CENTRE LINES

The WILLIAMS Family

This column is part of a feature series which focuses on a different Centre County family each week. Five new columns will be released each month unless some technical difficulty enters the picture.

This column's focus is on WILLIAMS. An effort has been made to identify all persons carrying that name in the 1890 U.S. Census, using the Centre County business directory which was formed from a preliminary review of that census before the larger set of 1890 U.S. Census records was destroyed by fire. (Sadly, the postal directory does not typically provide the ages of females, but it's the best record we've got).

Five books in the Pennsylvania Room of the Centre County Library in Bellefonte deal at some length with this family. They are Walter Braun's The William Williams Family of Bald Eagle Valley (State College, Pa., 1994) and The John Harris Family Connection (1994); Bessie Douglas' The Families of Joshua Williams of Chester County, Pa. and John McKeehan of Cumberland County, Pa. with Some Allied Families(Minneapolis, Minn., 1928); Robert Dymond's Genealogy of the Dymond, Williams, and Related Families(Baltimore, Md.: Gateway Press, 1981); and, Looking Backward Ten Generations: with Connected Families: Wise, Wade, Williams Families (no author given, 19--).

There are 95 different first-name entries for Williams in John Blair Linn's History of Centre and Clinton County (1883). In addition, there are 84 references to the Williams name in Beers' Commemorative Biographical Record of Central Pennsylvania (1898) with the following persons (with an identifiable Centre County connection) having separate profiles: ALBERT YOUNG Williams (b. 1849, s/o Joseph and Margaret Wagner);HERBERT Williams (b. 1826, s/o William and Ann); and, SAMUEL H. Williams (b. 1839, s.o John F. and Eliza Bunting).

And now, your ancestors WILLIAMS neighbors in 1890:

In BELLEFONTE BOROUGH:

Aaron, 52, attorney--127 East Howard Jennie Catherine S.--331 North Spring Clara--South Thomas Foster D., 30, clerk--114 West High Rachel R. Edna M. Jacob V., 51, hotel waiter--23 St. Paul Rachel A. Robert M. 16 Sarah J. Guy B. 4 Mary E. James M., 57, carpenter Mary M. Frank 22 Samuel H., 51, dealer in wall paper and painting contractor--21 Reynolds Ave. Laura E. Horatio C. 24 John H. 22 Willis E. 18 Rilla

In BOGGS TOWNSHIP:

Sarah J.--Roland

In COLLEGE TOWNSHIP:

David, 18--Houserville Elmer S., 24, laborer--Lemont Evan, 64, laborer--Lemont Margaret George C., 48, plasterer--Lemont Carrie M. John H., 30, laborer--Lemont Ida M. Clarence C. 5 James B. 1 John I., 47, carpenter--Lemont Mary E. Sadie J. Alice M. Harry 5 Julia A.--Lemont James M. 32 Lizzie--Lemont Rosanna--Lemont Sarah E. Thomas, 49, farmer--Lemont Alice Frank 19 Maud Charles 14 David B. 11 John O. 11 Thomas F., 25, farmer--Lemont Maggie M.

In GREGG TOWNSHIP:

Mary--Spring Mills Clayton 13

In HAINES TOWNSHIP:

Maud--Aaronsburg Samuel, 38, laborer--Woodward Amelia Walter F. 10 Maud Lydia

In HALF-MOON TOWNSHIP:

Ellis D., 34, carpenter--Stormstown Sarah James B. 11 Maud Brelle 7 Harry 6 Berriell Herman 2 Blanche

In HARRIS TOWNSHIP:

Elmer, 23, laborer--Boalsburg Sadie--Linden Hall

In HOWARD TOWNSHIP:

John, 39, puddler--Howard

In HUSTON TOWNSHIP:

Abednego, 41, farmer--Martha Kate M. Susan E. Martha J. John R. 15 Harry S. 12 Theodore E. 11 Roger G. 9 Mark C. 7 Bertha--Julian C. A., 45, laborer--Julian Elisha, 63, laborer--Julian Calvin, 52, laborer--Martha Levina Daney 18 Mary E. Myrtle S. William B. 10 Frederick Catherine Bertha Eliza R.--Julian Elizabeth T. Mary T. Elmer B. 24 Edward H. 17 Eliza B. Stella Nora M. Elmer, 68--Martha Jesse, 71, farmer--Martha Sarah A. Josephine--Martha Shedrick, 47, merchant--Martha Rebecca Gertie Lottie William S. 12 Charles G. 10 Byron 7 Patience M. Powell 4 Nancy Bessie

In LIBERTY TOWNSHIP:

Christian, 35, agent--Blanchard Rhoda Mabel Isaac R., 45, barber--Blanchard C.M. Harry 13 Shuman S. 19 Eliza C. Henry S. 7 Nancy I. George F. 3 Lora C. Jane C. --Blanchard David 21 Lizzie I. John N., 68, carpenter--Blanchard Elizabeth Mina R.

