John Joel Williams Jr. (1847)

Born 1847 in DeSoto, Mississippi, United States

Ancestors

Problems/Questions Profile manager: Ron Gragg [send private message]

Biography

John was born in 1847. He is the son of John Williams and Frances Roberson. ^[1] In 1870, John and his father are enumerated on the federal census in the Grenada County, Mississippi home of his uncle Nathaniel Green Williams. ^[2] John appears to have been an invalid.

Grenada Sentinel Advertisement 1887

While many people in the county, nearly everybody in town, knows of the physical infirmities that I have suffered almost from boyhood. With the spirit of a man I would cheerfully wrestle in the honest struggles of life, but infirmity makes me an invalid. In order to do what I can for my own subsistence I have rented from Capt. Drummond a portion of the old house formerly occupied as E. F. Wolf's saloon, where I will keep peanuts, a few apples, oranges, etc., where my friends and those kindly disposed can get an equivalent for each nickel spent, which will be gratefully received by J. J. Williams, Jr., Grenada, Sept. 1897.^[3]

Grenada Sentinel News Story 1888

On last Saturday night Mr. J. J. Williams, Jr., who is agent for the Memphis Appeal, Avalanche and Ledger, went to the depot as usual to get his daily papers to sell and distribute to his customers. After getting his papers on the M & T train, Mr. Williams started up town, and when he got near the Express office he was accosted by a man who it seems was waiting for another man, and was knocked down without any warning whatever. Mr. Williams asked the man what he struck him for, when he replied, "you are the man who has been following me for the last three nights," when Mr. Williams assured him that he did not know him, nor had he ever seen him at night. Notwithstanding this he again struck Mr. Williams a terrible blow in the face, knocking him down and breaking his nose. When rising from the second blow, Mr. Williams drew his pocket knife and stabbed the stranger four times--once in the chest, stomach and other places, which were considered at the time very dangerous, if not fatal. The stranger proved to be a bridge man, working on the I.C. Railroad bridge now being built over the Yalobusha river here, and his name is Edwin Brown. He is a very strong and robust man, while Mr. Jack Williams is a weak man, and almost an invalid, having had for years a severe case of asthma. Had not some one arrived on the spot as soon as they did, Mr. Williams would no doubt have been beaten to death. The man, Brown, was under the influence of liquor, and his conduct was considered by all as brutal and cowardly, while everyone we have seen say, Mr. Williams did exactly right and had he cut Brown's "throat from ear to ear," under such circumstances, he would have been acquitted by any magistrate. Mr. Williams gave himself up and was placed under bond which he immediately gave. He has suffered considerably with his nose and face, but we are glad to say he is now getting along very well. Mr. Brown was carried to the Walthall House where he received proper medical attention, and for the first few days it was thought he would die, but at this writing he is improving, and he will doubtless recover. We understand that Thursday, Mr. Brown sent word to officers to discharge Mr. Williams, thus admitting that he was altogether in the wrong, and that Mr. Williams was totally justifiable in what he did. ^[4]

Name: John J Williams. Given Name: John J. Surname: Williams. ^[5] A Given name was found in addition to a first name in the NAME tag.

Born abt 1847. Mississippi ^[5]

Residence 1850 Southern Division, Desoto, Mississippi, USA. ^[5]

Sources

1. ↑ "United States Census, 1850," database with images, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:M4LH-GXG : 22 December 2020), John Y Williams in household of John J Williams, DeSoto, Mississippi, United States; citing family , NARA microfilm publication (Washington, D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, n.d.).
2. ↑ "United States Census, 1870", database with images, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:MF3H-ZXC : 29 May 2021), John J Williams in entry for Nathaniel Williams, 1870.
3. ↑ Grenada sentinel, Saturday, Oct 15, 1887. Grenada, MS, Vol: 33, Page: 6.
4. ↑ Grenada sentinel, Saturday, Jul 28, 1888, Grenada, MS, Vol: 34 Page: 6.
5. ↑ ^{5.0 5.1 5.2} Source: S1453455763 The National Archives in Washington D.C.; Record Group: Records of the Bureau of the Census; Record Group Number: 29; Series Number: M432; Residence Date: 1850; Home in 1850: Southern Division, Desoto, Mississippi; Roll: 371; Page: 342a Ancestry Record 8054 #3394595

• Source: S1453455763 1850 United States Federal Census Ancestry.com Publication: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc. 2009 Lehi, UT, USA Record Collection 8054 Note: Seventh Census of the United States, 1850; (National Archives Microfilm Publication M432, 1009 rolls); Records of the Bureau of the Census, Record Group 29; National Archives, Washington, D.C.The National Archives in Washington D.C.; Record Group: Records of the Bureau of the Census; Record Group Number: 29; Series Number: M432; Residence Date: 1850; Home in 1850: Southern Division, Desoto, Mississippi; Roll: 371; Page: 342a Ancestry Record 8054 #3394595

• Source: S1454732105 Ancestry Family Trees Publication: Online publication - Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com. Original data: Family Tree files submitted by Ancestry members. Record Collection 1030Ancestry Family Tree APID -1773654088:1030:1095109 APID 190138127361:1030:40877971