Chapter One Rodger, Hukey, and John Williams
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WILLIAMS FAMILY HISTORY CHAPTER ONE RODGER, HUKEY, AND JOHN WILLIAMS RODGER WILLIAMS: The earliest grandsire of the Williams family known with any certainty bore the name of Rodger Williams (not to be confused with the Roger Williams who founded Rhode Island). The first residence of the Rodger Williams family in the United States was in Brunswick County, Virginia. They were all of Welsh descent and came to the American colonies before the American Revolution. Rodger Williams had seven wives. He raised a large family of children whose descendants scattered to all parts of the United States. It was said that Rodger Williams was murdered, supposedly by his own African-American slaves, although that was never definitely known. Some time after his death, his body was found concealed in the body of a hollow tree. These meager facts were passed from generation to generation. No written records or dates are known to exist.1 HUKEY WILLIAMS: Hukey Williams was one of the numerous sons of Rodger Williams. Hukey was of pure Welsh extraction and lived in Brunswick County in the state of Virginia, between the Meherrin and Nottaway rivers. Note: Brunswick County is located on the southeastern border of Virginia adjacent to North Carolina. The Nottaway River forms the northern border of the county, and the Meherrin River runs through the center of it. 1 This chapter on the early history of the Williams family is an edited and rewritten version of “The Story of the Williams Family in America,” an account by Martha Williams Franklin (1865-1962). Note her archaic style. She was the great great great granddaughter of Rodger Williams. Copy in possession of Robert D. Loevy in 2015. WILLIAMS FAMILY OF QUINCY, ILLINOIS Page 1 WILLIAMS FAMILY HISTORY The county seat is Lawrenceville. U.S. Highway 1 connects Brunswick County to Petersburg, Virginia. Hukey Williams was the Williams family’s lineal forbear. The date of his birth is unknown. It also is not known definitely whether he was born in Wales, before his father emigrated, or in Virginia, after his father arrived in America. However, it is believed he was American born. The later facts of his life have all been verified by written records and authenticated dates, so from here on this story is history. Hukey Williams married Miss Sarah Jones, also of pure Welsh extraction. The Jones family lived in Granville County, North Carolina. The marriage was in the year 1762 or 1763. She had two brothers, Roger and William Jones. Note: Granville County is located on the northern border of North Carolina adjacent to Virginia and only slightly to the west of Brunswick County, Virginia. The county seat is Oxford. Hukey Williams was strangely murdered by two desperate ruffians and robbed. The time was the early 1760s. This terrible crime occurred about the time of the birth of Hukey’s only son, John Williams. The circumstances were as follows: The family home was in Virginia. The town of Petersburg was their trading place. He was on his way there one day to transact business. A short distance from the road in a thick pine woods, he heard the cries of a woman in distress, to whose rescue he immediately detoured. He found the woman in the hands of two strange men, who were about violating her person. When he vigorously assaulted them, they fled, leaving the woman. Hukey Williams took her up behind him on his horse. Learning that she was the respected wife of a citizen in the neighborhood, he carried her to her home. On the urgent request of the lady and her husband, he tarried with them during the noon meal. After the meal, bidding farewell to his hosts, Hukey Williams resumed his journey toward Petersburg. This was the last time he was seen alive. When he failed to return home, the alarmed family and friends started an investigation and learned he had not reached Petersburg. Search was made along the road, and his body was found about two miles from the house where he had dined. His body was a short distance from the road, sunk in a pool of water in the creek. He was taken home and buried. WILLIAMS FAMILY OF QUINCY, ILLINOIS Page 2 WILLIAMS FAMILY HISTORY About eighteen months later, the gentleman whose wife had been rescued was riding into Petersburg. He observed a horse hitched in the outskirts of the town, which he immediately recognized as that of Mr. Williams. It was an unusually fine and distinctive horse. He hastened into town to give information of his discovery. Officers were stationed to watch and arrest any parties who should come for the horse. Toward evening two men arrived to where