In MILLHEIM BOROUGH:

Irwin T., 35, laborer Maggie A. Wilbur G. 1

In PATTON TOWNSHIP:

George W., 27, fireman--Benore James, 25--Benore Hannah Alma Harry 1 Muri 3 mos. Meshic, 49, millwright George S. 11 Judson A. 9 Frank L. 8 Allie R. Clamson 3 Harriet Susan A.--Buffalo Run

In PENN TOWNSHIP:

Elsie I.--Coburn

In PHILIPSBURG BOROUGH:

Caroline--4th St. Esther Charles, 27, porter--Presquile St. David J., 46, laborer--7th St. Esther John 17 Herbert 10 Edith David E. 4 David T., 42, miner, Spruce St. Jane George W. 21 David 14 Thomas 12 Ulysses S. 4 George D., 20, porter--Front St. Harry, 25, miner--Spruce St. James C., 68, laborer--3rd St. Martha A. Henry C. 39 Anna V. Edna K. Lawrence, 24, miner--Spruce St. Sophia C.--Presquile St. William R., 33, cabinet maker--Pine St. Maggie A.

In POTTER TOWNSHIP:

Alfred C., 32, farmer--Centre Hill Sallie J. Blaine 6 Bessie I. Thomas E., 18--Tusseyville

IN RUSH TOWNSHIP:

Benjamin, 80, retired--Osceola Benjamin, 51, miner--Osceola George, 23, laborer--Sandy Ridge James F., 22, laborer--Sandy Ridge Jennie B. William T. 2 mos. John F., 34, laborer--Philipsburg Margaret J. Sarah E. Charles 5 Carey M. 3 Lucy L. Harry J. 2 mos. William, 43, laborer--Philipsburg Sarah John 19 Jacob 17 Sarah Blanche William 6 George 4 Luella William, 23, laborer--Sandy Ridge William, 23, laborer--Sandy Ridge Mary E. Minnie A. John 1 William H., 56, laborer--Philipsburg Annie H. Ida M. Bertha E.

In SNOW SHOE TOWNSHIP:

Daniel, 53, laborer--Snow Shoe Annie William 22 Blanchard Laura Georgiana Charles 6 Perry 1 Rebecca--Snow Shoe Scott 5

In SPRING TOWNSHIP:

Isaac, 60, laborer--Bellefonte Sarah J. Hannibal 14 Benjamin F. 41 Celia Harriet Lawrence 12 Henry ll Celia Alice M. Louisa John L., 17, laborer--Bellefonte Mark, 82, mill wright--Axe Mann Sarah Mary E. Mordecai 40 James E. 32 Martha, Bellefonte

In UNION TOWNSHIP:

Theodore G., 23, farmer--Fleming

In WALKER TOWNSHIP:

Mary L.--Nittany Minnie A. Wilbur M. 8 Clara M. Ulysses G., 24, laborer--Nittany Sarah J. Zachary T., 64, lumberman--Nittany Sarah J. Thomas A. 29 David E. 19

In WORTH TOWNSHIP:

Agilla, 33, farmer--Port Matilda Laura Samuel 12 Robert 8 mos. Albert, 41, miller--Port Matilda Delilah Abbie Maggie B. John 15 Florence Edith Mabel William 6 Belva John W. 18 Blou, 32, laborer--Port Matilda Etta Vetta Claire 7 George R., 44, farmer--Port Matilda Frances Aaron 19 Flora Blanche Walter 7 Gordon 5 George W., 44, farmer--Port Matilda H., 39, farmer, Port Matilda Dora Orlena Nancy James B., 49, farmer, Port Matilda Hannah William 13 Ebenezer 11 Charles 5 Adah 4 Job, 56, laborer--Port Matilda Mary Catharine John C., 42, farmer--Port Matilda Mary E. Simon A. 15 Allis Maggie Vergie Jacob 7 Bernard 4 Barde O. 2 McClennan, 25, laborer--Port Matilda Annie Orvis A., 22, farmer--Port Matilda Nannie Merly Ruth Wilson, 58, farmer--Martha Ellen Ida Annetta Margaret Minnie Rachel J. Henry 22 Mary Edward 18 Elmer 16 Clyde 13 Lillie