Ionia County MI Archives Obituaries.....Williams, Albert 1907 ************************************************ Copyright. All rights reserved. http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm http://www.usgwarchives.net/mi/mifiles.htm ************************************************ File contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by: Marilyn Ransom mlnransom@chartermi.net August 20, 2012, 7:46 pm The Ionia Standard, Friday, April 12, 1907 The death of Hon. Albert Williams on Monday at 3 p.m., brings to a close the earthly career of a man identified with this city and county from the pioneer days, and whose life career has been of distinguished service to the community and the state. He is the last member of the Ionia County bar whose history is identified with the considerable period before the war, and whose personal energy and intellectual ability were influential in the events bearing upon the great national questions which were finally solved by the stern arbitration of war. Mr. Williams came of good New England stock, the American progenitor coming from Wales and settling in Connecticut. Members of the family were prominent in the early history of that state in the years before the revolution. Dr. Henry Williams, the father of Albert, received a classical education, was of high reputation in his profession, and was well known as a public speaker and writer. Albert was the fifth of eight children in the family, and was born in Windham county, Vt., Feb. 8, 1817—and had therefore passed his 90th birthday mark. He was a man of remarkable vigor of constitution, even for the sturdy pioneer race to which he belonged. He wasted none of this priceless gift of heredity in vain pursuit of riotous pleasure. His instincts were healthful, toward simple and independent living. His great pleasure and recreation was intellectual—in reading, in friendly discussion of topics of public interest, in activity in all movements concerning public welfare through governmental agency. The youthful years of Mr. Williams were mostly spent in Chenango and Oswego counties, New York, where he attended academical schools and studied law. He came to Michigan in April, 1844, and spent one year in the law office of Hon. R. McClelland and Judge Wing, in Monroe, where he was admitted to the bar April 14, 1845. On his admission he came at once to Otisco, then one of the more prominent settlements in this county, where he remained six years, serving one year in that time as supervisor. Form 1847 to 1851 he was prosecuting attorney. During 1853-4 he served as deputy county clerk, all the duties of the office devolving upon him. In 1854 he was elected county treasurer, and re-elected two years later. In January, 1861, he again entered upon the duties of prosecuting attorney. In the fall of 1862 he was elected attorney general of the state, serving four years with the special distinction, barring illegal raids on state treasury, and killing the attempt at the revival of “wild cat” currency, by the re-establishment of banks floating worthless issue. His sterling integrity and faithful watchfulness of public interests were fully demonstrated by his official career. In politics, Mr. Williams was a Democrat until 1854, when on the question of the extension of slavery, he helped organize the Republican arty. This was an act which gave him in his later years a measure of national distinction. He was the only man from Ionia county who attended the mass meeting “under the Oaks,” at Jackson, July 6, 1854, where the Republican party was born in the state of Michigan. He was not only there, but his energy and ability made him prominent in this event of far reaching consequence. He was a member of the committee on resolutions and also of the committee on nominations, which presented the first Republican state ticket—a ticket that was successful in the election following. The first elaborate Republication address printed and circulated in the State was written by him, and was so clear in its exposition of the principles of the new party that it was largely used as a text document. In 1870 Mr. Williams identified himself with the Prohibition party, in the belief that the usefulness of the Republican party had ceased. Of course he was never elected to anything as a member of this party, but he worked as faithfully as though official reward was secure. In 1896, he became a Democrat once more, and at the age of 80 years threw himself in the Bryan campaign with youthful vigor. He toured the state and his speeches were as clear and logical, his voice as strong and vigorous, his attitude as determined and resolute as in the days of his prime. It was his pleasure to meet Mr. Bryan intimately during this campaign, and the attitude of the younger man toward this old veteran was one of respect and consideration that reflected honor upon both. Mr. Williams remained a Bryan man to the last. Mr. Williams was married to Miss Eliza A. Patterson, in West Monroe, N.Y., Jan. 6, 1844. Mrs. Williams was a woman of more than ordinary intellectual gifts and charming social personality. In the “days of long ago” the family home is remembered as the scene of many pleasing events in the social life of the new town. This house, on corner of West Washington and Dye streets, still stands, albeit somewhat enlarged and altered from what it was when built by Mr. Williams in 1854. It was the family home until some years after the death of Mrs. Williams in 1879. Four children were born to them, two dying in infancy, one Fannie, in her 21st year, the sole survivor being Ellen, wife of Burton Babcock, of Easton. Mr. Williams’ death was not due to any organic disease, it was simply a wearing out of the physical machinery; his heart beat more feebly; the blood flowed more sluggishly; he became to blind to longer read; too deaf to longer hear easily; and death came finally as a relief. His mental strength and clearness was remarkable to the last hour. During the past winter he has been staying at the Babcock home. He had been gradually declining all this time, but was really confined entirely to the house only about three weeks, during which time he failed rapidly. The funeral service will be held at the residence of B. Babcock, Easton, on Thursday afternoon at 2 o’clock. File at: http://files.usgwarchives.net/mi/ionia/obits/w/williams18960nob.txt This file has been created by a form at http://www.genrecords.net/mifiles/ File size: 6.5 Kb