the Williams horse and another were tethered. They were promptly arrested and taken into custody. The gentleman’s wife was summoned and positively identified the two men as those who had assaulted her and from whom she had been rescued by the late Mr. Williams. The men were indicted, tried, convicted, and executed in Petersburg. Before execution, they confessed the murder, saying they had resolved to kill Hukey Williams, not only because he had assaulted them in defense of the woman, but to get the fine horse and the money. The horse and Hukey Williams’s watch were recovered. After the death of her husband, Hukey Williams’s wife, Sarah Jones Williams, returned to her relatives in Granville County, North Carolina. She took her infant son, John Williams, with her. Subsequently she married Mr. John Bobbitt, by whom she had two sons – Archibald and Claiborne Bobbitt. They were John Williams’s half brothers. Archibald Bobbitt died young, but Claiborne Bobbitt lived a long life. In 1857, he was said to be living in the extreme southern part of Tennessee. WILLIAMS FAMILY OF QUINCY, ILLINOIS Page 3 WILLIAMS FAMILY HISTORY TYPEWRITTEN TEXT OF A BILL OF SALE FOR A NEGRO SLAVE SOLD BY HUKEY WILLIAMS IN 1764 A search of Virginia Court records produced a Bill of Sale for a Negro slave sold by Hukey Williams in 1764. Here is a typewritten copy of the Bill of Sale. A copy of the actual Bill of Sale is on page 5:2 Williams to Jones (in margin) Know all men by these Present that I Hukey Williams of the County of Brunswick for and in Consideration of the Sum of Forty Pounds Current Money of Virginia to me in hand paid by Lewelling Jones the receipt where of I do hereby Acknowledge my Self therewith fully and Entirely Satisfied have Bargained Sold and Delivered by these ---------------- in plain and open Market according to just and _ _ _ _ form of law in that Case made and Provided do Bargain Sell and Deliver unto Lewelling Jones one Negro man called and known by the name of George to have and to hold Said Bargained and Sold Negro unto the said Lewelling Jones his Heirs and Assigns forever to the Only Proper use and behoof of him the Said Lewelling Jones his Heirs and etc., the said Hukey Williams for myself My Heirs etc. the above Bargained and Sold Negro will Warrant and for Ever Defend to the Said Lew. Jones His Heirs etc. from the Claim or Claims of any Other person or persons any Claim Right or Title thereto In Witness whereof I have herewith Set my hand and Assigned my Seal. This 5th day of December 1764 – Signed Sealed and Delivered Hukey Williams In presence of James Creswell At a Court held for Brunswick County the 27th Day John Edmundson of June 1765 --- This Bill of Sale was proved by the _ _ _ _ of John Edmundson one of the witnesses thereto and ordered to be recorded _ _ _ _ H. Edwards 2 Archibald Williams File, Brenner Library, Quincy University, Quincy, Illinois. WILLIAMS FAMILY OF QUINCY, ILLINOIS Page 4 WILLIAMS FAMILY HISTORY WILLIAMS FAMILY OF QUINCY, ILLINOIS Page 5 WILLIAMS FAMILY HISTORY WILLIAMS FAMILY OF QUINCY, ILLINOIS Page 6 WILLIAMS FAMILY HISTORY JOHN WILLIAMS: John Williams, the son of Hukey Williams, was born in the early 1760s in Brunswick County, Virginia. After his father was murdered, and while still an infant, he was taken by his mother, Sarah Jones Williams, back to her family home in Granville County, North Carolina. He was reared by his uncle, Roger Jones, with whom he lived, and he clerked in Roger Jones’s store. John Williams was married to Amelia Gill on November 15, 1787, at her father’s residence in Franklin County, North Carolina. Note: Franklin County, North Carolina, is located in north central North Carolina just to the southeast of Granville County, North Carolina. The county seat is Louisburg. That same fall, John Williams emigrated to and settled in Lincoln County, Kentucky, where he resided until his three oldest children were born. He then removed to Montgomery County, Kentucky, where all his other children were born, and where he remained for more than three decades until the spring of 1831. John Williams then removed to Adams County, Illinois, where he remained for two years until his death on October 11, 1833, at the residence of his son, John A. Williams. When he came to Illinois, John Williams had intended settling in Hancock County, but the Black Hawk War, a Native American war, caused a change in plans. He settled in Adams County with his son instead. Note: Adams County, Illinois, is in western Illinois and borders on the Mississippi River. The county seat is Quincy. Hancock County, Illinois, is located on the Mississippi River immediately to the north of Adams County.