Jefferson County Illinois Biographies

Three generations of the family of this name have taken part in the
development of Illinois. The founder, Rev. S.M. WILLIAMS, a pioneer
missionary Baptist minister, was born in North Carolina,, January 28, 1792,
and located in Franklin county, Illinois, in 1837, dying there in 1875. He
married Frances SHAW, also a native of  North Carolina, who died at Franklin
county homestead in 1874. This pioneer couple had fourteen children. Next to
the youngest of these was Stephen L. WILLIAMS, whose birth occurred in
Franklin county, Illinois, November 13, 1839. He remained at home until he
reached his twenty-fourth year, when he started out to make his own living
as a farm hand. He remained in Franklin county until 1865, when he went to
Cincinnati and entered as a student in the Physio-Medical College and, after
finishing the course, returned to his native county to begin the practice of
medicine. Soon afterward he located at  Spring Garden, in Jefferson county,
which has been his home ever since. In 1877 he graduated from the St. Louis
American Medical College. January 22, 1869, Doctor WILLIAMS was married to
Margaret J., daughter of James M. and Nancy (FELTS) ARNOLD, of Robertson
county, Tennessee. After an active practice of many years, Doctor WILLIAMS
is now living in peaceful retirement at Spring Garden. His wife was a native
of Tennessee and came to this county when fourteen years old. Doctor and
Mrs. WILLIAMS had four children: Hugh, deputy Sheriff of Jefferson county;
Viola May died in infancy; Curtis and Alsa, who is an optician in business
in Jefferson county.

Curtis WILLIAMS, the third child, was born at Spring Garden, Jefferson
county, Illinois, July 21, 1873. After the usual term in the district
schools, he entered Ewing College in Franklin county, when seventeen years
and remained there during four school years, graduating in 1905 with the
degree of Bachelor of Arts. He taught school for seven years, during and
subsequent to his college career, his educational work being mostly done in
Jefferson county. He was a teacher in the Mount Vernon high school one year,
at Woodlawn for three years and Opdyke one year. In the fall of 1901 he
entered the University of Missouri at Columbia and was graduated in the
class of 1904 with the degree of bachelor of  Laws. The next year he located
at Mount Vernon, having been admitted to practice law by the Illinois
Supreme Court, December 12, 1904. He has since been steadily engaged in
prosecuting his profession, his office being in rooms 1-2-3 of the Rockaway
and Emmerson building. He is attorney for the Fidelity & Casualty Company,
of New York, and has other prominent clients, including the Home Insurance
Company of New York.

June 11, 1907, Mr. WILLIAMS was married to Miss Maude L., daughter of Alvin
and Anna (WATKINS) GILBERT, a farmer and stock raiser, of Waltonville. One
child, Alvin Lacey, was born March 13, 1908. Mr. WILLIAMS has served as
deputy and grand chancellor of the Knights of  Pythias. He is also a member
of the Masonic order and is prominent and popular both in fraternal and
social circles. He is a member of the Republican County Central Committee
and takes an active interest in politics.

Submitted By: Cindy Ford