Joseph Rufus Williams
Joseph Rufus
Williams (J.R.), farmer, P.O. Ullin, IL., is a native of Murray County, GA., and
was born there May 26, 1856. He is the son of William &
Sarah A. (Scott) Williams. His education was received at the
schools of his native state. At the age of eighteen, he left home and
started out in life for himself. Making his way to Illinois, he came to
Anna. Remaining there only a short time, he came next to Pulaski County,
where he worked on different farms in this precinct. In 1878, he commenced
to farm on a rented place, and in 1882 he purchased his present location.
It is a farm of ninety-six acres, located in Section 25, Town 14, Range 1 West.
He has about thirty-five acres in cultivation, and three in orchard. Mr.
Williams was married January 2, 1881, to Mary Alice Whirlow,
a daughter of Alexander Whirlow, a native of North Carolina.
This lady is the mother of one child, (Birdie) born Dec. 2, 1882. He is a
member of the New Hope Methodist Episcopal Church. In politics, he
generally votes the democratic ticket.
Donated by Leslie Riney: Joseph Rufus Williams is my
great-grandfather. After this excerpt
was published, my great-grandfather J.R. and Mary had another daughter named
Lizzie, born in 1887. The family has no info about this daughter and she
was only recently discovered in Pulaski Co, IL. birth records. There is
also another daughter named Ethel that was born in 1894. Sometime during
that timeframe, Mary must have passed away and J.R. married Josephine
Ellen (Black) Williams. We are not sure if Ethel belongs to Mary
or Ellen due to census records of 1900 showing that Josie and J.R. were married
6 years. J.R. and Mary had two other children, Osmer Williams
and Nellie (Williams) Casper. Josie and J.R. had 2
children during their marriage, Susie Mary (Williams) Seals and John
Rufus Williams (my grandfather).
Aunt Susie (m. Ralph Seals) and Grandpa John (m. Iva Mae Seals) married brothers
and sisters of the Seals family, so all their children and down the
bloodline are all double cousins!
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