Bio: Richard B. Williams, Grant, Natchitoches & Winn Parish Louisiana
Source: Biographical and Historical Memoirs of Northwest Louisiana
Nashville & Chicago, The Southern Publishing Company, 1890
Submitted by Gaytha Thompson
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RICHARD B. WILLIAMS

Richard B. Williams belongs to that independent and intelligent class, the
planters of Natchitoches Parish, La. and is possessed of much genuine merit
and strength of character.  He was born in Perry County, Ala., September 18,
1829, and is a son of John and Elva (Edomonds) Williams, both of whom were
born in Georgia, the former in 1807.  He was a son of John Williams, his wife
being a daughter of Signor Edmonds, her birth occurring in 1812.  Her union
with Mrs Williams took place about 1828, and to them eight children were born,
their names in the order of their birth being as follows: Richard B., Sarah
A., John D., Frances, James E., Martha, Nancy and George.  Sarah A., Frances
and Martha are deceased.  The parents of these children died in Vernon Parish,
La., where they settled in 1859, having reached a ripe old age.

The subject of this sketch was reared to manhood in his native parish, and
throughout this time he worked on his father's farm in summer time and
attended school during the winter.  In 1843 the family moved to Bibb county,
Ala., and in 1848 to Union Parish, La., starting on November 28 and after a
long and toilsome journey reached their destination in February, 1849.  Mr.
Williams remained in Union Parish for about ten years, during the first eight
of which he farmed and the last two clerked in a store.  His marriage took
place in Union parish on February 20, 1854, to Miss Helen M. Wade, who was
born in the State of Tennessee on October 14, 1835, being a daughter of Dr.
Absalom Wade.

In 1850 Mr. Williams removed from Union Parish to Winnfield, Winn Parish, and
there, after clerking two years he was elected to the position of parish
recorder and parish treasure, which offices he filled acceptably for ten
years.  For a number of years during his residence in Winnfield he was
"engaged in mercantile pursuits, but 1872 he resigned his official positions
and removed to Montgomery, Grant Parish, La, where he kept a mercantile
establishment for two years, at the end of which time he turned his store over
to his son, J. H. Williams, who has conducted a successful establishment ever
since, and is now one of the principle merchants and most prominent business
men of the place.

Meanwhile, before leaving Winnfield, Mr. Williams purchased two large tracts
of land, each of which contained more than 300 acres, one lying on Red River,
in Grant Parish, just above Montgomery, and the other on the opposite bank of
the river, in Natchitoches Parish.  After transferring his mercantile
interests to his son, he turned his attention to farming, and has followed
that pursuit ever since.  He continued to reside in Montgomery until 1881,
when he came to this parish, locating on Highdie plantation, which he had
purchased in 1880, which contains over 1,000 acres.  Here he resided until
188, when he removed to a point nearly two miles farther down the river, and
directly opposite the town of Montgomery.

Since 1880 he has made several purchases of land, until his plantation reached
the enormous size of 4,000 acres, in 3,300 acres of which his son, J. H., has
a half interest.  No better land can be found on Red River, for the soil is
very productive, and above the point of overflow.  He has made extensive
improvements since locating on his present farm, one of which is a handsome
residence.  His barn is also a fine structure.

His marriage has resulted in the birth of four children: James Henry, William
Thomas, Malinda Annette and John Alexander.  Mr. and Mrs. Williams are members
of the Baptist church, and he is a Democrat.  He is a gentleman of much
intelligence, and being strictly honest, and possessing kindly and agreeable
manners, no planter on the Red River is more widely or more favorably known.