John Benjamin Williams
From WilhelmWiki
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{{Infobox ancestor | {{Infobox ancestor | ||
| name = John Benjamin Williams | | name = John Benjamin Williams | ||
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| father = [[John Andrew Williams]] | | father = [[John Andrew Williams]] | ||
| mother = [[Mercy Farrington]] | | mother = [[Mercy Farrington]] | ||
| - | | spouse = [[Clarissa | + | | spouse = [[Clarissa Harden]] |
}} | }} | ||
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==Biography== | ==Biography== | ||
| + | John Benjamin Williams was born [[June 12]], [[1817]] in [[Venice, New York|Venice]], [[New York]], a small town located in [[Cayuga County, New York|Cayuga County]], which lies in the Finger Lakes region of upstate New York. Very little is known about his early life. | ||
| + | In September 1938, John married [[Clarissa Harden]] and they settled in [[Venice, New York|Venice]], about mile away from his brothers. In 1840 John and Clarissa had their first child, a boy they named [[James Return Williams|James Return]]. A girl was added to the family in April 1842 with the birth of [[Susan Clarissa Williams|Susan Clarissa]] but the joy was short-lived as John's [[John Andrew Williams|father]] died the same month after a long illness. | ||
| + | It was about this time that John and Clarissa and John's sister [[Sarah Williams|Sarah]] became aware of the teachings of Mormon preachers in the area, and John and Clarissa were baptized into the Mormon faith on [[July 4]], [[1842]]. Soon after joining the Mormons, they began to lay in supplies and made plans to move to [[Nauvoo, Illinois|Nauvoo]], [[Illinois]]. They were unable to sell their property in [[Venice, New York|Venice]], so a few months after the birth of their third child, [[Bateman Haight Wilhelm|Bateman Haight]], they abandoned their farm, horses, cattle, and sheep, and left for [[Nauvoo, Illinois|Nauvoo]] with John's sister [[Sarah Williams|Sarah]]. John's brothers Daniel and Martin delivered a load of freight and [[Sarah Williams|Sarah]] to the Erie Canal, while John and Clarissa followed behind in a buggy. | ||
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| + | They made their way via Buffalo, Cleveland, Portsmouth and St. Louis, finally arriving in Nauvoo in October 1, [[1844]]. They stayed with Daniel Spencer until Spring, then moved to the Spencer farm several miles out of town. They lived on the farm for about a year, but moved back into town in the winter of 1845 due to the increase in mob violence directed toward the Mormons. In May of [[1846]] Clarissa gave birth to their 4th child, [[Ellen Albinia Williams|Ellen]], and a month later they crossed the river into [[Iowa]] with a group of Mormons led by Hiram Spencer. After wintering in Council Bluffs, they went to [[Mosquito Creek, Iowa|Mosquito Creek]], where son [[John Benjamin Williams, Jr.|John Jr.]] was born, then on to Missouri. | ||
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| + | In the fall of [[1848]], they visited John's sister [[Sarah Williams|Sarah]] in St. Joseph before moving to [[Weston, Missouri|Weston]], a small town on the Platte River in Western [[Missouri]]. While living in [[Weston, Missouri|Weston]], daughter [[Elizabeth Mercy Williams|Elizabeth]] was born in June of [[1850]]. Later that year, [[John Benjamin Williams, Jr.|John Jr.]] became ill and eventually died in November. In [[1851]], [[Elizabeth Mercy Williams|Elizabeth]] died in January, and John himself died in March after a lengthy illness. | ||
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==Children== | ==Children== | ||
| + | ===[[James Return Williams]]=== | ||
| + | * Born [[June 22]], [[1840]] in [[Venice, New York|Venice]], [[Cayuga County, New York|Cayuga]], [[New York]] | ||
| + | * Died [[1870]] | ||
| - | == | + | ===[[Susan Clarissa Williams]]=== |
| + | * Born [[April 20]], [[1842]] in [[Venice, New York|Venice]], [[Cayuga County, New York|Cayuga]], [[New York]] | ||
| + | * Marr: 1856 - Samuel Comstock Snyder (other spouses) | ||
| + | * Died [[June 15]], [[1937]] in [[Provo, Utah|Provo]], [[Utah County, Utah|Utah]], [[Utah]] | ||
| + | ===[[Bateman Haight Wilhelm|Bateman Haight Williams]]=== | ||
| + | * Born [[November 14]], [[1843]] in [[Venice, New York|Venice]], [[Cayuga County, New York|Cayuga]], [[New York]] | ||
| + | * Died [[June 3]], [[1903]] in [[Silver City, New Mexico|Silver City]], [[New Mexico]] | ||
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| + | ===[[Ellen Albinia Williams]]=== | ||
| + | * Born [[May 25]], [[1846]] in [[Nauvoo, Illinois|Nauvoo]], [[Hancock County, Illinois|Hancock]], [[Illinois]] | ||
| + | * Marr: 1887 - Michael Stoker | ||
| + | * Died [[July 11]], [[1939]] in [[Vernal, Utah|Vernal]], [[Uintah County, Utah|Uintah]], [[Utah]] | ||
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| + | ===[[John Benjamin Williams, Jr.]]=== | ||
| + | * Born [[August 3]], [[1848]] in [[Mosquito Creek, Iowa|Mosquito Creek]], [[Pottawatomie County, Iowa|Pottawatomie]], [[Iowa]] | ||
| + | * Died [[November 25]], [[1850]] in [[Weston, Missouri|Weston]], [[Platte County, Missouri|Platte]], [[Missouri]] | ||
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| + | ===[[Elizabeth Mercy Williams]]=== | ||
| + | * Born [[June 12]], [[1850]] in [[Weston, Missouri|Weston]], [[Platte County, Missouri|Platte]], [[Missouri]] | ||
| + | * Died [[January 12]], [[1851]] in [[Weston, Missouri|Weston]], [[Platte County, Missouri|Platte]], [[Missouri]] | ||
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| + | ==Images== | ||
| + | <gallery widths="250px"> | ||
| + | File:1850 Weston Census.jpg|1850 Census, Weston MO | ||
| + | </gallery> | ||
| + | ==Sources== | ||
| + | * Journal of Clarissa Harding Williams | ||
| + | * http://www.longislandsurnames.com/genealogy/getperson.php?personID=I00210&tree=Rogers | ||
[[Category:People|Williams, John Benjamin]] | [[Category:People|Williams, John Benjamin]] | ||
