Bond County IL Archives Obituaries.....Williford, James Madison March 19, 1897 ************************************************ Copyright. All rights reserved. http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm http://www.usgwarchives.net/il/ilfiles.htm ************************************************ File contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by: Connie Thomilson eunicepeabody1@aol.com March 23, 2013, 9:27 pm Greenville Advocate James Madison Williford for over fifty-two years a resident of Bond Co., Il., died at his home in the north part of town, Mar. 19, 1897. The following is a letter written by Mr. Williford and preserved by his wife: "Greenville, Il. May 6, 1884." In view of my age and infirmities and knowing, I cannot live long, I thought I would leave a short scetch of my life. The subject of this sketch was born in the state of Tenn., Rutherford Co., July 26, 1812. When I was between 12 and 13 years of age my father and family moved to Montgomery Co., Il., and lived in this county over forty years. I married my first wife, Fannie Malinda White, in this county on the 7th of Jan. 1843. We lived happily together for nearly forty-eight years. The fruit of that marriage was a large family of children, five of whom with their mother have crossed the Jordan. For which I have not only hope but an expectation of meeting them in the near future, where sorrow and tears will be wiped away. When I was about sixteen years oldI bcame serious about the welfare of my soul's hereafter. The good people told me to pray and give myself to Christ. I tried with all the powers of my mind. I began to conclude that I had been forgotten and left reprobate and that there was no mercy for poor me. I contuinued for sometime in that condition, and in the meantime I read the Bible as carefully as I could, but it had gotten so mixed up with the traditions of men tha I was unable to understand it. About the year 1836 I heard one of our beloved preachers, Charles Drennens Thrilling, preach a sermon on "How to Become a Christian". I was suprised at my stupidity in not seeing it sooner. God bless his memory! He has song since gone to his reward and I expect to soon meet him. When I heard, I obeyed. Since that time I have had no doubt about being in Christ. If I continue to the end I shall have a crown of everlasting life. To the above we might add a few things. He was married to Mrs. Jane Craige, July 23, 1883. He leaves two sons and a three daughters, one son having died since he wrote the above. He died at his home in Greenville, March 19, 1897, aged 84 years, 7 months, and 23 days. He fought a good fight, he finished his course, he kept the faith. the remains were taken to Mt. Moriah where he services were conducted by Rev. H. H. Peters File at: http://files.usgwarchives.net/il/bond/obits/w/willifor910gob.txt This file has been created by a form at http://www.genrecords.org/ilfiles/ File size: 2.9 Kb