Barbara Breedlove Rollins' Family Files

THE WILLIAMS FAMILY

  1. Andrew Jackson WILLIAMS and wife Sarah Jane DUNNEGAN.
    2.         Names I'm Researching         My Home Genealogy Page

It is not for lack of trying that I have very little on the WILLIAMS line. This line comes through my mother, Alma Ellen ANDERSON, whose grandmother ANDERSON was a WILLIAMS. I can go no further back than her father, Andrew Jackson WILLIAMS.

A.)  William WILLIAMS.

This entry is based purely on speculation. If Andrew Jackson WILLIAMS was born December 13, 1816 in Marshall County, Tennessee, the most probable father for him was William WILLIAMS. (This fact Marshall County, Tennessee didn't exist until 1836!) The information I have that he was born in Marshall County is simply family tradition and that's not terribly trustworthy. However, The Goodspeed Histories of Maury, Williamson, Rutherford, Wilson, Bedford & Marshall Counties of Tennessee originally published in 1886 and reprinted 1971 and 1977 by Woodward & Stinson Printing Co., Columbia, Tennessee speaks of a number of very early residents of the the area later becoming Marshall County, beginning with dates of about 1807. says at page 887:

In 1808 William WILLIAMS settled where Round Hill Church now stands, and soon afterward removed to near Belfast. Then he opened a store. He bought his first stock of goods at Nashville, and hauled it home in a one-horse cart. From a ledger which he kept in 1823 the following prices are quoted: Coffee, per pound, 56¼ cents; sugar, 25 cents; indigo, 31¼ cents; salt, 4 cents; copperas, 12½ cents; nails, 25 cents; madder, 15 cents; cambric, per yard, $1; flannel, 75 cents; calico, 50 cents; muslin $1; bombazette, 75 cents; whisky, per pint, 18¾ cents; wine, 50 cents; "Bateman's drops," per bottle, 25 cents, etc. A remarkable fact is that calico was bought in quantity from three-fourths to three yards, rarely ever more than one yard being purchased at one time by one party. The book indicates that Mr. WILLIAMS did a large business and that his debtors paid their accounts promptly.

Later the Goodspeed Histories mention both Sherwood DUNNAGAN, the father of Sarah Jane who married A. J. WILLIAMS and two other WILLIAMS (Justice of the Peace Peter WILLIAMS and ranger Isaac H. WILLIAMS) in the founding of the county:

October 3, 1836, at the house of Abner Houston, the first county court was organized by the following justices of the peace: William McCLURE, Thomas ROSS, William WILKES, Peter WILLIAMS, Thomas WILSON, David McGAHEY, James ADAMS, George CUNNINGHAM, James L. EWING, John FIELF, Adam MILLER, Joseph CLEEK, Ephraim HUNTER, Asa HOLLAND, James PATTERSON, Jason B. SHEFFIELD, Sherwood DUNNIGAN and Andrew LAIRD. William McCLURE was elected chairman, and David McGAHEY was appointed secretary pro tem. The court then "adjourned to meet at the camp ground immediately," and upon being again convened the following men were chosen to fill their respective offices: John R. HILL, sheriff; Martin W. OAKLEY, clerk county court; John W. RECORD, trustee; John ELLIOTT, register; Joseph McCORD, coroner; Isaac H. WILLIAMS, ranger, and Hugh McCLELLAND, surveyor. The court then appointed commissioners to lay off the civil districts, and proceeded to the general routine of business, namely, appointing road overseers, etc.

William WILLIAMS appears in the history again, ostensibly November 7,1886, but because of following dates I'm sure this is a misprint meaning November 7, 1836. Benjamin WILLIAMS served as County Chairman in 1839 and was a State Representative in 1847.

B.)   Andrew Jackson WILLIAMS and wife Sarah Jane DUNNEGAN.

Andrew Jackson WILLIAMS was born about December 13, 1816 in Marshall County, Tennessee. His parents were born in North Carolina. He married Sarah Jane DUNNEGAN/DUNNIGAN in Marshall County, Tennessee, October 22, 1840, the marriage being performed by Joseph H. BRITTAIN, J.P. He died April 13, 1896 in Red River County, Texas and is buried in the Williams Cemetery near the Williams Chapel Methodist Church in Red River County, Texas, near the Annona or English community. Sarah Jane was born May 20, 1824, in North Carolina, probably Orange County. She was the daughter of Sherwood DUNNEGAN, Jr. and his wife Cyntha WARREN DUNNEGAN WILLIAMS, who are described on the DUNNEGAN Page. Sarah died August 18, 1908 and is buried in the Williams Cemetery. Click here for pictures of Andrew Jackson WILLIAMS and wife Sarah Jane DUNNEGAN.

The 1840 Marshall County, Tennessee, census shows Andrew J. WILLIAMS on page 186. The only person listed is one male between 20 and 30. In 1850 he is found on the Marshall County, Tennessee, census, page 42, with wife, children, and wife's sister and brother-in-law, shown as DANDY but actually DOWDY. See discussion at Sherwood DUNNEGAN, Jr.

The 1860 Red River County, Texas, census shows his occupation as farmer and that he owned $4000 real estate and $1100 personalty. In 1870, in Red River County, they lived 2 households from Thomas ANDERSON (Tom was 14 and Emma was 10) and owned real estate valued at $5000 and personalty valued at $1500. Tom was the oldest child in his family born in Texas as was Emma.

