Mary C Williams (abt. 1859)

Born about 1859 in Virginia, United States

Ancestors

Biography

Mary Williams is a part of US Black heritage.

Mary C Williams was listed in Allen Williams's household in Gallipolis, Gallia County, Ohio, United States of America. She was born about 1859 in Virginia in the United States of America.^[1]

She is assumed to be the daughter of Allen Williams and his wife Ellen Bell based on this 1870 census record. Prior to the early 1860's, her mother Ellen and her family were living in Greenbrier County, Virginia (present day West Virginia). The family had previously been enslaved there by a Dr. Cree but were freed after his death by his daughter Frances Cree. At her death, she sent them to Gallipolis where Eliza Sands would help them, seeing that the children were all educated.^[2]

No records have been found for Mary besides the 1870 census. Do you have any information about her to add?

Research Notes

• Since the Cree family who enslaved the Williams/Bell family have not yet been identified and death dates found, it's not clear whether Mary was ever enslaved or if she was born after they had been freed.

Sources

1. ↑ "United States Census, 1870", Cheshire, Gallia, Ohio, USA; page 24-25, family 177, dwelling 177, Mary C William in Allen William household; https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:M62Q-S6N
2. ↑ Interview with Josephine's brother Charles Williams:
   The Federal Writers' Project, Slave Narratives; A Folk History of Slavery in the United States From Interviews with Former Slaves, Vol. 12, Ohio, pages 111-113, images 115-117 of 120, Rev. Williams interview, Washington, District of Columbia : The Library of Congress, 1941; image copy, Library of Congress (https://www.loc.gov/resource/mesn.120/?sp=115 : accessed 26 Feb 2022).