., born April 15, 1873; and Clarence M., born Dec. 25, 1875. ==========================================================================