Sarah lived with her son Will WILLIAMS late in her life. The 1900 Red River County Census shows 209/223 William A. WILLIAMS, W, M, April 1853, 47 years of age, 27 years married; Leora A. WILLIAMS, wife, February, 1856; 44, married 27 years, 13 children born, 12 living, born South Carolina; William N. WILLIAMS, February, 1877, 23; Linus P. WILLIAMS, January, 1882; Charles C. WILLIAMS, February, 1894; Eva J. WILLIAMS, December, 1885; Ervin WILLIAMS, January, 1888; Verna WILLIAMS, January, 1890; David H. WILLIAMS, January, 1894; Minnie M. WILLIAMS, January, 1895; Unice L. WILLIAMS, December, 1897; Sarah J. WILLIAMS, mother, May, 1824, 76, widowed; Eliza HOUSTON, mother in law, October, 1826, 73, widowed.

The name of the Methodist Church at English was WILLIAMS Chapel.

The children of Andrew J. WILLIAMS and wife Sarah Jane DUNNEGAN were:

James Madison WILLIAMS, born October 1, 1841, died November 18, 1863;
Cynthia (Syntha) Ann WILLIAMS WILLIAMS, born June 26, 1844, married L. N. WILLIAMS July 23, 1867 and died two months later September 16, 1867;
Aaron Sherwood W. ("Tom") WILLIAMS, born April 24, 1847, married Mary J. WARTHAM July 8, 1868, died January 24, 1903; name is S. W. in 1870 census, Tom in 1850 census, Sherwood in 1860 census, A. S. in 1880, can't read before second initial S. on 1900 census; Their children were
  • Lettie J. WILLIAMS, born about 1870;
  • Minnie WILLLIAMS, born about 1872;
  • Olive WILLIAMS, born about 1874;
  • Thomas A. WILLIAMS, born about 1876;
  • Emma WILLIAMS, born about 1878;
  • Lula WILLIAMS, born February, 1883;
  • Joe WILLIAMS, born July, 1885; and
  • Annie WILLIAMS, born August, 1890.
Sarah Elizabeth (Sadie) WILLIAMS ANDERSON was born February 25, 1850; she married Jason McFERRON ANDERSON (brother of Thomas Wilson ANDERSON, Jr.) October 4, 1875, and died October 31, 1931. This family is more fully described in the chapter on the ANDERSON family.
William Alfred (Will) WILLIAMS, was born April 3, 1853, in Tennessee. He married Leora/Leola Alfarata HOUSTAR October 17, 1872. Their children were
  • Mattie WILLIAMS LAITMORE, born about 1873;
  • William Newton WILLIAMS, born February, 1877;
  • Lewis WILLIAMS, born about 1878;
  • Coy WILLIAMS;
  • Linnus P. WILLIAMS, born January, 1882;
  • Charles Clarence WILLIAMS, born February, 1894;
  • Eva J. WILLIAMS REYNOLDS, born December, 1885;
  • Irvin WILLIAMS, born January, 1888;
  • Verna WILLIAMS STOREY, born January, 1890;
  • David WILLIAMS, born January, 1894, died young after age 6;
  • Minnie WILLIAMS HUNT, born January, 1895; and
  • Eunice WILLIAMS STOREY, born January, 1897.
Will WILLIAMS was Sunday School Superintendent for many years. Mrs. WILLIAMS never attended because in addition to her very large family, his mother and hers lived with them and there was never a Sunday that somebody didn't go home with them for dinner. She never knew how many she would have, but she always had plenty of food. She made every visitor welcome from the Presiding Elder to the smallest child. Will Williams died September 27, 1923.
Pemlia Jane (Melie) WILLIAMS HENDERSON, born August 18, 1856, died September 16, 1942, married P. W. HENDERSON July 24, 1878. They had 9 children.
Emma Lucinda (Minnie) WILLIAMS ANDERSON was born January 16, 1860, in Texas (probably Red River County), and married Thomas Wilson ANDERSON, Jr., January 5, 1882 in Red River County. She died May 5, 1896. She and her family are more fully described in the chapter on the ANDERSON family.
Joseph Andrew WILLIAMS, born March 19, 1863, Texas, died February 7, 1886. He married Fannie A. CORLEY June 11, 1883.
Mary Eva (Mollie) WILLIAMS MARTIN, born April 9 1867, in Texas; married James Andrew MARTIN June 5, 1887. There were 3 children born, 2 living in 1900;
  • John MARTIN born November, 1885 and
  • Lela MARTIN, born February, 1892;
in 1900 Andrew's brother-in-law Ollie C. DOWDY and sister-in-law Lula DOWDY and child Cecil(?) DOWDY, age 6 months, lived with them. In 1880 the couple, then without children, lived next door to Thomas W. ANDERSON, Jr. Alma Ellen ANDERSON BREEDLOVE remembers that her aunt, Flossie ANDERSON NAYLOR, was raised by Aunt Mollie MARTIN who had several daughters and maybe 1 son. They lived in Clarksville, Red River County. One daughter named WIllie Lee MARTIN ROBBERSON married a physician in Amarillo named Jason ROBBERSON. Another daughter was Mary (Mrs. Herbert) WILLBORN.
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