WATAUGA COUNTY, NC - BIOGRAPHIES - William Anderson "Badge" Williams, 1840-1929 ----¤¤¤¤---- William Anderson Williams was born in Ashe County, North Carolina on 18 November 1840, the son of William Williams and his wife Anna Willis Williams. This family was listed in the 1830 and 1840 Ashe County Censuses. In 1850: 1850 Ashe County, NC Census Household 443 Williams William 48 M . farmer . NC Williams Ann 48 F . . . NC Williams Thomas 24 M . laborer . NC Williams Martha 20 F . . . NC Williams Sarah 20 F . . . NC Williams Henry 17 M . laborer . NC Williams Mary 12 F . . . NC Williams Ann 8 F . . . NC Williams William 6 M . . . NC Between 1850 and 1860, the family moved to Watauga County, NC, and were listed on the 1860 Census: 1860 Watauga County, NC Census Beaver Dam District Household 151 Williams William 61 NC Williams Anna 60 NC Williams Mary A. 17 NC Williams Sarah A. 15 NC Williams William A. 13 NC During the Civil War, William served in Company C, 6th NC Cavalry, NC State Troops. Family lore has it that William saved a soldiers life during the Civil War, for which he received a medal. He wore the medal, or badge, proudly for the rest of his life, earning him the nickname Badge. Following the War, he married Emily A. Johnson in about 1870. She was born in Ashe County on 12 May 1843, and was the daughter of Harrison and Sarah McBride Johnson. William and his bride are listed in the 1870 Watauga County Census: 1870 Watauga County, NC Census Beaver Dam District Household 71 Williams Andrew 24 Farmer NC Williams Emily A. 27 Keeping House NC It is not known exactly when William got his doctor's training. In the 1880 Watauga County, NC Census, he is still listed as a farmer: 1880 Watauga County, NC Census Cove Creek Household 3 Williams William 32 Farmer NC NC NC Williams Emily 37 Keeping House NC NC NC Williams William 8 NC NC NC Williams Sarah 6 NC NC NC Williams Thomas 4 NC NC NC Williams Stephen 2 NC NC NC Williams John 1/12 NC NC NC William and family were still in Watauga County in 1887: 1887 Watauga County, NC Tax List Cove Creek Williams W.A. 46 39 Acres Sometime between 1887 and 1900, William and his family moved across the state line into Johnson County, Tennessee. It is believed that he got his physician training at the University of Tennessee in Knoxville. In the 1900 census: 1900 Johnson County, TN Census Neva (See: http://www.usgwarchives.net/tn/johnson/census/1900/098-11a.gif) Household 184 Williams William 60 Physician NC NC NC Williams Emily A. 57 Keeping House NC NC NC Williams Robert L. 15 NC NC NC Williams Benjamin W. 15 NC NC NC Williams Thomas 31 Nephew NC NC NC Williams William H. 28 Son NC NC NC Williams Nora A. 28 Dau-in-law NC NC NC Williams B.M 5 Grandson NC NC NC Williams Essie E. 1 Granddaughter NC NC NC Emily Johnson Williams died in Johnson County on 11 Dec 1904. In 1905, William married Alice J. Stout Ward. She was born in about 1876 in Johnson County, and was the daughter of Jacob Noah and Amanda Bailey Stout. Her first marriage was to John C. Ward, the son of Daniel and Nancy J. Ward. Sometime before 1910, William and his new family returned to Watauga County: 1910 Watauga County, NC Census Beaver Dam Household 45 Williams William 66 Physician NC NC NC Williams Alice J. 33 TN TN TN Ward Gladys 12 Stepdaughter TN TN TN Ward Clyde 9 Stepson TN TN TN Dr. William A. "Badge" Williams was a true country doctor. He travelled all over the region by horseback, visiting his patients when needed. He continued his medical practice until his age and health caused him to retire. He died on 21 February 1929. The cause of death was listed as dropsy. He was buried in the Cove Creek Cemetery on 25 Feb 1929. ___________________________________________________________________ Copyright. All rights reserved. http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm This file was contributed for use in the USGenWeb Archives by: Mike DeLoach javan@deloach.org ___________________________________________________________________