Anthony Williams Biography, Genesee County, Michigan

This Biography extracted from “Portrait and Biographical Record of 
Genesee, Lapeer and Tuscola Counties, Michigan…”, published be Chapman 
Bros., Chicago (1892), p. 1041-1042

This copy contributed for use in the USGenWeb Archives.


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HON. ANTHONY WILLIAMS, who owns and operates a fine farm of two hundred 
and seventy-five acres in Attica Township. Genesee County, is residing 
in Attica Village where he has a beautiful home. He was born in 
Superior Township. Washtenaw County, this State. September 29. 1836. He 
is the son of William Williams, a native of Chautauqua County. N. Y., 
whose birth occurred in 1804, and who died in 1881. He was a blacksmith 
by trade and at an early day in 1834 came to Michigan and located in 
Washtenaw County.

   The father of our subject lived in Washtenaw County for nine years, 
living eighteen months of that time in Ypsilanti. He then came to 
Lapeer County and locating in Dryden Township lived there for seven 
years, engaged in farming and working at his trade. In 1851 he came to 
Genesee County and built the first house where the village of Attica 
now stands, being the first permanent settler in that place. He erected 
the first mill in Attica Township, sawing pine lumber which he sold in 
Pontiac, Detroit and Romeo. The first saw-mill burned down within four 
weeks after it was erected, but he immediately set about to rebuild and 
in ninety days another mill was in operation. In four years, however, 
that burned and another was erected which in turn was destroyed by fire 
in 1876. Notwithstanding all these losses Mr. Williams was very 
successful in business.

   The township meetings were held for some time at the residence of 
William Williams, he being very active in local politics. The maiden 
name of our subject's mother was Betsey Brockway. Mr. Williams of this 
sketch received an excellent education, attending first the district 
schools of Dryden and later one term in the Almont graded schools and 
then entered Dickinson Institute at Romeo where he remained two terms. 
After leaving school he engaged in the milling business with his 
father, which he has followed off and on ever since.

   In 1862, the Hon. Anthony Williams was united in marriage with Miss 
Sarah Jane Briggs of Attica. Mrs. Williams is a daughter of John S. 
Briggs, who was the first man buried in the Attica cemetery. To our 
subject and his wife have come a family of seven children, viz: Minnie, 
who is residing at home; Byron, who died when one year old; Katie, who 
is a successful teacher in the Attica public schools; she received an 
excellent education in the Normal School of Ypsilanti, also at Fenton 
vine and Ft. Gratiot. Blanche A., who died in infancy; Jennie M., who 
lives with her parents; Elva, who is a student in the Attica schools; 
Herbert D., also attending school in Attica.

   Socially, Mr. Williams is a member of the Masonic fraternity, being 
identified with Attica Lodge, No. 295, and now holds the position of 
Worshipful Master; he is also an Odd Fellow. He is a Patron of 
Husbandry, belonging to Pine Stub Grange and is a Patron of Industry. 
In politics, he is a stanch Democrat. He has been the incumbent of 
various township offices, among which was Supervisor. In 1883, Mr. 
Williams was elected to the State Legislature by a majority of eighty-
eight in a Republican district. He has been a member of the committees 
on Railroads, Insane Asylum at Kalamazoo, and on Supplies and 
Expenditures. He also introduced bills to classify railroad freight, to 
prevent discrimination in freights, to extend the boundary line of the 
village of North Branch and various other bills.

   The grandfather of our subject was Thomas Williams, a native of 
Vermont. The family are direct descendants from William Williams, one 
of the signers of the Declaration of Independence.




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