Clarke County GaArchives Photo Tombstone.....WILLIAMS FAMILY CEMETERY c.1993 ************************************************ Copyright. All rights reserved. http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm http://www.usgwarchives.net/ga/gafiles.htm ************************************************ File contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by: LARRY C. KNOWLES http://www.genrecords.net/emailregistry/vols/00012.html#0002854 March 1, 2013, 3:03 pm Cemetery: WILLIAMS FAMILY CEMETERY Photo can be seen at: http://www.usgwarchives.net/ga/clarke/photos/tombstones/williamsfamily/williams25168ph.jpg Image file size: 175.7 Kb WILLIAMS FAMILY CEMETERY: Oconee Co. GA, near Farmington We learned of the Williams family cemetery from the records of Edwin Bowden in the Watkinsville public library, in Oconee Co. Unfortunately, we were unable to find the site from the brief directions. After visiting Bowden in his 1840 era log home, we still needed the help of a local man who was working near the area. The plot was then noted as a small island of trees in an open field, near the corner of a large field, bordered by forest. It was well off of the road(Freeman Creek Rd.)-perhaps 150 yards. These photocopies of the original prints are not the best, but may give some idea of the overgrown site. For these images, we cleared a good bit of vegetation and "chalked" the stone for John Williams' slab-using a garden sprayer to cleanup afterwards. As I recall, there was an ‘upright tombstone’ for a son William L. Williams, with these dates, according to my notes: b. May 24, 1837, d. Sept. 26, 1858. There was no evidence of other markers, and there appeared to be only enough room for one or two more adult graves within the fenced perimeter. We assumed that Lilly Williams was also buried there. This view-(2 of 2)-shows John William's grave beyond the encloser gate. I believe his son's tombstone was to the left. For a photo of John Williams inscribed slab, see the separate photo. For more about the Williams and associated families, see summary below. IN MEMORY OF JOHN WILLIAMS BORN Aug. 22nd 1780 DIED June 21st 1858 [Inscription below: 1st line obscured] died as he lived a devoted Christian having been an active consistent member of the Methodist E. Church about 40 years __________________________________________ Summary: In the early 1990s I helped my best friend, Harry Alexander, research his family history. Harry was a descendant of Carver Willis and Emaline Sophia (Campbell)Williams of Meriwether Co. GA. The couple had married in Morgan Co. in 1839. Carver was the son of John and Lilly(Taylor)Williams of Clarke Co. Carver grew up near Farmington-then in Clarke Co.(now Oconee). A militia captain, Carver and Sophia had moved shortly after their marriage; joining his older brother, Clark T. Williams, and/or her uncle, Catlett Campbell, in Meriwether Co. Sophia was the daughter of Charter and Elizabeth(Wittich) Campbell of Morgan Co. Charter Campbell had operated the Planter's Hotel in Madison since early 1826. Rebuilding after an 1829 fire, he had died there in 1838. His widow, Sophia's stepmother, Lucinda(Stringfellow)Campbell operated the hotel at least into the 1860s, after selling it to Fulton Co. men for $25,000. Sophia's mother Elizabeth was the daughter of John Wittich, so named with her brother, Ernest C. Wittich, in John’s 1814 Greene Co. will. It may be that Ernest Wittich and Charter Campbell were double brothers-in-law; brother and sister having married brother and sister. Ernest-and wife Joyse Wittich’s common tombstone in the Madison City cemetery notes that he was born at St. Goar on the Rhine, Germany, and that Joyse was born in Amherst Co. VA. It is believed that Charter Campbell’s father John Campbell had migrated from that area of Virginia. John and Lilly Williams married in Oglethorpe Co. in Sept. 1803. Lilly was the daughter of Clark and Elizabeth(Whitehead)Taylor, who had come first to Wilkes Co. GA from Virginia, having married in Mecklinburg Co. in 1786. Elizabeth Whitehead was the daughter of Benjamin and Elizabeth(Swepson)Whitehead, who had married in adjoining Lunenburg Co. in 1761. Elizabeth Whitehead in turn, was the eldest daughter of Richard Swepson of Mecklinburg Co. Clark Taylor served in the Revolutionary War in Virginia, listed as a private in Lacey's roster. In Oglethorpe Co. GA. he amassed 2000 acres and at least 76 slaves. He died there in 1846. In Clarke Co. in 1815, he had deeded 360 acres along the Appalachee River, to John Williams, and his daughter Lilly; naming his sons, William and Swepson Taylor, as trustees for her marital interest. This incredible deed also named seven of his grandchildren, including year-old Carver Willis Williams, as well as eleven slaves, and deeded an additional 490 acres of land in Wayne Co. GA. It is likely that the family cemetery is located near original home site-originally Clarke Co.-now in Oconee Co.(near Farmington). John Williams' will, dated 5 March 1851-was probated in Clarke Co. GA, September 20, 1858. On the1820 census the family is shown living in the Salem district of the county. John Williams was a large land owner, who owned over 46 slaves. He and Lilly had a large family-many are named in his will. Most records were found in Clarke Co., but some were found in the Oconee Co. courthouse. The following random items were taken from my sparse notes. You should verify all "stated" facts from original sources! ______________________________________________________________ Children of John and Lilly(Taylor)Williams: Clark P. T. Williams m. Harriet Josey Martha(Patsy)Marshall Williams m. George Washington Meriwether Nancy Williams m. a “Glen”? Elizabeth Simpson Williams m. Elijah B. Harvey Mary Henly Williams m. a “Glen” ? John H Williams Carver Willis Williams m. Emaline Sophia Campbell Benjamin W. Williams Richard S. Williams Sarah Isabella Williams m. a “Campbell” ? Tabitha Jane Williams m. George Powers Lillie Angeline Williams m. Charles Henry Johns Joseph M. Williams William L. Williams-(from tombstone- b. May 24 1837 d. Sept 26, 1858) Sarah Isabella Williams m. a “Campbell”? _________________________________________ Act of Georgia Legislature as published Vol. 1837-pg. 10, sequence #003: Full Title: AN ACT to Incorporate Farmers' Academy, in the County of Clarke, and to appoint Trustees for the same: CLARKE COUNTY [act included further items regarding legal status] Section. 1. Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the State of Georgia, in General Assembly met, and it is hereby enacted by the authority of the same, That John Williams, Sr. James C. Branch, Barton Trasher, John Hendricks, and James C. Williamson, be, and they are hereby appointed, and they and their successors in office are hereby declared a body corporate, by and under the title of the Trustees of Farmers' Academy, in Clarke County. _____________________________________________ Distribution of slaves-$1550.00 to each legatee! Oconee Co. Deed Bk. A, pg. 292 shows Barton E. Thrasher selling 327A. "homeplace" of John Williams to highest bidder Benjamin W. Williams of Elbert Co.-who then sold to Samuel P. Thurmond. B. E. Thrasher sells parcel to John J. Johns-thence to a "Newton". Smaller parcel notes land adjoining Mrs. L. A. Johns(likely Lilly Angeline). _______________________________________________________________________- For more on CAMPBELL-WITTICH-WILLIAMS familie see a biography on Morgan and Meriwether Co, USGenWeb "Archives Project" sites. File at: http://files.usgwarchives.net/ga/clarke/photos/tombstones/williamsfamily/williams25168ph.txt This file has been created by a form at http://www.poppet.org/gafiles/ File size: 7.8 Kb