WILLIAMS, Lester J., M. D., St. Landry Parish, Louisiana
Submitted by Mike Miller


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Louisiana:  Comprising Sketches of Parishes, Towns, Events, Institutions,
and Persons, Arranged in Cyclopedic Form (volume 3), pp. 680-681.  Edited
by Alc e Fortier, Lit.D.  Published in 1914, by Century Historical
Association.

Williams, Lester J., M. D., mayor of Melville, St. Landry parish, La., was
born at Opelousas, La., Nov. 19, 1880; son of Austin D. and Maggie (Porter)
Williams, both of whom were natives of St. Landry parish.  The father died
in 1902 and the mother in 1906.  Austin D. Williams was a newspaper man and
in that connection passed many years at Baton Rouge.  The original site of
the Williams family in Louisiana was in Rapides parish, where the paternal
grandfather, Joshua Williams, followed the vocation of a planter.  The
family ancestors came originally from Normandy.  The maternal grandparents
were Judge James M. and Rebecca (Taylor) Porter, the former of whom was a
lawyer of note and occupied the bench as district judge at the time of his
death.  The paternal grandmother, Maria (Bushnell) Williams, was an
authoress of distinction, and contributed to the columns of the Youth's
Companion and various other periodicals of like standing.  Lester J.
Williams was the 1st of 2 children born to his parents, the 2nd being
Laura, now the wife of A. B. Thompson, of New York. Lester J. is a graduate
of the academic department of Louisiana State university, class of 1900,
and of the medical department of Tulane university, class of 1904.
Following the completion of his professional education he passed 1 year in
the service of the Louisiana state board of health as an inspector of
ships.  This was succeeded by 1 year in medical practice at Opelousas, and
at the expiration of this period, in January, 1906, he located at Melville,
where he has since remained.  Dr. Williams is at this time mayor of the
town of Melville.  He is a member of the St. Landry parish Medical and the
Louisiana State Medical society, the Free and Accepted Masons, Shriners,
Loyal Order of Moose, Woodmen of the World, Knights of the Maccabees, and
Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks.  Oct. 10, 1906, Dr. Williams was
married to Miss Mamie Steele, a daughter of O. B. and Juliet (Park) Steele,
formerly of Ouachita parish, but now of Baton Rouge.  Mr. Steele is at this
time vice-president of the Bank of Baton Rouge, and formerly occupied the
position of treasurer of the state of Louisiana.