My first introduction to this part of the family was way back when I was just getting started with genealogy. My grandmother showed me the family bible and seeing all those names and dates written in there was so confusing. First, they have common names – do you know how many John Williams there were!? And then they keep re-using the same names in each generation. And they had a lot of kids and a lot of marriages as well.
Then later my great-aunt Margaret gave me a sheet that was typed up by Edith Vollmer, which helped a bit. In addition to listing the children of John’s two marriages, Vollmer reported that John and Martha lived in Chester and later Manchester. He ran a livery stable and when it burned he used the insurance money to immigrate to America.
So this is what I have sorted out – first Edward and Jane had 12 children. Then John Williams was married to Martha Charmly and they had nine children and then he married Margaret Emma Jones and they had seven children. Margaret supposedly had been married before as well, but I haven’t found anything on that yet. Check it out:
Children of Edward & Jane:
William WILLIAMS(1 Jun 1803 – )
Thomas WILLIAMS(19 Nov 1804 – )
Edward WILLIAMS(7 Sep 1806 – 1 Jan 1868)
Ann WILLIAMS(29 Mar 1808 – )
Mary WILLIAMS(3 Jun 1809 – )
Elizabeth WILLIAMS(29 Aug 1811 – )
Jane WILLIAMS(19 Aug 1813 – )
Mary WILLIAMS(11 Apr 1816 – )
Ellen WILLIAMS(8 Jul 1818 – )
Margaret WILLIAMS(6 Sep 1820 – )
John E. WILLIAMS(6 Jul 1823 – 8 Apr 1913)
Samuel WILLIAMS
Children of John and Martha:
Emma WILLIAMS
Prudence WILLIAMS
Mercy WILLIAMS
Martha WILLIAMS
Mathew WILLIAMS
John WILLIAMS
Thomas WILLIAMS
Jane (Jennie) WILLIAMS
Marguarite (Maggie) WILLIAMS
Children of John and Margaret:
Mary E WILLIAMS
Anna WILLIAMS
Edward WILLIAMS
William WILLIAMS
Henry WILLIAMS
Samuel WILLIAMS
Charles WILLIAMS
Here are the facts & sources I have scraped together so far:
- Apr 1780 – Edward born (written in family bible)
- 26 Apr 1782 – Jane born (written in family bible)
- 5 July 1823 – John was born (1900 census & death cert)
- 9 July 1838 – Margaret was born (1900 census, family bible & death cert)
- 1851 – John and Martha are in Chester with two kids and a servant. He was a lock keeper at the canal.
- 31 Aug 1867 – John & Margaret marry (written in family bible)
- 17 Sep 1867 – John and Martha(!) and 9 kids come through New York after taking the SS City of Washington from Liverpool (New York passenger list)
- 6 Apr 1868 – Edward died (written in family bible)
- 1870 – John and Margaret and seven children are in Calamus in Dodge County WI (census)
- 9 Nov 1872 – Jane died (written in family bible)
- 1880 – John and Margaret and seven children are in Calamus in Dodge County WI (census)
- 1885 – John and Margaret and seven children are in Thomastown Wadena MN (census)
- 1895 – John and Margaret and four children are in Thomastown Wadena MN (census)
- 1900 – John and Margaret and son Charles are in Thomastown Wadena MN (census)
- 1905 – John and Martha(!) and son Charles are in Thomastown Wadena MN (census)
- 1910 – John and Margaret are in Staples Todd MN (census)
- 8 April 1913 – John died in Todd County MN (death cert) parents were Edward Williams & Jane Anisworth
- 1920 – Margaret and son Charles are in Staples Todd MN (census)
- 4 Dec 1923 – Margaret died in Staples (death cert)
I wish I knew when Martha died. It looks like John & Margaret married and then a couple weeks later left for America. Wow – can you imagine that? It is a little confusing that sometimes Martha is listed when it should have been Margaret.
There was one more bit written in the family bible and I haven’t figured out where he fits in yet: Joseph Williams 24 Feb 1833. Does anyone know?
Another weird thing is that it says Ino Williams was Margaret’s father on her
death certificate. Margaret Williams married John Williams? Not impossible, but it is unlikely.
Her name was Jones, I believe, before she married John, but with that rumor that she was married before, I am not sure of her maiden name. Who knows the answer to that mystery?
The Basic Facts:
Edward WILLIAMS
b. Apr 1780, England
d. 6 Apr 1868
& Jane ANISWORTH
b. 26 Apr 1782, England
d. 9 Nov 1872
John E. WILLIAMS
b. 6 Jul 1823, Chester, England
d. 8 Apr 1913, Staples, Todd, MN
& Margaret (Emma) JONES
b. 9 Jul 1838, Chester, England
d. 4 Dec 1923, Staples, Todd, MN
m. 31 Aug 1867, England
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